The History and Methods of Holistic Management (2024)

Holistic Management has become increasingly significant in modern agriculture, not only for those that have adopted the principles, but also in the ideas it has inspired. As farmers and land managers look for sustainable solutions to challenges like climate change, soil erosion, and loss of biodiversity, they are turning more and more towards holistic solutions.

This methodology not only aims to reduce the negative impacts of farming, like soil erosion, and agrochemicals polluting our waterways, but also seeks to improve ecological health and resilience. In a time where conventional agriculture often involves intensive resource use and significant ecological disruption, Holistic Management provides an alternative that can lead to improved soil health, and water conservation.

In short, Holistic Management is the approach to farming that many of us envision when we think of “organic” farming. Although the definition of organic has broadened in recent years, Holistic Management is the basis for the more traditional organic practices, like cover cropping, composting, crop rotations, and planned grazing.

To describe it more thoroughly, Holistic Management is an approach to agriculture that is designed to build resilience by closely mimicking nature's processes. Developed initially by Allan Savory to combat desertification and restore grasslands, the approach has since broadened to include any managed ecosystem, including farms, ranches, and even wildlife preserves. At its core, Holistic Management is a systems based approach, with the human stewards influencing the relationship between plants, animals, soil, and water. The goal is to enhance sustainability, resilience, and productivity by treating these elements not as isolated components but as integral parts of a whole system.

Allan Savory, born in Zimbabwe in 1935, began his career in the field of biology and ecology with an interest in solving problems of land degradation. He studied biology and later worked as a research biologist and game ranger in what is now modern-day Zambia. During his early career, Savory made important observations about the health of grasslands and the role of large herds of wild animals and their migratory patterns in these ecosystems.

In the 1960s, Allan Savory made a career shift when he began to focus more intensively on finding solutions to the advancing desertification he saw in arid environments. What he saw led him to theorize that the land degradation he was witnessing was not a natural consequence of animal grazing, as was commonly thought, but rather the result of how those animals were managed on the land.

This insight laid the foundation for his development of Holistic Management, which seeks to mimic nature to improve land health. Savory’s work during this period formed the basis of his later, more formalized approaches to managing land resources holistically, which have been influential in promoting sustainable agricultural practices worldwide.

When Allan Savory started looking for solutions to the desertification of grasslands, the concepts of holistic management began to come together. He saw that areas with large populations of native grazing animals maintained healthier soils and plant life compared to areas where these animals were absent.

Conventional belief at the time blamed overgrazing for desertification, but Savory suggested that it was not the presence of large herds that degraded the land, but rather the absence of their natural migration patterns, disrupted by human activities.

Building on this insight, Savory developed a set of management guidelines that aimed to simulate the natural grazing behaviors of wild herds. His method involved managing livestock to mimic these natural patterns, moving them between grazing areas to prevent overgrazing in any one spot, and to ensure that the land has sufficient time to regenerate.

This approach was formalized into what is now known as Holistic Management, a comprehensive framework that integrates social, economic, and environmental factors into decision-making processes for land use.

By the 1980s, Savory's methods had gained traction, leading him to establish the Center for Holistic Management in New Mexico, which serves as a hub for education, training, and advocacy in holistic practices globally.

A discussion on Holistic Management wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Jody Butterfield, cofounder of the Savory Institute. Jody has been instrumental in refining and disseminating the holistic management framework alongside Allan Savory.

Her contributions have been crucial in translating the technical aspects of Savory's ecological insights into practical, actionable strategies for farmers, ranchers, and land managers worldwide.

Butterfield's work often involves the development of training materials and courses that teach land managers how to apply holistic management principles effectively. Her ability to communicate complex ecological concepts in accessible ways has helped make holistic management more understandable and applicable to a diverse audience.

Furthermore, Butterfield has spent years advocating for holistic management within broader environmental and agricultural contexts, highlighting its potential to address global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and food security. Through her efforts, holistic management has gained recognition as a viable and sustainable approach to regenerative land use that aligns economic viability with ecological health.

Ian Mitchell-Innes, a South African farmer and educator, has been an important figure in adapting and innovating holistic grazing practices to suit diverse agricultural landscapes. For example, Mitchell-Innes has developed ways to implement holistic management processes in challenging environments, focusing on how to maximize the energy captured by plants from the sun and how to best utilize this energy for the benefit of the soil and livestock.

