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Agroforestry in the upland

Agroforestry is the utilisation of trees on agricultural land, grown in and around crops or pasture. This land management method has been proven to be more economically viable, sustainable, and biologically productive than forestry or agricultural monoculture. Agroforestry can increase the quality of the yield whilst sequestering carbon, providing two additional income streams. In addition, agroforestry can help mitigate the effects of drought by retaining moisture in the soil through aggregation, which in turn increases water infiltration. The presence of trees can also reduce soil erosion, provide shade for crops and livestock, and improve soil health.

What does it involve? 

Agroforestry can range from planting sporadic large trees, strips of trees amongst crops or in a pasture, to planting native hedgerows. The options for agroforestry are very diverse and can be adapted to a range of farming practices. There are multiple ways in which agroforestry can be implemented onto a farm and help farmers produce more food per hectare than other farming systems. 

There are two main types of agroforestry, silvo – pastoral agroforestry and silvo-arable agroforestry:

1.    Silvo-pastoral agroforestry refers to grazing livestock under trees, working in a form of symbiosis where the animals enrich the soil whilst the trees provide shelter from the elements and fodder for grazing animals. 

2.    Silvo-arable agroforestry refers to growing crops beneath trees, trees placed in a way that machinery will not damage the trees. This method increases the water infiltration around the crops, improves overall soil health and reduces the need for artificial fertilisers. 

Other types of agroforestry could include buffer strips or cultivation in a forest environment. In upland farming systems the trees utilised for agroforestry would require adaptations to extreme conditions, such as exposure to high winds and seasonal waterlogging and droughts. Some tree species adapted to these conditions such as, rowan (Sorbus aucuparia), blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), juniper (Juniperus communis) and birch (Betula pendula). Local province trees can increase climate resilience. 

Silvo-pastoral agroforestry in the uplands

  • When cattle have access to trees, browse makes up approximately 30% of their diet, increasing the micro-nutrients which can improve the quality of the product. 
  • Studies indicate that cattle self-medicate when they have access to diverse native browse, which can increase the survivability of the livestock and improve the overall health of the herd. Intensified systems produce bio-chemically imbalanced pastures primarily for energy, agroforestry on the other hand allows for secondary compounds which help livestock: combat internal parasites, control bacterial and fungal populations and enhance nutrition. 
  • Extensively grazed areas often require livestock to be over-wintered inside. With agroforestry livestock can be over-wintered in all weather conditions by providing shelter. This can be especially vital for upland farms to reduce housing costs and enable the transition to more valuable ruminants. 
  • Trees can be used as scratching posts for cattle, reducing the damage to fencing and increasing the longevity of boundary fencing. 
  • Stretches of woodlands can provide shelter for livestock and through careful management, can manage woodland mimicking natural processes. This could benefit both the livestock and increase the longevity of woodland. For more information on woodlands and livestock, the Scottish Forestry - Woodland Grazing Toolbox is a wonderful tool. 
  • Trees can increase water infiltration, this can reduce poaching pressure on pastures, reducing incidences of lameness. 

Silvo-arable agroforestry in the uplands

  • Agroforestry can boost productivity through providing nutrients for the soil and provide diverse root structures, increasing water infiltration. These systems are typically more productive than monocultures of cereals or fodder crops. 
  • Tree roots extend below vegetable or cereal crops and can increase the yield per acre. 
  • A diverse and complex agroforestry system can house natural predators for crop pests and natural deterrents for pests which can reduce the need for pesticides. This could reduce the cost and increase the profit margins for farmers per acre. 

How can forestry help farmers mitigate the effects of climate change? 

  • If crops fail due to climate change, either through flooding or droughts, the trees can be harvested which could provide an alternative income stream. 
  • In upland areas shelter belts can provide more shelter for exposed steep areas, reducing the impact of extreme weather conditions. 
  • In agroforestry systems trees can intercept run-off from rainfall events, reducing the velocity of water hitting the watercourses, which can reduce the effects of flooding in the local area. 
  • Riparian buffer zones along dingles, streams and rivers can reduce soil erosion, provide shelter for livestock, and reduce extreme flooding events. 

Want more information?

-    Check out the agroforestry handbook from the soil association: the-agroforestry-handbook.pdf (soilassociation.org)
-    Live in Radnorshire and interested in moving to an agroforestry system or want more information? Contact our Wye Adapt to Climate Change project officer Sarenta King at sarenta@rwtwales.org or 07939839421.