Urban Agroforestry for Dryland Environments

Urban agroforestry is the intentional use of perennial trees and shrubs to improve the sustainability and resilience of urban farms and communities. In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Agroforestry Specialist Katherine Favor sits down with Christopher Marciello of Ecology Artisans — a regenerative landscape and design firm — to talk about urban agroforestry in dryland environments.  While urban agroforestry can take many forms, there are several design principles to keep in mind, no matter what your system looks like. These include sustainable water harvesting, soil development, habitat development, regionally appropriate plant species, and appropriately scaled food production. Chris and Katherine discuss how these design principles can be applied to create productive and regenerative urban agroforestry systems in arid areas.    Related ATTRA Resources:  Agroforestry  Meet NCAT: Katherine Favor Says Agroforestry Can Plant the Seeds of Sustainability   Silvopasture 101  Perspectives on Agroforestry with Rowan Reid. Part 1   Perspectives on Agroforestry with Rowan Reid. Part 2  Opportunities in Agroforestry  Agroforestry: An Overview   Other Resources:  Ecology Artisans  Community Food Forests   Introduction to Agroforestry  Olga Romanova and Doctor Lovell – Urban Agriculture Food Safety Considerations  Sustainable Community Food Landscapes Sharing Successes  Desert-Adapted Nurse Plants and Agaves in Climate Friendly Perennial Polycultures  Indoor and Outdoor Forest Gardens  Southwest Agroforestry Action Network  Urban Agroforestry and Its Potential Integration into City Planning Efforts  Contact Katherine Favor via email at [email protected].  Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast.  You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access our trusted, practical sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG. Learn about NCAT’s other cutting-edge sustainable agriculture programs.  Meet NCAT’s sustainable agriculture team. Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram! &nb