No abstract

Background: Agroforestry systems can improve the provision of ecosystem services at the farm scale whilst improving agricultural productivity, thereby playing an important role in the sustainable intensification of agriculture. Natural capital accounting offers a framework for demonstrating the capacity of agroforestry systems to deliver sustained private benefits to farming enterprises, but traditionally is applied at larger scales than those at which farmers make decisions. Methods: Here we review the current state of knowledge on natural capital accounting and analyse how such an approach may be effectively applied to demonstrate the farm-scale value of agroforestry assets. We also discuss the merits of applying a natural capital approach to agroforestry decision-making and present an example of a conceptual model for valuation of agroforestry assets at the farm scale. Results: Our findings suggest that with further development of conceptual models to support existing tools and frameworks, a natural capital approach could be usefully applied to improve decision-making in agroforestry at the farm scale. Using this approach to demonstrate the private benefits of agroforestry systems could also encourage adoption of agroforestry, increasing public benefits such as biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. However, to apply this approach, improvements must be made in our ability to predict the types and amounts of services that agroforestry assets of varying condition provide at the farm or paddock scale.

No abstract

Summary The retention of native woodland remnants in agricultural landscapes provides a range of benefits, many of which are linked to the ameliorative effects of trees on local microclimatic conditions. We monitored the reduction in wind speed and extreme temperatures that occurred in and around two native eucalypt woodland remnants in the Tasmanian Midlands and discuss the role of woodland remnants in providing both agricultural and environmental benefits. Monitoring wind speed, temperature and relative humidity every 30 min for over a year showed that an average wind speed reduction of 50% occurred within the woodland remnants as well as higher minimum temperatures by up to 0.5 C. The structural characteristics of the woodland remnants mediated the effects observed, with a 50% reduction in wind speed occurring when there was the equivalent of 20 large trees blocking the wind. This demonstrates that areas with low numbers of trees per hectare can have significant impacts on microclimatic conditions. The microclimatic changes observed will likely benefit agricultural productivity, farm aesthetics and ecological processes.