Introduction to agroforestry

Agroforestry is the deliberate integration of trees and shrubs on the same piece of land as farming activity. It offers a range of benefits to the business and the environment.

What is agroforestry?

There are three kinds of agroforestry:

• Crop (silvoarable)
• Livestock (silvopasture)
• Mixed farming (agrosilvopasture)

In its report ‘State of the UK’s Woods and Trees 2021’, the Woodland Trust estimates that only 3.3% of the agricultural area of the UK is under agroforestry – less than half the European average.

Benefits of agroforestry

Agroforestry can deliver a range of ecosystem services both on and off farm:

• Additional revenue from wood for fuel, timber or food
• Reduced soil erosion from wind and water
• Improved water quality
• Reduced nitrate loss
• Reduced flood risk, both on and off site, by increasing infiltration and slowing run-off
• Improved animal health and welfare through the reduction of extreme temperatures and a greater variety of in-field habitats
• Increased biodiversity
• Improved climate change resilience
• Increased carbon capture and storage, both above and below ground
• An enhanced visual landscape

Silvopasture and silvoarable

The two main types of agroforestry in the UK are silvopasture and silvoarable.

Silvopasture

Integrating trees and/or shrubs with livestock, including wood pasture or orchard grazing. It can also include forest grazing, where livestock is kept on land that is clearly designated as a forest and woodland.

Silvoarable

Integrating trees and/or shrubs with arable crops, for instance widely spaced woody vegetation intercropped with annual or perennial crops. Although, the term can be used more widely and include short rotation coppice and horticultural crops.

Get started

Find out how to get started in agroforestry, including the practicalities, opportunities and challenges of agroforestry systems.

Useful links

Agroforestry Benefits Farming, Nature and Climate – Woodland Trust:

View the agroforestry page of the Organic Research Centre, a UK independent research organisation for agroecological farming approaches.

The Farm Woodland Forum is an informal group of farmers, foresters and researchers with a common interest in farming with trees in all its aspects.