Increase or implement agroforestry practices

Landscapes dominated by agriculture often have ecosystems carbon stocks approximately 73-84% lower than forested landscapes due to production systems that are often highly reliant on annual herbaceous crops (Liu et al. 2014). The intentional integration of trees and shrubs into crop and animal production systems has the potential to enhance carbon sequestration and storage from the increase in cover of long-lived woody vegetation. Additionally, agroforestry practices increase the adaptation of agricultural systems to a changing climate through enhancing crop production and protecting soil and water quality (Schoeneberger et al. 2017). Agroforestry practices include (1) silvopasture, (2) alley cropping, (3) forest farming, (4) windbreaks, and (5) riparian forest buffers.

Carbon stocks often reach their highest density in forested ecosystems compared to other ecosystem types or land uses (Liu et al. 2012; Liu et al. 2014). Actions that maintain the integrity of forested ecosystems or re-establish forest cover can have some of the most significant benefits for maintaining carbon in both above- and belowground pools, as well as improving the ability of the ecosystems to sequester carbon into the future. This strategy seeks to sustain or enhance carbon stocks at broad spatial scales through maintaining forest vegetation, increasing forest stocking, or re-establishing forest cover on non-forested lands.