Temperate Agroforestry Development: The Case of Québec and of France

Abstract

This study sought to shed light on the political and organizational dynamics favoring the deployment of agroforestry in temperate environments. Development paths of agroforestry practices in Québec (Canada) and France were analyzed regarding five different issues: political status and recognition, regulation and financing, knowledge acquisition, knowledge transfer and training, development actors and implementation in the field. Scientific studies and results continue to accumulate concerning temperate agroforestry and its environmental benefits. Political recognition of the field appears to be stronger in France (and the EU), which makes state financial aid conditional upon the adoption of the practices. In Québec, only the Ministry of Agriculture provides limited support. It financially assists research at a moderate level, as well as the installation and maintenance of trees by participating farmers to perform specific functions, i.e., erosion control, water quality, and biodiversity. A large number of actors are active in France, where efforts are being made to improve consultation and to reduce redundancy. Stakeholders in Québec are linked to the broader agri-environment field and act partially through agroforestry, according to varying degrees of competency, creating a disparity between regions. Recognition at the highest level, i.e., training for councillors and advisors, greater flexibility in obtaining assistance, inclusion of a greater diversity of systems, and a structure that ensures promotion and consultation, would favour the further development of agroforestry in the industrialized nations of the temperate zone.

Research on Sustainable High-Quality Forestry Development in China—From Measurements, Dynamic Evolution, and Regional Differences

“…Benefit sharing is the fundamental purpose of sustainable high-quality forestry development, ensuring that the results of reform and development can be shared by the people. Benefit sharing aims at providing a better ecological environment for the people, reconciling the contradictions in income distribution in the forestry field, paying attention to the well-rounded development of people, and promoting the process of modernization [35][36][37]. The above five parts develop coordinately, and will jointly promote sustainable high-quality development in the field of forestry.…”

Mycorrhizal-Assisted Phytoremediation and Intercropping Strategies Improved the Health of Contaminated Soil in a Peri-Urban Area

“…Forage crops (alfalfa) and fast-growing trees (poplars) have been previously used for phytoremediation of contaminated soils (Lingua et al, 2008;Panchenko et al, 2017), in many cases following a monoculture approach. However, nowadays agroforestry intercropping strategies are attracting much interest because of their potential environmental, economic, and social benefits (Hotelier-Rous et al, 2020). In particular, poplar-alfalfa intercropping has high potential for in-situ phytoremediation of contaminated soils, since it combines the deep rooting system of poplar trees with the extensive colonization of the soil ecosystem by alfalfa roots, where nitrogen fixation takes place, contributing to lower maintenance (fertilization requirements) of the intercropping system and to enhancement of contaminant degradation.…”