Local knowledge and participatory design of silvopastoral systems as a connectivity strategy in livestock landscapes

Abstract

Deforestation has generated a fragmented livestock landscape, characterized by the loss of diversity, increasing areas in process of desertification, deterioration of natural resources, and inefficient livestock systems. Silvopastoral systems are an alternative to recover territory. The objective of this work was to gather the local knowledge of livestock producers on tree species with forage potential, in order to design participative silvopastoral systems that improve connectivity and livestock systems. Thirty-five producers from three departments were surveyed, who were asked about the consumption of tree species by cattle and other animals of caribbean cost during the year. The producers identified several species samples were collected from unmanaged adult trees for taxonomic classification and nutritional quality evaluation. Sixteen tree species consumed by domestic and wild animals were identified bovines consume their leaves throughout the year and their fruits during the dry season. Nutritional quality varied between species. Leaves had high concentrations of protein, but low or medium digestibility due to age (old forage). Fruits have better digestibility and good nutritional contents. It is necessary to carry out studies that determine the nutritional contributions of these species with young material (shorter regrowth time), since the advanced age of forage reduces its nutritional quality. Local knowledge of peasants and cattle breeders on multipurpose trees contributes to a participatory design of silvopastoral systems that increases the functional diversity and connectivity between forest relics, which favors the productivity of livestock systems and the conservation of the ecosystem.