Agroforestry is the integration of trees on farms. It enables agricultural land to carry on producing food, while growing trees at the same time without necessarily taking land out of production.
Trees can bring a huge range of benefits to your land, from improving soil health and biodiversity, to capturing carbon and producing a range of additional products.
Some examples of agroforestry include:
Silvopasture
Trees in a livestock system for shelter or forage
Silvoarable
Trees in an arable system for fruit, nut, timber or fuel production
Hedgerows
Trees in an agricultural system to provide natural pest management, soil and water management, connection with woodlands and shelter for wildlife
Shelterbelt
Trees in an agricultural system to provide shelter from the wind or salt spray
Riparian buffer strips
Trees along a watercourse to intercept runoff and increase water quality
Forest gardens
Trees planted within a perennial food production garden on a small scale
Some products agroforestry can provide include:
Fruit
Nuts
Beanpoles
Timber
Woodfuel
Fencing posts
Case studies and resources
- The Agroforestry Handbook by the Soil Association
- The Promise of Agroforestry by the Landworkers Alliance
- Wakelyns Agroforestry by the Organic Research Centre
- Agroforestry resources by Agricology
- The Hedgerow Management Cycle by Hedgelink
- The Regenerative Agroforestry podcast
Working Woodlands Cornwall 