Contribution of Forest-Based Ecosystem Services to Agricultural Production

 

The mission of the FLARE network (Forests & Livelihoods: Assessment, Research, and Engagement) is to establish a Community of Practice that advances the state of knowledge of the intersection of forests and livelihoods. In bringing together stakeholders – researchers, practitioners, donors, and decision makers – FLARE will leverage efforts that enrich the understanding of forest-livelihood interactions.

See examples of their project work and a review from their website below on the contribution of forest-based ecosystem services.

Forest ecosystems are crucial to agricultural production through their direct and indirect contribution of provisioning, regulating and supporting services. These include, but are not exclusive to, pollination services, nutrient cycling, climate regulation, resilience to climate events, soil stabilization and watershed protection. Current initiatives on agricultural intensification appear to overlook the contribution of ecosystem services for crop and livestock productivity.

Although some work has been undertaken on enhancing on-farm provisioning of ecosystems services, the ecological and socio-economic value of forests and trees in terms of their contribution to agricultural production has rarely been integrated into land use planning and other processes.

FLARE Network Secretariat, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, USA