Forest Farming (NRCS #379)

Applicable Systems

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About

Forest farming combines aspects of forestry and small-scale farming through intentionally managing crops through multi-story cropping. Benefits of forest farming include increased diversity, improved habitat, and improved soil health¹ ². Forest farming requires intentional management, including the use of vertical space, and provides an avenue to produce non-timber forest products. Common forest farming products can be sold for medicinal, culinary, or ornamental use. Depending on the goals of the producer, canopy shade levels can be adjusted through changes in species composition and forest structure. Forest farming can vary in management intensity, with three recognized methods of management: wood grown, wild-simulated, and managed wild populations.

Key aspects and considerations:

Consider interactions between plants and microclimate.
Choose trees with low to moderate root and crown spread.
Select crops that are tolerant of shade.
Ensure trees are planted or managed with enough spacing to allow light for understory canopy growth.
Select sites that are suitable for desired crops.
Ensure proper documentation when growing protected species.
Determine appropriate density and understory structure.
Consider slope aspect when determining where to plant.
Forest farming maintains cultural traditions and recreational hobbies.

Benefits and Limitations

ACRE Category	Benefits	Limitations
Soil Health	Improves forest composition and enhances stand health³, which may improve carbon storage and soil health. Combining trees with intentional understory vegetation increases organic matter.	May increase localized soil compaction due to harvest.
Water Management	Tree roots and understory crops increase water holding capacity, improve infiltration, and control water table depths.	Understory crops may compete for soil moisture during dry periods.
Nutrient Management	Tree litter from the multi-story system improves nutrient cycling while requiring fewer inputs.	N/A
Agricultural Production	Helps meet demand for specialty products and plants. Staggers production across seasons. Improves pest and invasive species management with active forest management. Reduces harvest pressure on wild plant populations⁴. Protects from wildfire by thinning and managing understory vegetation⁷.	Limited suitable understory crops for low-light forest farming conditions. Requires active management, including managing the interactions between the understory and overstory environment. Management may conflict with labor, time, and money demand of other crops⁵. Requires long-term investment. Requires more information on best management practices for non-timber forest production⁸ ⁹.
Biodiversity and Wildlife	Understory crops increase species diversity⁴. Multistory systems provide wildlife habitat to a range of species.	N/A
GHG Emission	Incorporating trees into the landscape increases carbon storage above and belowground. Often requires few inputs, releasing less N₂O than conventionally fertilized cropping systems.	Increases CO₂ emissions if a forest is thinned for forest farming⁶. Heavy thinning and high-disturbance management minimize GHG reductions and should be avoided⁶.
Economics	Generates alternative or supplemental income. Non-timber products provide short-term income, while trees may provide high-value timber. Produces high-value crops, such as ginseng and shiitake mushrooms. Federal and state funding opportunities provide cost-share programs.	Requires upfront costs, including planting stock and labor costs. Lack of robust or stable markets, depending on the product.

Impact on Agricultural Resilience

Forest farming modifies the microclimate for lower canopy plants, assisting with temperature regulation, humidity control, and water use efficiency, which makes the system more resilient to changing conditions⁷. Microclimate modification can be especially important under trends of increasing extreme heat and variable rainfall.

Regional Applicability

Generally, forest farming is well suited for regions or states that already contain forested land. For example, forest farming may be well suited in Kentucky, as forestland is often maintained for wildlife habitat and recreation.
Forest farming is not widely adopted in the region, though there are opportunities in parts of the Midwest, such as Wisconsin, where ginseng can grow under low light conditions. Additionally, depending on the management, maple syrup production can be a strong candidate for forest farming relevant to the Midwest region. Maple syrup production has grown steadily in the Midwest, increasing by over 200% from 2000 to 2013 in Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin¹⁰, making it a strong candidate for forest farming systems.

