Conversion of Nicaragua’s tropical dry forest to cattle pasture has left a highly
heterogeneous landscape where pasture is maintained against forest succession. Climate
change threatens to exacerbate these divisions between conservation and agriculture by
drying up limited water sources for cattle and endemic species alike. Our client, Paso
Pacífico, was interested in researching the potential of silvopastoral practices in the Rivas
Isthmus of Nicaragua. Silvopastoralism combines the interests of cattle ranchers and
conservationists by improving cattle production through multifunctional afforestation
measures and alternative pasture management practices. This work builds on the previous
Master’s work on living fence rows (Dorgay, Muelle & Klooster 2016) in Nicaraguan cattle
ranches by focusing on the impact of isolated trees in pastures on non-migratory birds,
pasture and cattle health. This is the first study to combine these elements of the pastoral
agroecosystem with a survey of farmer perceptions into an interdisciplinary study.
We began our study with a literature review of studies concerning isolated tree
impacts and silvopastoral practices. We then visited 17 cattle ranches in order to complete
observational studies of native birds, measurements of pasture quality and cattle health, and
semi-structured interviews with farm managers or landowners. As a result, we found that
non-migratory bird visits are positively correlated with isolated trees with wide and sparse
canopies and available fruit. The isolated trees were also found to have suppressed pasture
grass growth yet maintain overall nutrient content underneath their canopies. However at the
farm-scale, we found no correlation between the overall tree cover on ranches and cattle
health suggesting supplemental feed by the trees and farmers. Overall, farmers viewed
isolated trees as beneficial to cattle production and the environment.
The culmination of our work is a set of recommendations to develop a culture of
silvopastoral practices. The case for planting additional trees on private pasture land is
supported by the evidence of lack of natural tree replacement and widely recognized benefits
for cattle. By approaching incremental afforestation of cattle ranches at the landscape level,
Paso Pacífico can maintain tree species diversity while incorporating farmer preference in
tree plantings. Within any resulting afforestation program, a particular focus on preserving
trees with wide canopies, fruiting trees, and dying or dead trees in place will preserve an
unique set of resources for native birds. Finally, we recommend that future research and
program design build on these studies of living fence rows and isolated trees to investigate
the specific influence of socioeconomic factors and the conservation impacts of silvopastoral
practices for a diversity of taxa.