Tropical Agroforestry

Coffee (Coffea arabica) can be grown under a range of conditions from full sun to complex multi-species agroforests. Under shade, coffee farming can have many benefits, including ecosystem services, habitat for a wide range of taxa, and subsistence products for farmers. My dissertation research took place in shade coffee agroforests in northern Nicaragua, where I focused on epiphyte ecology and the social dimensions of conservation in agroforestry systems. See Publications to read more.

Research Sites: Reserva El Jaguar, Selva Negra

Temperate Agroforestry

I am personally and professionally interested in agroforestry in temperate zones as well. In my previous work with the Savanna Institute, I helped to design and install the first publicly-accessible demonstration of multi-species alley cropping in Wisconsin at Silverwood County Park. We also wrote a paper on multi-party solutions to land access for agroforestry farmers. See Publications to read more.

Collaborators: Keefe Keeley, Kevin Wolz, and Katie Adams