| Agroforestry
Agroforestry conference: farmers share how
trees have helped their business
250 farmers, foresters, landowners and researchers have come together to learn more about some of the UK’s leading
agroforestry systems, at a dedicated conference exploring the benefits and practicalities of bringing more trees onto
farmland, and taking farming into forests.
groforestry 2017 – an event
hosted by the Soil Association,
the Woodland Trust and the
Royal Forestry Society – was
inspired by evidence that
agroforestry can boost
productivity and sustainability at once. By
mixing farming and forestry, a well-managed
agroforestry system can produce 40% more
than if they are separate.
Attendees at the conference heard how the
need to tackle soil erosion and cope with
climate change will make trees an ever more
important ingredient for productive cropping
and livestock farming. Speakers from France,
Australia and around the world described how
these practices are increasingly popular. British
farmers who are already reaping the benefits of
agroforestry shared their experiences.
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18 | Farming Monthly | July 2017
David Brass from The Lakes Free Range Egg
Co. Ltd in Cumbria is one of those already
implementing agroforestry on his farm.
Speaking at the conference he said: “At first, we
were planting trees simply to encourage our
hens to range, having recognised their
inclination towards sheltered areas. But the
benefits went far beyond that original motive
and, as well as the undeniable improvements to
the hens’ welfare, we’ve seen better soil water
retention, more biodiversity and crucially a
higher quality product.”
While the benefits of agroforestry seem clear
and comprehensive, it is still unusual in the UK.
One reason is because it is seen as a niche
practice, but it could be boosted by more
recognition and support for tree planting on
farms in government policy.
Closing the conference Beccy Speight, CEO
of the Woodland Trust, said: “Agroforestry
needs to be a mainstream component of a new
fully integrated land management policy. The
practical examples and robust evidence we
have heard today of trees supporting farm
businesses and new commercial opportunities
are powerful tools with which to influence a
new, post-Brexit policy. Collectively, we must
secure polices that prevent trees on farms from
continuing to fall through the cracks. We are
calling on the Government to take a new and
ambitious approach which tackles
administrative blockages, harnesses innovative
sources of funding and properly reflects the
valuable interplay between trees, woods,
forestry, farming and the environment.”
For more information about agroforestry, visit
the Soil Association’s website.
www.farmingmonthly.co.uk