The term agroforestry encompasses a wide range of different approaches to integrating trees and farmland. Over a 10 year period a range of agroforestry approaches have been introduced to Elm Farm, including making better use of existing resources (boundary hedges and trees); planting new landscape features (e.g. hedges, in-field trees, tree avenue) and implementing a new bioenergy alley cropping system.
Because Elm Farm was both a commercial and research farm, it offered the opportunity to collect data and monitor establishment in a commercial setting. This research briefing outlines the planning, establishment and management of these different agroforestry approaches.
Key results and lessons learnt are:
- Detailed planning is important. Consider carefully which species are appropriate and consider trialling a few in advance of large-scale planting.
- Controlling competition from weeds and grasses is essential for promoting better tree establishment. Using woodchip mulch from on-farm or a locally available resource was found to be the best option.
- Fencing is essential to protect newly planted trees and coppice regrowth from livestock; one strand of electric fencing was enough to keep cattle away, while at the same time allowing them to reach grass in the understorey of the tree row. Deer damage was present but not widespread; where deer pressure is high more robust fencing and deer management will be required.
- Farming operations, both current and future, need to be considered including any site-specific restrictions on accessing the trees (e.g. seasonally waterlogged soils) which may affect management and machinery sizes to fit around the trees.
Resource information:
