Forest gardens on the nature-culture continuum (#journal)

Forest gardens as an ‘intermediate’ land-use system in the nature–culture continuum: Characteristics and future potential

 Forest gardens are reconstructed natural forests, in which wild and cultivated plants coexist, such that the structural characteristics and ecological processes of natural forests are preserved, although the species composition has been adapted to suit human needs. They lie between natural forests and tree-crop plantations in terms of their structure and composition. Their management is characterized by combined use of silvicultural and horticultural operations, and spatial and temporal variations. These ecologically sustainable systems are often dynamic in species composition in response to changing socioeconomic conditions. Evolved over a long period of time as a result of local community's creativity, forest gardens have received little attention in agroforestry research. The study of forest gardens offers good opportunities for obtaining a better understanding of the ‘nature-analogous’ agroforestry systems and for developing multifunctional agroforestry systems combining production and biodiversity.