Case Studies

At the Lawrence Community Orchard in Lawrence, Kansas, volunteers and community members plant and manage over 100 edible woody perennials, including fruit and nut trees. Skyler Adamson, the project coordinator, describes some of the justifications for forest farming: "Communities should be producing food, and perennials happen to be a lower-cost and lower-labor way to do that."
In Wisconsin, Mark Shepard of New Forest Farm implements a range of agroforestry practices, including forest farming, where he produces chestnuts, hazelnuts, apples, asparagus, and pigs. Mark has spent decades increasing wildlife and improving organic matter on his farm, stating, "Agroforestry has the answers to so many challenges. We can solve them with programs we already have in place, and we can do it at a profit."
In Amesville, OH, John Wood practices forest farming for maple syrup production. With 8 acres, John is able to sell directly to producers. John recommends learning from peers in your area if you're considering forest farming.

Resources

Video. Savanna Institute: Everything You Wanted to Know about Forest Farming (but didn't know to ask)
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Podcast: Forest Farming: Planting the Seed
University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry: Forest Farming Agroforestry Training Manual
University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry: Economic Budgeting for Agroforestry Practices
USDA-NRCS: Agroforestry in Wisconsin
USDA-NRCS: Small Scale Solution for Your Farm: Forest Farming
Northcentral SARE: Forest Farming in Missouri: An Overview of the Production of Non-Timber Forest Products
USDA-NRCS: Conservation Assessment and Planning Tools
University of Nebraska Extension: Marketing Specialty Forest Products
Rural Action: Forest Farming Budget Enterprise Scenario 1: Small Scale Production
Rural Action: Forest Farming Budget Enterprise Scenario 2: Large Scale Production
Lincoln University: Forest Farming Site Selection and Preparation Guidelines
University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry: Growing Shiitake Mushrooms in an Agroforestry Practice
National Center for Appropriate Technology: Community Forest Gardens: Case Studies Throughout the United States
USDA-FS National Agroforestry Center: Forest Farming: An Agroforestry Practice
USDA-FS National Agroforestry Center: Profitable Farms and Woodlands
USDA-NRCS: Forest Farming (Ac.) (379) Conservation Practice Standard

References

USDA-NRCS (2022). Conservation Practice Standard Document, Forest Farming, Code 379. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/Forest_Farming_379_CPS_NHCP_2020.pdf
USDA-NRCS (2022). Conservation Practice Standard Overview, Forest Farming, Code 379. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/Forest_Farming_379_PO_2022.pdf
University of Missouri--Columbia, Center for Agroforestry. (2024). Training Manual for Applied Agroforestry Practices. University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry.
Chamberlain, J. L., Davis, J., & Munsell, J. F. (2021). Forest Farming Practices. North American Agroforestry, 281-313.
Idassi, J. O. (2012). Profitable Farms and Woodlands: A Practical Guide in Agroforestry for Landowners, Farmers and Ranchers. Lincoln, Nebraska: USDA National Agroforestry Center.
Lawrence, N., Ahamed, A., Conway, A., Covey, K., Chenyang, L., Machado, S., Wardropper, C., Stutzman, E., & Mize, C. (2025). Agroforestry and Climate Outcomes: Literature Review and Technical Guidance. Technical Advisory Network for Climate Smart Agricultural Practices. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15776654
Schoeneberger, M. M., & Bentrup, G. (2017). Agroforestry: enhancing resiliency in US agricultural landscapes under changing conditions. Gen. Tech. Report WO-96. Washington, DC: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 96.
Frey, G. E., Chamberlain, J. L., & Jacobson, M. G. (2023). Producers, production, marketing, and sales of non-timber forest products in the United States: a review and synthesis. Agroforestry Systems, 97(3), 355-368.
Valdivia, C., & Poulos, C. (2009). Factors affecting farm operators' interest in incorporating riparian buffers and forest farming practices in northeast and southeast Missouri. Agroforestry Systems, 75(1), 61-71. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-008-9129-2
Chamberlain, J., Teets, A., & Kruger, S. (2018). Nontimber forest products in the United States: an analysis for the 2015 National Sustainable Forest Report. e-Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-229, Asheville, NC: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station, 229, 1-36. https://doi.org/10.2737/SRS-GTR-229

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Forest Farming photo 1 — Photo 1: Ginseng grows in the understory of walnut trees.

Photo courtesy of USDA-FS National Agroforestry Center.

Forest Farming photo 2 — Photo 2: Shiitake mushrooms, which require low light, are well suited for forest farming.

Photo courtesy of USDA-FS National Agroforestry Center.