Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Silk Cotton trees along scenic drive in the Northwest rainforest of St. Croix, USVI.

Caribbean Forestry

In the Caribbean, tropical Agroforestry Systems intentionally combine agriculture and forestry to create integrated and sustainable land-use systems. Agroforestry takes advantage of the interactive benefits of combining trees and shrubs with crops and livestock.

Common practices used in agroforestry systems include:

  • Access Control
  • Alley Cropping
  • Firebreak
  • Forest Stand Improvement
  • Fuel Break
  • Multi Story Cropping
  • Riparian Forest Buffer
  • Silvopasture
  • Tree-shrub pruning and Site Preparation
  • Windbreak Shelterbelt Establishment and Renovation
  • Woody Residue Treatment

Forestry Initiatives

  • Fire Prevention workshop in Rancho AA Sabana Grande, PR
  • The Puerto Rico private forest working group is an initiative to advance the identification of challenges and opportunities in landowners' forests. The aim is to provide education about agroforestry practices to enhance the landscape, wildlife habitat, and natural resource conservation for future generations in Puerto Rico.
  • The USVI Forestry working group is an initiative to advance the identification of challenges and opportunities in landowners' forests. The aim is to provide education about agroforestry practices to enhance the landscape, wildlife habitat, and natural resource conservation for future generations in the United States Virgin Islands.
  • The Caribbean Pine Working Group initiative looks to understand and study the composition, behavior and colonization of pine tree stands.
El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico, courtesy of US Forest Service.

Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership

The NRCS, US Forest Service & US Fish & Wildlife Service collaborate to target conservation & restoration to improve the health & resiliency of forest ecosystems where public and private lands meet.

Samuel Rios harvests coffee berries at Hacienda Prosperidad in Jayuya, PR.

Shade Coffee

NRCS Caribbean is helping Puerto Rico’s farmers to convert their sun-grown coffee plantations to shade-grown coffee to protect, enhance and conserve soil, water and wildlife habitat.

Francisco Rivera

Agroforestry and Grassland Specialist