In the US, Agroforestry is gaining ground. The 2022 Census of Agriculture indicated that compared to 2017, there was a 6% increase in the number of farms reporting at least one kind of agroforestry practice across all 50 states. Public and private plans involve planting billions of trees in the next 10-25 years. Many of these plans imply that farmers can save humanity, the economy, and the planet by planting fields with “profitable” trees that sequester carbon and make money. Profit-first models and institutional gatekeeping often leave individuals to shoulder the burden alone, risking the grafting of extractive and inequitable traits of capitalist commodities onto new rootstock.
Cultivating an agriculture that meaningfully feeds people and the earth can’t depend on idealistic volunteers or individualistic entrepreneurs. An abundant agroforestry requires a social economy that authentically supports people who are passionate about trees and ready to commit decades to them. Agroforestry needs a coordinated action plan and economics that fairly sustain the tree growers and tree planters.
Instead of thinking of agroforestry as only a farming enterprise for tree crops, can we treat it more like a social movement?
Join us on Friday, February 20th for a virtual forum to explore these ideas and participate in reflection and conversation. For the past two years, MYCENA has been engaging with farmers and nursery producers in a holistic approach to tree planting that has yielded:
a set of needs and priorities defined by farmers and nursery growers
cost structures to fairly compensate for tree propagation and planting
a map of relationships needed to sustain community-based projects in the long term
We will share our approach to socially oriented tree planting and release our report with farmer listening sessions, which we are working to implement this coming growing season with a community of farms across the Catskill and Essex County regions of New York. We will also facilitate
100% of registration fees will be matched 1:1 and flow directly to the nurseries growing the trees and the farmers who will plant, care for, and steward them in 2026—and for decades to come.
Sessions will be recorded and available for registered folks after the event.
“…funding will help us continue developing silvopasture systems that support our dairy herd with shade, forage diversity, and long-term farm resilience.”
Ashlee
North Country Creamery
“Having support from other farms and nurseries is awesome! As one of the nurseries providing plant material, this project has given us a huge sense of security in knowing that we have a reliable wholesale outlet for some of the trees we grew this season.”
Rhiannon & Cameron
The Forest Exchange
“The project has inspired me to plant not just trees, but lineage. Every fruit and native species we’re looking to add to Serra Vida Farm is a reminder that we are our future ancestors; shaping the biodiversity and food access our communities will inherit. This program will significantly strengthen my agroecological practice and expand what long-term stewardship can look like on a small farm.”
Sea
Serra Vida Farm
10:00 – 10:15 | Welcome & Framing
10:15 – 11:00 | Farmer Listening Sessions: Report Release
11:00 – 11:30 | Building Community-Based Tree Systems
11:30 – 11:45 | Break
11:45 – 12:30 | Small Group Discussion
12:30 - 1:15 | LUNCH
1:15 – 2:00 | Knowledge Share (5-Minute Lightning Talks)
2:00 – 3:00 | Collective Discussion & Closing