Sustainable Agriculture

The application of ecological principles to agricultural systems has gained increasing traction in recent years, especially as more conscientious communities try to envision a more sustainable future. In the past, excessive usage of pesticides and monocultures has led to disastrous consequences for agricultural, natural, and urban systems alike. Today, a combination of old and new wisdom show that mimicking natural systems can have positive impacts on agricultural sites. For example, increasing the biodiversity of wildflowers around fruit trees and shrubs can lead to increased pollinator activity for both the wildflowers and the fruiting plants. In ecological win-win situations like these, a strong understanding of native plants and animals can lead to sustainable and successful agricultural systems.

At One Nature we have worked on many different sites to provide ecologically-minded, site-specific designs that lead to robust and sustainable agriculture. Using input from the farmers or agricultural property owners we work with, we give recommendations for long term land use decisions that benefit both farms and habitats. For example, at a former bee farm in the Hudson valley, we designed a plan to create a hybrid between ecological reserve and agricultural area. Our holistic approach included conversion of wild fields to grassland habitat and hay field, controlled burns to stimulate natural cycles and reduce invasive species, and planting of native species mixtures to promote biodiversity and pollinator habitat.