This booklet is an informative guide to the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Agroforestry measure - Forest Type 8 (FT8) under the Afforestation Scheme 2023 - 2027.

Contents:
1.Introduction
2.Agroforestry benefits
3.Who can apply?
4.Support rates
5.Suitable site characteristics
6.Application process
7.Planning and design
8.Planning context and objectives
9.Planting singly
10.Planting in rows and silvoarable
11.Planting in groups and forest gardens
12. Planting in groups, design examples
13. Tree protection
14. Planting trees
15. Plantation management early years
16. Plantation management later years
17. Ash dieback conversion
18. Additional information

This booklet was produced by the Irish Agroforestry Forum (www.irishagroforestry.ie) and has been funded under the Forestry Promotion Scheme provided by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

This first edition was printed in August 2024.

Agroforestry, which integrates forestry and farming, can provide multiple benefits, and planting trees on farms could help meet UK tree planting targets. In Wood For The Trees part 7, Tom Barnes of Vastern Timber visits Vallis Veg, a small farm in Somerset, to see how they've benefited from growing trees on the farm.

Tom is MD of Vastern Timber, a family owned sawmill specialising in British timber. He's working with film-maker Charly Le Marchant to make a series of short films considering the future of British forests. In this film Tom discusses agroforestry at VallisVeg.co.uk, a small farm in Frome, Somerset.

At Vallis Veg, Chris Smaje and Cordelia Rowlatt, with their team, have planted thousands of trees on their farmland. In less than twenty years, they have established willow to help manage flooding, alder and hazel as wind protection and for firewood, fruit and nut orchards, a market garden, a woodland campsite, and a thriving co-operative forest school based in the newly established woodland. Chris Smaje is author of Small Farm Future, and he writes passionately about farming, politics, social and environmental issues on his very popular blog, SmallFarmFuture.org.uk

Tom talks to Cordelia and Chris about why they chose the trees they planted, and how agroforestry could bring benefits to farming and forestry.

Filmed in December 2020, between lockdowns, and within covid safety guidelines, by Charly Le Marchant. A Pocketfull of Acorns Production.

"Two ways to encourage more farmers to plant more trees - help with cost and help with information." says Harriet Bell at Riverford Farm. Agroforestry, the growing of trees on farms, has been shown to provide many benefits to farming and more widely - as we have seen in previous films in the 'Wood for the Trees' series. But there is surprisingly small uptake of these practices in the UK compared to other European countries. Charly traveled to Devon (twice) to talk to Harriet Bell, the Regenerative farming lead for Riverford Organic Farms, about some of the reasons she sees that are holding back UK Agroforestry.

Wood for the trees is a series exploring the future of UK forests, from a broad range of perspectives. The series is from film-maker and environmentalist Charly Le Marchant and sawmiller and British timber merchant Tom Barnes. Agroforestry in the UK was edited, produced and filmed by Charly.

Jordon, M.W. (2022) Regenerative Agriculture practices and their influence on soil organic carbon and farm productivity in temperate regions. Ph.D. thesis. University of Oxford.

Abstract
Global food production is currently contributing to numerous environmental challenges including anthropogenic climate change, biodiversity loss and widespread declines in soil health. Regenerative Agriculture (RA) is an emerging paradigm which proposes that restoring soil health, by adopting a suite of management practices that align with so-called ‘regenerative’ principles, will not only improve agricultural productivity but also contribute to climate change mitigation through increased soil organic carbon (SOC). Despite a plethora of policies and suggested practices emerging over the past decade to support the introduction of RA across the world, there is still remarkably little scientific evidence to quantify potential improvements in soil organic carbon or agricultural productivity as a result of adopting ‘holistic’ RA systems. This represents a large knowledge gap that I set out to address in my DPhil thesis using currently available evidence for individual management practices.

Research for my thesis was divided into four parts. First, I used gold-standard systematic review methods to collate the state of current knowledge and assemble datasets from published studies of management practices forming part of a RA approach. My study area was temperate oceanic regions and I examined papers that considered the following RA approaches: reduced tillage intensity, cover cropping and ley-arable rotations in arable systems, and rotational grazing, multi-species or herbal leys, and agroforestry in pasture systems. Second, using the datasets obtained from these published studies, I conducted Bayesian meta-analyses of the impact of these practices on SOC and agricultural productivity (crop yields, herbage production, livestock growth). I found that adoption of rotational grazing and herbal leys can increase herbage dry matter production and livestock growth rates in pasture systems, but there is currently insufficient evidence to determine their impact on SOC. Conversely, my results identified clear potential for RA practices in arable systems to increase SOC but no evidence of a SOC-yield win-win. Third, using this finding I simulated adoption of these arable RA practices across Great Britain using the soil carbon model RothC, and found that in the UK there is the potential to mitigate 16-27% of current agricultural emissions through soil carbon sequestration. Finally, I conducted semi-structured interviews with industry representatives and livestock farmers in England to further understand advantages and disadvantages of implementing rotational grazing, herbal leys, ley-arable rotations and trees on farms. This final part of my research highlighted potential constraints on the ability to realise the theoretical advantages demonstrated from my earlier analyses.

