What tree crops are suitable for your land? Canopy Compass can tell you

There are many different tree and shrub crops that are of interest to farmers, and compared to other crops, there is often limited or inconsistent information available about where they can grow and thrive. People who want to learn more about tree and shrub crops often have to do a lot of digging for information, and the planning process for perennial agriculture can be onerous. In an effort to aggregate research and simplify the planning process for farmers, we have dug into the data and created suitability maps for dozens of tree and shrub crops, which are now shared on Canopy Compass. 

Researchers at the Savanna Institute gathered extensive data on each species’ unique environmental requirements from published sources and crop experts. Coupling this information with publicly available soil and climate data, we mapped potentially suitable land, using a method that we developed and published in the scientific journal Nature-Based Solutions. The Savanna Institute then partnered with Canopy Farm Management to convert the technical results into easy-to-interact-with maps and context-driven reports.

Canopy Compass launched with information on 20 tree and shrub species commonly used in temperate agroforestry systems in the US, with more to come. The maps will be updated as new research on the crops continues to emerge. The Savanna Institute is now studying the impacts of climate change on tree and shrub crop suitability, and the findings will be incorporated into Canopy Compass.

A major goal with this project is to help make it easier for people to learn about and implement agroforestry. Trees are a long-term investment in a place, and Canopy Compass can help farmers make data-informed decisions to help secure a successful future for their land, contributing to the broader catalyzation of more tree crops and perennial farming systems on US farms.