The UK-based Soil Association have developed a selection of resources to help farmers and land managers plan, plant and manage trees within their own particular farm system including this short online course. It focuses on agroforestry and farm woodlands in practice – how to get started, and giving farmers the confidence to take the first steps. Via the link you can find out what it is expected you will understand by the end of the course, what the course consists of, and what you will need to complete the course. Case studies and video clips bring the experiences of farmers to life as they discuss how agroforestry and farm woodlands have worked for them, providing learners with practical, real-world examples and advice. You can find the sign up link at the bottom of the page
This Woodland Trust Research Briefing is based on a Natural Environment Research Council-funded PhD research project run by the UK-based Woodland Trust. It investigates the extent by which silvoarable agroforestry (planting trees in arable fields) can improve productivity, profitability and sustainability while simultaneously reducing the reliance on pesticides and ‘managed’ honeybees. This research can help provide farmers with evidence-based practical advice on how agroforestry systems should be designed and managed to get the best out of biodiversity by increasing the number of beneficial insects (e.g pollinators and predators of pests), while minimising problems (e.g. slug damage and increased weed numbers).
In Romania, combining trees with crops and/or animals has been practiced over a long time in various forms and, at the same time, it is a concept not fully understood and not perceived as being based on independent science. This scientific paper aims to present a summary of the main types of agroforestry systems in Romania that were based on consulting relevant works and on the results of researchers and identifies what steps are needed to encourage promotion and implementation of agroforestry systems in the country.
Webinars and interviews from the MIXED project focused on the development of European Mixed Farming and Agroforestry Systems that optimise efficiency and resource use.
MIXED is a project funded by the EU Horizon2020 programme exploring the benefits of Mixed Farming and Agroforestry Systems (MiFAS) to climate, the environment, and society in general, and supporting the further development of such systems. It explores different types of MIFAS and involves networks of farmers and other stakeholders in 10 countries. The networks of organic and conventional farmers are the backbone of the project, with different networks having different knowledge and experience that others can benefit from. The project identifies and investigates a variety of bottlenecks on-farm, in landscapes and value chains, and potential solutions that can contribute to sufficient and stable income, ecosystem services and climate mitigation.
Podcast channel featuring farmers, scientists and other experts in the field of agroforestry sharing practical experiences, challenges and success stories
The Polyfarming system is a pioneering project in Catalonia, funded by the LIFE programme of the European Commission and coordinated by the CREAF research centre. It proposes a sustainable regenerative production model that contributes to mitigating climate change, increasing soil fertility and biodiversity, recovering agro-silvo-pastoral activity in abandoned Mediterranean mountain areas, and claiming food sovereignty. The project has been fully implemented at the Planeses farm (Girona) since 2016 in order to become a real and demonstrative example that can be replicated locally and globally. This manual is an output from this and aims to provide knowledge so that anyone interested can learn about the regenerative model and replicate it on their own farm. It includes different sections that explain the regenerative system from the perspectives of soil, forest, pasture, livestock and crops, the costs involved in putting it into operation, and the environmental, productive and economic benefits involved in applying it. The manual contains 72 sheets that can be read as a unit or individually.
This Paradigm Shift Film features some of Sweden and England’s agroforestry pioneers explaining how we can play a key role in restoring ecosystems through our food production…
Martin Crawford, Director of the Agroforestry Research Trust in the UK, focuses on agroforestry as a perennial intercropping system, equipping us with more food security and resilience to increasing weather extremes. He stresses the need to move from annual crops to perennial crops and become carbon negative through incorporating trees and shrubs in growing systems, showing some crops that can be grown in forest gardens. Professor Martin Wolfe, founder of Wakelyns Agroforestry Farm, Suffolk, highlights the many benefits of diversity and touches on tree management by coppicing and pollarding and calculating the performance of crops grown in alleys compared to crops grown in a large field or plantation using the Land Equivalent Ratio. The various cropping systems at Wakelyns are sequestering carbon, promoting cycling of nutrients and water, providing a haven of biodiversity, and helping reduce problems with pests and diseases.
Johanna Björklund from Örebro University, Sweden, explains the different kinds of agroforestry systems and the need for agroforestry; increased efficiency, reduced reliance on fossil fuels, and recycling phosphorous, nitrogen and other nutrients between plants and animals. She suggests some actions needed to increase food security and the use of agroforestry in the future, and what you could do if you were wanting to establish an agroforestry system. Philipp Weiss, Stjärnsund, Sweden, explains the principles of the forest garden, what we can learn from it and the deciduous forest, and how a forest garden can be built into an already established woodland. He explains that Bagarmossen Forest Garden, Stockholm is creating and maintaining its own fertility. He also explains the concepts and principles of permaculture and what it can offer as a way of helping to meet some of the global challenges, equipping people at the local community level.
These best practices case studies, produced as part of the BRANCHES project, showcase success stories regarding forest and agricultural biomass supply chains and provide useful practical information regarding economics and tree management
BRANCHES is a H2020 Coordination and Support Action project bringing together 12 partners from 5 different countries – Finland, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain. 5 other countries were also designated for the transfer of practical knowledge – Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal and Slovakia. The project aims to promote bioeconomy and rural development through sustainable biomass chains, increase the implementation of cost-efficient new technologies, improve the connection between industry and science of bio-based economy, and to disseminate technologies and best practice in bioenergy and bioeconomy in rural areas works to increase the flow of information, new ideas and technologies among European agriculture and forestry professionals, especially in rural areas. It aims to do this through synthesising, sharing and presenting existing best practices and research results from previous and ongoing European and national projects, showcasing success stories regarding forest and agricultural biomass supply chains.
You can explore 5 national thematic networks to guide European practitioners, 50 best practice case studies, newsletters, and videos.