Mitchell-Innes's innovations in holistic grazing involve a nuanced understanding of animal impact and recovery times for pastures. He advocates for high-density, short-duration grazing, such as when a large group of sheep is allowed to graze a small piece of land, but only for a very short time, followed by a sufficiently long recovery period, which mimics the natural grazing behavior of wild herds. This method improves root growth, soil aeration, and nutrient cycling.

Mitchell-Innes is known for his educational efforts, conducting workshops worldwide to teach farmers and land managers about effective grazing management. His practical, results-oriented teaching style helps others to implement holistic management practices that are economically viable and ecologically sustainable.

Planned grazing involves rotating livestock through different sections of pasture (paddocks) so that each area is grazed intensely for a short period followed by a longer rest period.

Increasing the stock density (the number of animals per area) for short periods of time is designed to mimic the natural herding behavior observed in wild animals, who usually group tightly together and move frequently to avoid predators.

High stock density can lead to more uniform grazing, which prevents less desirable species from proliferating. Additionally, even manure distribution and the trampling of plant material into the soil encourages a healthy soil by providing sources of carbon and nutrients for the microbial life in the soil.

It is tempting to suggest that high stocking rates would lead to overgrazing, but overgrazing is caused by animals being left for too long in one paddock, or being allowed to return before the vegetation has had a chance to recover. High density grazing for short periods of time encourages regrowth of vegetation, unlike overgrazing which causes plants to die off, leaving the soil bare and primed for erosion.

Grazing plans are based on and adapted to ongoing conditions like weather, forage growth rates, and animal health. This flexible approach allows land managers to respond to environmental changes and to maintain the balance between pasture health and livestock needs.

Regular monitoring of soil health, plant species composition, and root development is crucial. This helps in making informed decisions that support long-term pasture productivity and ecological balance.

By improving soil structure and increasing organic matter, planned grazing improves the soil's ability to absorb and retain water. This reduces runoff and erosion, improves the drought resilience of the land, and maintains diverse plant species. This supports a wider range of wildlife and beneficial insects, and the resulting biodiversity is important to establishing and maintaining ecological stability and resilience.

When land managers foster healthy grasslands they are improving the land’s ability to sequester carbon. Plants capture atmospheric carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and convert it into carbohydrates. When plants are healthy and vigorously growing they convert more CO2 to carbohydrates through photosynthesis, and send the excess carbohydrates to the microbes in the soil as “Root Exudates” (the all important elixir plants produce to feed and communicate with soil microbes). The symbiotic relationship between plants and soil microbes provides the microbes with these carbohydrates in exchange for the role they play in taking nutrients locked up in the soil and dissolving them, making them available for the plants to use as nutrients. When grazing is done in balance with nature, this symbiotic relationship thrives and speeds upcycle carbon out of the atmosphere and into the soil.

Although natural systems benefit from planned grazing, this practice also improves the health of the animals - when moved frequently, many of the health problems faced by livestock go away as they are moved away from their waste and onto rich and diverse forage.

These two practices involve growing a variety of different crops in the same area, either from season to season, or within the same field in the same season. These practices contrast with monoculture, where only one type of crop is planted over an extended area and period.

Diverse crop rotations can minimize pest pressures, break disease cycles, and help cycle nutrients. Any given crop will demand nutrients from the soil while also giving back to the soil in its own unique way. In monoculture systems these unique qualities tend to create imbalances that can only be addressed through chemical means. With diverse crop rotations the soil will benefit from the varied crops and the benefits that each has to offer, never becoming too depleted by any one crop. One example of this is rotating nitrogen-fixing legumes with nitrogen-consuming cereals to naturally replenish soil nutrients, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers. Additionally, when new and different crops are grown every year or season, it disrupts the life cycles of plant-specific pests and diseases, which decreases their prevalence and impact.

“Polyculture” can refer to any number of practices, from permaculture to relay cropping and inter cropping. Whatever way it is carried out, polyculture as a practice captures many of the benefits of crop rotations but can also introduce a synergy between species. For instance, a legume ~ cereal rotation would allow the nitrogen fixing legume to provide nutrients to a cereal grain but, when grown together, the cereal crop could function as a trellis for the legume while providing it with shade and, by extension, cooler temperatures that might decrease the potential for heat stress.

By mimicking natural ecosystems that feature a variety of plant types, diverse crop rotations contribute to a more balanced and resilient agricultural environment, fostering increased biodiversity, and promoting a more sustainable relationship between agriculture and the natural world.