Mmolotsi, R.M. (2004) Potential uses of red alder (Alnus rubra Bong) in silvopastoral systems. Ph.D. thesis. Bangor University.

Abstract
Studies on Alnus rubra, Bong. (Red alder) were carried out at Henfaes agroforestry experimental site, in North Wales to asses its potentials for use as a component of silvopastural systems. The specific objectives were: 1) to study the nitrogen fixing capability of red alder using nitrogen-15 natural abundance method, 2) to investigate the dynamics of fine roots and root nodules in red alder and their contribution to organic matter and nitrogen balance under silvopastoral systems, 3) to assess the timber quality of red alder wood in comparison with sycamore and finally, 4) to study the firewood and biomass energy value of red alder in comparison with sycamore. Literature reviewed showed that red alder, as a nitrogen fixing tree species, inputs large amount of nitrogen into natural ecosystems where it occurs. Reports also showed that it provides the much needed nitrogen when it is grown with other crops. The wood of red alder was reported to be good for furniture, studs, panelling and for making household utensils. There is, however, no information on the use of red alder in silvopasture. In the present study, using nitrogen-15 natural abundance method 815N values close to zero were recoded in red alder plant parts except in root nodules. This indicates that a large proportion of nitrogen in red alder was fixed from the atmosphere. The highest fixed nitrogen was measured in leaves (91 %) and the least (78%) in wood of red alder. Fixed nitrogen was higher during the summer and autumn (90% and 99%, respectively) than in winter and spring (85% and 64%, respectively). The 815N values in root nodules were enriched with 15N and this indicates that soil was the source of nitrogen for root nodules of red alder. Overall, it was estimated that 63.45 and 329.53 kg N ha-1 was fixed by red alder in the agroforestry and forestry systems, respectively. Live and dead fine root weight densities of red alder were 2700 and 5400 kg ha-1 and 360 and 790 kg ha-1 in agroforestry and forestry, respectively. Live and dead root nodule weight density of red alder yielded 880 and 520 kg ha-1 in agroforestry in 800 and 310 kg ha-' in forestry, respectively. The amount of organic matter potentially added to the soil due to senescent leaves and dead roots and root nodules was estimated at 4.0 and 9.1 t ha-' yf 1, in agroforestry and forestry, respectively. These results showed that red alder has a potential to improve and maintain soil fertility in silvopasture. Fine root length density was also found to differ significantly between agroforestry and forestry treatments, between seasons and between depths but there was no difference between distances from the tree base of red alder. Overall, the results of the distribution of fine root length density showed that red alder is compatible with pasture. Wood mechanical properties of red alder were found to be significantly different from that of sycamore. Sycamore yielded higher wood density (0.64 g cm-3), modulus of rupture (90.24 MPa) and compression strength (36.49 MPa) than red alder (0.49 g cm- , 73 .48 MPa and 32.13 MPa, respectively). However, modulus of elasticity was higher in red alder (7614.64 MPa) than in sycamore (7430.05 MPa), although it was not significantly different. Based on the results of wood properties of red alder it was concluded that red alder is medium strength tree species with potential for furniture manufacturing and for ordinary non-structural uses such as panelling and studs. Although the calorific value of sycamore was higher than red alder, red alder wood gave significantly higher fuel value index (1637.77) than sycamore (1480.60) due to very high ash content of sycamore. Thus, it was concluded that red alder has a potential to provide a better bioenergy than sycamore for heating homes and generating electricity. On the basis of the findings of the present study it was finally concluded that red alder is a suitable tree species for incorporation in silvopasture.

Roger and his wife Rachel were given approval in 2016 from the Woodland Trust to plant 750 heritage apple trees and 10,000 native broadleaf trees. The apples are grown as a commercial crop to make cider which is sold from local delicatessens and farm shops in the area as well as from neighbouring Lindores Distillery.

Improving biodiversity and establishing a low input crop that lasts for decades were the primary motivators to integrate apple trees with arable crops. Ten rows of apples trees were planted with in rows 27 metres apart in a field sown with grass, switching to barley for two years and then back to grass. The ambition was to mix arable crops with apple trees, with the trees providing shelter for the crops, helping to improve biodiversity, and produce a low input crop. The broadleaf trees were joined up with existing shelter belts, providing a wildlife corridor and space for grazing livestock. The species are a mix of oak, silver birth, rowan, hazel, Scots pine, with flowering wild cherry and elder to attract pollinating birds.

