Webinar introducing the UK Agroforestry Carbon Code project (which is exploring the feasability of developing a carbon code for agroforestry), featuring representatives from the Soil Association, Woodland Trust and Organic Research Centre. It includes short presentations on woodland and trees in the farmed landscape, how agroforestry can deliver for nature and climate, and landscape carbon quantification.
Project that aimed to promote agroforestry as a way of farmers and landowners simultaneously and sustainably growing food, transitioning into the new ELM Scheme in the UK and contributing to ‘public goods.’ It showcased farms and initiatives across the UK successfully balancing these objectives to share knowledge and evidence of the value of agroforestry. GWCT Allerton led on the project; a collaboration between them, the Organic Research Centre, Woodland Trust, National Trust, Woodmeadow Trust, Farm Woodland Forum and Agricology.
This hub page pulls together videos and podcasts, together with existing technical guides, blogs and profiles of farmers innovating with agroforestry. All share practical experiences of implementing agroforestry, lessons learned and practical tips.
Woodland Trust is the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity (established in 1972) that protects, restores and creates woods and trees. As part of this, they work with partners, farmers, landowners and local communities to create bigger, better, more resilient landscapes across the UK for people and wildlife. This link takes you to information that can be accessed specifically in relation to agroforestry. It includes outlining the many different ways agroforestry can benefit farmers and the wider environment, how it can help to tackle climate change, information on benefits and management of hedgerows, links to many different multi-media resources they have produced (practical guides, videos, research reports, case studies), including information on farmer Stephen Briggs’ silvoarable agroforestry project (which is the largest in the UK), and includes lots of information on how the Woodland Trust can assist with advice, grants and funding schemes.
UK-based Soil Association Scotland website pages relating to agroforestry. Includes information on benefits of agroforestry (with links to case studies), how to get started with agroforestry (case studies, videos, webinar recordings…), grants and guidance (summary of the organisations offering advisory services on agroforestry, important links on their websites, and stories from farmers who’ve gone through the process already), and agroforestry resources.
This tool was developed as part of the TWECOM project for farmers, land managers and advisors interested in harvesting woodfuel from hedges and monitoring potential biodiversity impacts – to help with decision making in the planning and design of hedge management for woodfuel.
You can access and print off survey sheets you can use to assess hedges, enter your collected data on the spreadsheet, and view results. There is an accompanying survey handbook you can also refer to.
The aim of this project was to demonstrate that local short supply chain systems using biomass from landscape elements for local energy or heat production are economically feasible. Through realising these systems and bringing together experiences from different partners and regions in northwest Europe, the project wanted to demonstrate that this currently unused biomass from landscape elements can contribute to local sustainable energy production, with respect to ecological, social and cultural aspects.
Farmers, landowners and local communities worked to develop a pilot energy co-operative using woody biomass from local landscape elements (particularly farm hedges).
Various publications were produced providing guidance on harvesting woodfuel from hedges which you can access via the project website and the Organic Research Centre webpage.
Three short technical guides produced as part of the WOOdchip for Fertile Soils (WOOFS) project outlining observations and results from trials in which uncomposted and composted woodchip from on-farm woody resources was applied as a soil improver. The guides focus on key results from the trials, logistics and economics, and put the use of ramial (fresh uncomposted) woodchip in a whole farm context, considering the wider ecosystem service benefits, barriers to adoption, support available, and regulations that farmers and growers should be aware of.
There is evidence to suggest that applying uncomposted (ramial) woodchip at an appropriate phase in a crop rotation can increase soil organic matter, water holding capacity, and the nutrient levels of soils.
The WOOdchip for Fertile Soils (WOOFS) project was a European Innovation Partnership (EIP) Project part funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. It was led by the Organic Research Centre (ORC) with Wakelyns Agroforestry, Iain Tolhurst (Tolhurst Organic CiC), Ben Raskin (Soil Association), Christine Watson (SRUC), William Hamer (Forestry Consultant), Robert Benford (Down Farm), and Nigel Stimson (Tree Shear Services). It trialled adding uncomposted versus composted woodchip from on-farm woody resources as a soil improver. By linking management of farm hedges and trees with the improvement of soils for agricultural production and providing an additional economic incentive for management of hedges and on-farm woody resources, it aimed to increase the sustainability of the system as a whole.
The project hub page held on the Agricology website hosts some project outputs that can be found on the ORC’s project page alongside other particularly relevant content for farmers, including a presentation, bulletin article, webinar recordings and event footage.
FABulous Farmers is a European project designed to support farmers in the transition to more agroecological practices on their farms. The project aims to reduce the reliance on external inputs such as chemical fertilisers and pesticides, by encouraging the use of methods and interventions that increase the farm’s Functional AgroBiodiversity (FAB). These are targeted measures of biodiversity in and around the field to improve pollination, pest management, soil and water quality on the farmland. The project assists farmers in identifying and adopting relevant FAB-methods specifically for their farm. Networking sessions are organised in which the farmers can exchange ideas and experiences. Demonstration fields show effects of particular FAB-measures. The effect of some FAB-measures taken on the farm can be improved further by similar actions in the surrounding area. There are 14 active pilot areas in 6 countries (BE, NL, LUX, FR, UK and DE) in which they co-operate with other stakeholders, e.g. landowners and municipalities, to come to an integrated FAB-landscape-integration plan. Results of the trial fields and on farms overall will be communicated to European and regional policy makers.
From the website information can be accessed on agroforestry establishment, management, benefits and legal aspects.
Agricology is an independent knowledge platform that shares knowledge and experience of agroecological farming practices, encompassing all production systems, and the broad spectrum of approaches; from organic, and biodynamic to conservation agriculture and ‘conventional’ or integrated farming. The vision is that Agricology will be instrumental in helping farmers to use agroecological practices to deliver productive, profitable, and resilient farming systems that enhance the environment and help ensure a sustainable future of farming in the UK. Website users can access a large variety of agroforestry-related content; via the library of different resources, farmer profiles, videos and podcasts, and blogs and research project pages which provide a space for researchers and others involved in the industry to share expertise on various topics. The mission is to inspire farmers to want to instil changes in their farming system and to inform – through both research evidence and farmer experience. Agricology was founded in 2015 as a joint initiative by the Organic Research Centre, Daylesford Foundation, and Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust Allerton Project (and is now managed by the Organic Research Centre), and involves a wide network of partner organisations from across the UK who help steer the project and feed into the website content.