Cover cropping plays a pivotal role in rebuilding soil health and enhancing the sustainability of farming systems. Farmers can provide continuous soil cover between the main cropping seasons by planting crops that are not intended for harvest. This practice offers multiple benefits for soil conservation, and is important for long-term agricultural productivity and environmental health.

One of the primary roles of cover crops is to prevent soil erosion. Soils that are left bare are highly susceptible to wind and water erosion. Cover crops establish a protective vegetative cover on the soil surface that significantly reduces the impact of raindrops and runoff, the main drivers of erosion. Cover crop roots also help to bind the soil, making it more resistant to being washed or blown away.

Cover crops also provide a steady supply of carbon to soil microbes in between cash crops. Carbon is captured from the atmosphere via photosynthesis and is made available in the form of root exudates, and then later as the crop residue is broken down. The soil microbes rely on plants to bring carbon into the soil, but in cropping systems where fields are left bare and fallow in between cash crops the soil life tends to go dormant or even die. Over time the carbon from root exudates (and, to a lesser extent, decomposing crop material) can increase the organic matter in the soil, leading to long term productivity increases.

More importantly, different plants provide different benefits to the soil and cover crops allow farms to grow a broader diversity of crops, allowing for a more diverse soil microbiome. This diversity is needed for improving the soil's ability to cycle the nutrients that are tied up in insoluble forms. The most well known microbe~nutrient interaction is between Rhizobium, a bacteria that lives in legume roots, and Nitrogen, which the bacteria can convert from its inert form in the atmosphere to chemically active ammoniacal nitrogen. Most soil microbes, however, are known for making nutrients more available from the soil, thus improving the diversity of the soil microbiome leads to greater fertility and nutrient availability across the board.

Cover crops also contribute to the improvement of soil structure: their roots create pore spaces in the soil, improving aeration and water infiltration. Better soil structure allows for easier root growth and improved water retention, both of which are crucial for the health of subsequent crops.

By improving soil structure and increasing organic matter, cover crops play an important role in improving water infiltration. Increased permeability means that more rainwater can infiltrate the soil rather than running off the surface, which not only reduces erosion but also improves the soil's moisture reserves. Effective water infiltration can reduce drought stress in arid regions and allow growers to reduce the demand on the water table in regions where irrigation is common.

Incorporating cover crops into farming practices is a proactive approach to soil conservation that offers substantial benefits beyond just protecting the soil. By enhancing soil health, water management, and biodiversity, cover crops play a crucial role in the success of sustainable and regenerative agricultural systems.

Cover cropping plays a pivotal role in rebuilding soil health and enhancing the sustainability of farming systems. Farmers can provide continuous soil cover between the main cropping seasons by planting crops that are not intended for harvest. This practice offers multiple benefits for soil conservation, and is important for long-term agricultural productivity and environmental health.

One of the primary roles of cover crops is to prevent soil erosion. Soils that are left bare are highly susceptible to wind and water erosion. Cover crops establish a protective vegetative cover on the soil surface that significantly reduces the impact of raindrops and runoff, the main drivers of erosion. Cover crop roots also help to bind the soil, making it more resistant to being washed or blown away.

Cover crops also provide a steady supply of carbon to soil microbes in between cash crops. Carbon is captured from the atmosphere via photosynthesis and is made available in the form of root exudates, and then later as the crop residue is broken down. The soil microbes rely on plants to bring carbon into the soil, but in cropping systems where fields are left bare and fallow in between cash crops the soil life tends to go dormant or even die. Over time the carbon from root exudates (and, to a lesser extent, decomposing crop material) can increase the organic matter in the soil, leading to long term productivity increases.

More importantly, different plants provide different benefits to the soil and cover crops allow farms to grow a broader diversity of crops, allowing for a more diverse soil microbiome. This diversity is needed for improving the soil's ability to cycle the nutrients that are tied up in insoluble forms. The most well known microbe~nutrient interaction is between Rhizobium, a bacteria that lives in legume roots, and Nitrogen, which the bacteria can convert from its inert form in the atmosphere to chemically active ammoniacal nitrogen. Most soil microbes, however, are known for making nutrients more available from the soil, thus improving the diversity of the soil microbiome leads to greater fertility and nutrient availability across the board.