'Agroecology: Facilitating Mindset Change' is a partnership project delivered by:
Nourish Scotland - https://www.nourishscotland.org/
Landworkers’ Alliance - https://landworkersalliance.org.uk/
The Food, Farming and Countryside Commission - https://ffcc.co.uk/
Pasture For Life - https://www.pastureforlife.org/
Soil Association Scotland - https://www.soilassociation.org/our-w...
Nature Friendly Farming Network - https://www.nffn.org.uk/

This project has been funded through the Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund (KTIF), which is funded by the Scottish Government.

https://www.ruralpayments.org/topics/...

In this hour-long idea exchange, agroforestry experts discuss the pros and cons of using sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) as a tree within an agroforestry system, covering how it grows, its foliage and other important considerations.

A video produced by The Soil Association

Nworji, J. (2017) Physical and bioeconomic analysis of ecosystem services from a silvopasture system. PhD. thesis. Bangor University.

Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate some of the physical and bioeconomic potentials of a silvopastoral agroforestry system with focus on the Henfaes Silvopastoral Systems Experimental Farm (SSEF) of Bangor University, North Wales.
The study reviewed research studies written on the SSEF from 1992 to 2012; assessed changes in pasture species composition and abundance since establishment; developed allometric equations for the estimation of aboveground biomass (AGB), carbon (C) stock and carbon dioxide (CO2) emission potentials of red alder (Alnus rubra Bong); studied the effect of tree/solar radiation on pasture productivity and quality; and conducted bioeconomic analysis to compare treeless pasture/livestock, forestry, and agroforestry scenarios.
Review of the research studies show that as far as can be determined 66 research studies were conducted on ecosystem services of the UK’s Silvopastoral National Network Experiment (SNNE) and temperate Europe during the period 1992 - 2012. These papers were sourced mainly from the Henfaes SSEF, the UK’s SNNE, other UK and, other European research sites. The studied ecosystem services dealt with provisioning services (40%), regulating services (13%), and supporting services (47%). The scientific domains addressed include timber or wood-fuel potential (20%), pasture/livestock management (20%), biodiversity (20%), carbon sequestration (13%), water management (15%), and soils (12%).
The response of pasture species to thinning varied. The percentage composition by weight of the sown species declined, while that of the grass weeds and the forb weeds increased slightly one year after thinning (2013 – 2014) compared to the adjacent open pastures. The change was not statistically significant. The understory pasture species composition, abundance and diversity changed significantly 20 years (1992 – 2012) after the establishment of the Silvopastoral National Network Experiment at Henfaes. Generally, pasture on the three red alder blocks was found to be largely grass weeds (46-48%) followed by forbs or broadleaf weeds while the sown species declined significantly.
In 2012, 20 years after field planting, the mean AGB were found to vary from 130 kg tree-1 (26 Mg ha-1) to 246 kg tree-1 (49 Mg ha-1) in poor form and good form red alder trees, respectively, based on a stocking density of 200 stems ha-1. Mean C stock was 65 kg C tree-1 (13 Mg C ha-1) in poor form trees and 123 kg C tree-1 (25 Mg C ha-1) in good form trees. Mean CO2 potential was 237 kg CO2 tree-1 (48 Mg CO2 ha-1) in poor form trees and 450 kg CO2 tree-1 (90 Mg CO2 ha-1) in good form trees.
Pasture productivity increased significantly with increasing solar transmission, and with increasing distance from each grazing exclusion cage to the nearest alder tree. Concentration and availability of CP, ADF, NDF and ME were greater in the with-leaves than in the without-leaves growing seasons in response to variation of photoperiod (the duration of sunshine/day length) in the United Kingdom.
The bioeconomic analysis considered three land-use plausible scenarios (‘forestry’, ‘pasture / livestock’ and ‘agroforestry’) and found that, in the absence of grants/subsidies, none were viable. However, application of grants/subsidies, at the baseline assumptions, revealed that forestry was the most viable option with the highest net present value and annual equivalent value, followed by pasture/livestock and agroforestry options.

Pollock, ML., & Holland, JP. (2024). Climate ready farming: integrating livestock and trees. Reforesting Scotland,
Spring/Summer(69), 8-10. https://pure.sruc.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/89760826/RS69-Climate-ready-farming.pdf

Adding trees to agricultural systems adds resilience but benefits may take time, explain Meg Pollock and John Holland.

A conversation with Brendan Guinan of Fiorbhia Farm in Portlaoise, Ireland. Fiorbhia Farm is a natural, regenerative free-range farm with agroforestry that combines heritage farming with new technologies.