Course Overview

Agroforestry practices are influenced by the characteristics of the land and the goals and values of people stewarding the land. In the Agroforestry Foundations course, we started thinking about all the aspects that need to be considered to help us plan our agroforestry project. In Lesson 1 of this course, we will revisit and focus in greater detail on the steps through the lens of whole farm planning. In Lesson 2, we’ll take a deeper dive into arguably the most foundational aspect of planning for agroforestry–how will you get access to land? In Lesson 3, we will consider aspects of financial planning for agroforestry, including looking at the various assistance programs available for agroforestry.

Essential Questions

• What is whole farm planning?
• How do the unique characteristics of agroforestry affect how practitioners approach whole farm planning, land access, and financial planning?
• How do practitioners assess their resources and preferences when planning for agroforestry?
• What are challenges to gaining land access for agroforestry?
• What are models of land access for agroforestry?
• What legal considerations do practitioners need to make for agroforestry agreements?
• What financial assistance is available for agroforestry practitioners?

Learning Objectives and Content Topics 

• Describe the process and steps for whole farm planning
• Identify different land access strategies for agroforestry practices
• Leasing Land
• Innovative Models for Access – community land trusts, shared ownership, incubator farms
• Purchasing Land
• Identify components of financial planning and sources of assistance