Cover crops also contribute to the improvement of soil structure: their roots create pore spaces in the soil, improving aeration and water infiltration. Better soil structure allows for easier root growth and improved water retention, both of which are crucial for the health of subsequent crops.

By improving soil structure and increasing organic matter, cover crops play an important role in improving water infiltration. Increased permeability means that more rainwater can infiltrate the soil rather than running off the surface, which not only reduces erosion but also improves the soil's moisture reserves. Effective water infiltration can reduce drought stress in arid regions and allow growers to reduce the demand on the water table in regions where irrigation is common.

Incorporating cover crops into farming practices is a proactive approach to soil conservation that offers substantial benefits beyond just protecting the soil. By enhancing soil health, water management, and biodiversity, cover crops play a crucial role in the success of sustainable and regenerative agricultural systems.

Composting involves the decomposition of organic materials such as manure, leaves, straw, and food scraps under controlled conditions to produce compost. This rich, decomposed matter acts as a soil amendment, adding essential organic matter to the soil which in turn adds nutrients, improves soil structure, and increases water retention.

There are a number of techniques for making compost depending on the available resources and the goals for the compost. Composting can be as simple as a small pile of food scraps and green waste turned occasionally, or it can be something much more involved, involving the use of worms, fans, large turners, and/or specialized fermentation vessels.

To learn more about Composting, you can read up on it here.

Soil moisture monitoring can also be very effective. Using soil moisture sensors or tensiometers to monitor soil water content allows farmers to irrigate only when necessary, based on actual soil moisture conditions rather than a fixed schedule. This optimizes irrigation timing, conserves water, and prevents overwatering, which can lead to soil degradation and nutrient leaching.

Mulching is another water efficiency boosting practice that involves the application of organic or inorganic materials (such as straw, wood chips, or plastic sheets) over the soil surface around plants. It helps retain soil moisture by reducing evaporation, conserving water, suppressing weed growth, and regulating soil temperature.

Adapting the layout of crops to follow the natural contour of the land or constructing terraces, practices known as contour farming and terracing, can also significantly reduce water runoff and soil erosion. This improves water absorption and retention, particularly on sloped land, and can help manage water flow across a field more effectively.

By adopting these water management techniques, farmers not only secure their water needs but also contribute to larger environmental conservation efforts. These practices help in building resilient agricultural systems that will be able to withstand changing climate conditions and reduce water-related stress on both crops and local water resources.

Agroforestry and silvopasture are innovative agricultural practices that integrate the cultivation of trees with crops and livestock, respectively. These systems are designed to take advantage of the synergistic relationships between different components of the agricultural ecosystem, enhancing productivity, biodiversity, and sustainability.

Agroforestry combines agriculture and forestry technologies to create more diverse, productive, sustainable, and healthy land-use systems. By planting trees alongside or among crops, agroforestry practices achieve a variety of benefits. The trees provide shade, which can reduce the temperature of the microclimate around crops, reducing their water stress and sometimes increasing their yield. The deep rooting systems of trees enhance soil structure and increase infiltration of water. Trees also act as windbreaks, reducing soil erosion by wind. Furthermore, trees can be a source of additional products such as fruit, nuts, timber, and fodder, diversifying income sources for farmers.

Silvopasture is the practice of integrating trees, pasture, and livestock together as a single system. This approach is particularly effective in improving overall land productivity and providing long-term income from timber or fruit production. Trees in these systems provide shelter and shade for livestock, which improves animal welfare and reduces heat stress. This can lead to better growth rates and higher milk production in cattle, for example. The presence of animals also provides natural fertilization to the soil through their manure, enhancing the growth of pasture grasses and trees alike.

Both agroforestry and silvopasture contribute significantly to carbon sequestration. Trees capture atmospheric CO2 and store it in their wood and soil, which helps mitigate climate change. The improved soil structure and organic matter from the decaying leaf litter also increase the soil's carbon storage capacity.

Implementing these systems requires careful planning to ensure that the selected tree species are compatible with local climate conditions as well as crop types and/or livestock needs. Farmers must consider the growth patterns, canopy size, root structure, and overall ecological impacts of the trees they introduce.

Agroforestry and silvopasture not only provide economic benefits through increased productivity and diversification of offerings, but also enhance the resilience of agricultural systems to adverse weather conditions. These practices promote biodiversity, improve water and soil quality, and contribute to the ecological stability of the region, making them integral to sustainable agricultural strategies.