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Agroforestry: an excellent, wildlife boosting, multifunctional farm choice

Apple tree © Gavin Dickson

More trees on farms. What’s not to like? The right trees or shrubs in the right place on a farm has numerous benefits for nature and ecosystems. In advance of the upcoming Agroforestry Show and Wild Summit in September, Vicki Hird looks at the benefits and challenges of more trees on farms.

Agroforestry is the practice of integrating trees and shrubs into crop, horticulture and livestock farming systems[1]. A great idea, with nature benefits.  But it’s a big ask. Putting your land into long term trees or shrub use - when you have highly demanding markets, an unstable climate and unclear policies - has big implications for a farm business. 

But agroforestry can help farmers too, as the many long-term proponents and lots of data can show. Grants for management and capital are also available to help farmers introduce agroforestry and maintain the trees, whilst also delivering some key public benefits at the same time.

Public benefits of agroforestry


What are those public benefits can more trees on farmland provide? It’s a huge list but in short, well managed agroforestry can:

  • be great for nature. Trees and shrubs provide vital shelter, mating and egg laying sites, varied and quality food sources, connectivity across landscapes and refuge for so many species from solitary bees to hoverflies, beetles to birds.
  • help protect vital, nature and carbon rich soils – from wind, rain, compaction and other damage
  • be a buffer against climate change impacts by protecting soil[2], and also storing carbon
  • help remove pollution by buffering rivers, retain water and prevent flooding as root systems and the soil in and around trees hold more water
  • help protect food supplies by supporting water and soils, pollinators, beneficial bugs and more
  • provide a great link with the local community, local food markets selling products such as apples or nuts or wood, and school engagement for bug hunts and tree recording.
A sweet chestnut lying on the woodland floor, with its spiky exterior split open to reveal the nut inside

Sweet chestnut © Jon Hawkins Surrey Hills Photography

Benefits to farmers of agroforestry

Farmers can get wood, nut, fruit, and tree fodder, and biomass from agroforestry. These can all provide additional revenue for the farm to diversify income streams and secure new supportive markets. Additionally, new private nature and climate finance is increasingly available for such work. 

Trees and shrubs will help farms to be more resilient and adapted with the unstable climates ahead – soils and crops and livestock all gain more protection. Livestock farmers can see direct benefits for animal health and welfare when combining trees and pasture. There is well established, independent evidence on the vital role that trees and hedgerows play supporting health outcomes and helping animals to self-regulate, whether through shelter, diet, or behaviour. There is even evidence demonstrating medicinal support as animals use trees for their own treatment. Cows will seek out willow for inflammation and pain relief, for instance. 

Farmers will gain from the additional beneficial wildlife and ecosystems including soil stability, pollinators and pest predators.  Studies suggest higher pollination and predation of pests in fields with agroforestry. 

There are some great farmers out there who have invested in agroforestry on their farm for some years. Take Steve Briggs who started farming over two decades ago and has apple crops growing between his cereal rows. This ‘three dimensional farming’, as he calls it, benefits his bottom line, delivering more and diverse products per hectare, reducing his vulnerabilities to harsh markets, as well as benefitting nature.  

Why isn’t agroforestry used everywhere?

If it’s so great, why aren’t all farmers doing it? Agroforestry does not suit all farms. It’s also site-specific with benefits that are not instant but building over time. 

Mindsets need to change and there are big implications for farm management, skills and staffing, machinery, financing. The infrastructure to market, store and transport products from farmgate to customer are currently lacking. And agroforestry can face problems like deer damage and variable yields. Tenant farmers may find getting permission from their landlord hard.

Key supports are needed including skills, training and advice, more consistent and long-term grant funding and other finance from local and national government and private sources. Investment is needed for infrastructure that will support the use of products from these systems, such as processing, storage, local marketing and better help with data gathering and practical research which is site and farm specific.  
 

Learn more about agroforestry

With the Wild Summit (11th and  the Agroforestry Show 10-11 Sept) both clearly focused on how all the land can be transitioned for nature and people, agroforestry provides a fabulous, multifunctional tool given the right support. If you live around Leicestershire you can also go to a visit on an agroforestry farm with Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Key work on agroforestry is ongoing by Wildlife Trusts, The Woodland Trust, Agroforestry Research Trust, Organic Research Centre, Soil Association, The Forestry Commission and many pioneer farmers.

[1] Silvoarable is where trees are planted at wide spacings and intercropped with a cereal, horticultural or other crops (crops are grown in the space between the tree rows) . Silvopastoral is when trees are combined with forage (plants eaten by livestock) grassland and livestock production.

[2] https://bsssjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/sum.70118

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