Background

This tool was developed in consultation with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) under an ongoing Conservation Innovation Grant.

With roots in the indigenous agricultural systems of Pacific Islands and tropical world, the Agroforestry Design Tool™ helps people who are aware of the benefits of agroforestry and would like to customize an agroforest for their particular site and goals in an easy-to-follow framework.

The tool first guides the user in selecting from a range of planting patterns suitable for multistory agroforestry. The user can then select species from a list of more than 200 fruit, nut, timber, native, and culturally significant plants from throughout the Pacific Islands (Hawaii, Commonwealth of the

Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Federated States of Micronesia, American Samoa, and Marshall Islands).

Because pruning is especially significant when growing fruit crops together harmoniously, the user can also specify if and how much the plants will be pruned.

Finally, the tool provides visualizations and an animation of the growth of the user’s agroforest, as well as a summary report in pdf format. If the user has the goal of creating a regenerative system, one that improves growing conditions year after year, the Agroforestry Design Tool™ can assist in meeting standards for multistory agroforestry set by USDA NRCS and in meeting a standard for regenerative agroforestry.

Two Free Webinars

In addition to the online tool launch, the program creators will hold two free webinars to introduce the tool and its use. The webinars will present the advantages of multistory agroforestry and demonstrate the tool using specific examples. The webinars will be held on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 and Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at 1:00–3:00 pm Hawaii time.

To register, visit AgroforestryX.com and click on the “Support” tab for instructions. For more information on the Agroforestry Design Tool and to register for the free webinars, visit AgroforestryX.com.