The Overstory Book: Cultivating Connections with TreesWhether in a small backyard or a larger farm or forest, trees are vital to the web of life. Protecting and planting trees can restore wildlife habitat, heal degraded land, conserve soil, protect watersheds, diversify farm or garden products, beautify landscapes, and enhance the economic and ecological viability of land use systems. Careful planning and sound information is needed to reach these goals. The Overstory Book distills essential information about working with trees into 134 short, easy-to-read, single-subject chapters. Each chapter shares key concepts and useful information, so readers can get back to planting and protecting more trees, gardens, and forests, more effectively. * Discover time-tested agricultural and conservation techniques from indigenous and traditional peoples * Work with beneficial microorganisms, from mycorrhizal fungi to nitrogen-fixing bacteria and more * Create abundance with fruit trees, timber trees, vine crops, vegetables, mushrooms, and more * Form alliances with animals, from wildlife, birds, and insects to integrated, free-range livestock * Design effective tree-based windbreaks, noise barriers, live fences, and erosion buffers * Understand how to grow or obtain the highest quality seeds, seedlings, and plant materials * Restore fertility, productivity, and biodiversity with trees * Work with multipurpose plants including trees, palms, bamboos, and more * Market products effectively to improve economic returns sustainably * Locate helpful internet sites, organizations, people, and publications * And much more! |
Contents
| 1 | |
Small and Unseen Allies | 59 |
Animal Assistants | 95 |
Protecting Land from Wind Erosion Intruders and Noise | 129 |
Saving Water Soil and Fertility | 165 |
Restoring Land | 189 |
Growing Trees for Forestry | 227 |
Understory and Nontimber Forest Products | 253 |
A Great Start | 329 |
Seeds Seedlings and Tree Basics | 361 |
Designing with Nature | 423 |
Improving Income | 449 |
Human Connections | 471 |
Learning More Resources | 495 |
| 511 | |
| 521 | |
Common terms and phrases
agricultural Agroecology agrofor agroforestry systems animals areas Australia bacteria bamboo benefits Bill Mollison biodiversity collection conservation cultivation culture diversity ecological economic ecosystems Elevitch Email environment environmental erosion estry example excerpt was originally farm forestry farmers fertility fodder forage forestry Frankia fungi gardens genetic ginseng greywater grow growth habitat harvest homegardens ICRAF important improve increase indigenous Indonesia inoculation insects integrated intercropping International Kayapo land landscape legumes live fence livestock medicinal ment mulch mushrooms mycorrhizal natural nitrogen nitrogen fixing NTFPs nutrients orchard organic matter Original Source originally published Overstory Pacific Islands Permaculture pest plantations plants potential practices protection pruning reduce rhizobia roots rural seed seed orchard seedlings sheet mulch shrubs soil Source This article sustainable timber tion tree species tropical forests understory urban vegetation vetiver weeds wildlife windbreak wood
Popular passages
Page 30 - THE groves were God's first temples. Ere man learned To hew the shaft, and lay the architrave. And spread the roof above them, — ere he framed The lofty vault, to gather and roll back The sound of anthems ; in the darkling wood, Amidst the cool and silence, he knelt down, And offered to the Mightiest solemn thanks And supplication.
Page 8 - TEK, can generally be defined as a body of knowledge built up by a group of people through generations of living in close contact with nature.
Page 2 - Centre defines agroforestry as a dynamic, ecologically based, natural resources management system that, through the integration of trees on farms and in the agricultural landscape, diversifies and sustains production for increased social, economic and environmental benefits for land users at all levels.
Page 35 - Sanctuary: to assure the natural conditions necessary to protect nationally significant species, groups of species, biotic communities, or physical features of the environment where these require specific human manipulation for their perpetuation.
Page 2 - Agroforestry is a sustainable land-management system which increases the overall yield of the land, combines the production of crops (including tree crops) and forest plants and/or animals simultaneously or sequentially, on the same unit of land, and applies management practices that are compatible with the cultural practices of the local population.