Agroforestry
– Farming With Trees Woodland Trust
Farming with trees across arable and grassland is key to the farming sector achieving net zero, new research shows.
A
new report from the Woodland Trust shows how a major increase in agroforestry – farming with trees - in England, is essential if the country is to meet nature and climate targets, whilst at the same time securing long term food production. The report draws on new analysis commissioned from Cranfield University and reveals arable farms which adopt silvoarable systems (integrating trees into arable farming which is one type of agroforestry) could lock up eight tonnes of CO2 per hectare per year over 30 years – eight tonnes of CO2 is equivalent to the 116
annual emissions of an UK citizen. It explains that agriculture is responsible for 10 per cent of UK territorial greenhouse gas emissions with the net effect of “land use, land use change and forestry” responsible for another one per cent. Establishing agroforestry on 10 per cent of arable land and 30 per cent of grassland could enable agriculture-related emissions to reach net zero by 2050 whilst maintaining high levels of food production. Integrating trees into farming systems will enable farms to become more resilient both economically as well as environmentally. The report also shows that agroforestry would help address the biodiversity crisis by increasing the abundance and richness of farmland species, and birds and invertebrates
LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE
in particular. It is estimated that the total number of breeding birds in the UK fell by 44 million between 1967 and 2009, and many once-common farmland birds are continuing to decline (references below). Agroforestry is not only good for supporting wildlife but enhances soil health by improving soil structure and microbial diversity. It may also lead to passive benefits in other ecosystems services such as pollination, pest control, nutrient cycling and decomposition, all of which are essential for long-term sustainable food production. The report, a culmination of ten months’ work, is timely given the Government is anticipated to outline its plans for the future of farming and land management policy on November 7. Speculation www.lancmag.com
