In my ten years as Editor of The Temperate Agroforester, I've spent a lot of time thinking and writing about what motivates people to adopt agroforestry practices. These "case studies" usually reveal a mix of factors, ranging from economic to environmental to aesthetic, that overlap in a business and personal decision-making process. The list of reasons are as diverse and unique as the individuals who are motivated to act, and their stories reveal the entrepreneurial spirit of innovative landowners willing to try something new.
Looking back, some of the more memorable profiles of individual landowners that have appeared in the Temperate Agroforester, either written by me or others, include the following: (AFTA members should log in first to view these stories from the newsletter archive)
- Peter Kenagy, Alley cropping with black walnut (Vol. 4, No. 1; PDF 583k)
- Geoff King, Silvopasture with sheep and hybrid poplar (Vol. 4, No. 2; PDF 400k)
- Rob Miller, "Working" riparian buffers (Vol. 5, No. 3; PDF 318k)
- Bob Stewart, Multi-cropping a commercial forest (Vol. 8, No. 1; PDF 218k)
- Larry Harper, Silvopasture with black walnut (Vol 10, No. 3; PDF 216k)
- Stephen Meier, Silvopasture with sheep and Christmas trees (Vol. 11, No. 3; PDF 302k)
- Of course, there are many more landowners in the US and Canada whose individual stories would be interesting to tell. That will a job for future Editors.
In June, I will "pass the baton" to a new Editor, to be selected by the AFTA Board. I'll continue as an occasional correspondent, on the lookout for interesting stories from the Pacific Northwest relevant to temperate agroforestry. I'd like to express sincere thanks to all the people who have contributed to the Temperate Agroforester over the years. It has really been a collective effort of many hands and voices, without whose help my job would have been a lot harder. Thanks for the opportunity to do something both challenging and rewarding - writing about agroforestry.
By Miles Merwin, Editor