Exploring the Productivity and Climate Change Mitigation Potential of Transitions From Pasture to Silvopasture in the Eastern United States

A rapid umbrella review finds that current evidence does not justify large-scale silvopasture adoption as a major U.S. climate mitigation strategy. While it can increase tree biomass carbon, it often reduces livestock and forage productivity, risking land-use leakage that could offset climate benefits. Evidence for soil carbon gains is limited, though some resilience and environmental co-benefits were noted.

• Current evidence does not support the use of large-scale silvopasture adoption as a primary climate mitigation strategy in the United States because the available evidence base is thin and inconsistent.
• While silvopasture can increase carbon stored in tree biomass, it often leads to decreased forage production and livestock output per acre, particularly as trees mature or density increases. This creates a risk of land-use leakage where production shifts elsewhere to meet constant meat and milk demand, potentially undermining net climate benefits.
• Evidence regarding soil carbon gains in temperate pasture-to-silvopasture transitions is limited and frequently indicates little change or potential losses. Additionally, while 'over-yielding' (combined wood and livestock production) is a conceptual possibility, it faces economic and practical barriers and may reduce net sequestration if wood-producing lands are converted.
• Silvopasture may provide environmental co-benefits and resilience, including reduced erosion, water regulation, and the moderation of heat stress in livestock.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Exploring the Productivity and Climate Change Mitigation Potential of Transitions From Pasture to Silvopasture in the Eastern United States. https://www.wri.org/research/exploring-productivity-and-climate-change-mitigation-potential-transitions-pasture

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Exploring the Productivity and Climate Change Mitigation Potential of Transitions From Pasture to Silvopasture in the Eastern United States. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/exploring-productivity-and-climate-change-mitigation-potential-transitions-pasture.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Exploring the Productivity and Climate Change Mitigation Potential of Transitions From Pasture to Silvopasture in the Eastern United States |url=https://www.wri.org/research/exploring-productivity-and-climate-change-mitigation-potential-transitions-pasture |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendexploring, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Exploring the Productivity and Climate Change Mitigation Potential of Transitions From Pasture to Silvopasture in the Eastern United States}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/exploring-productivity-and-climate-change-mitigation-potential-transitions-pasture}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }