Trees and livestock events taking place in Co Antrim next week

There will be four farm walks in total. The events are being held in collaboration with the GrowIn project, The Woodland Trust, and CAFRE and are funded by the Woodland Support Scheme provided by the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine.

The visits are focusing on established silvopasture sites in the area, showcasing design types, tree protection and environmental benefits as well as how silvopasture develops and changes as it grows.

The farm walks will be held on four farms, starting with an agroforestry demonstration site at CAFRE, Greenmount. This will be followed by a walk on the farm of Ian, Ben and Thomas Gibson, Broughshane.

The Gibsons have a mixed, suckler beef and sheep farm in the Antrim Hills. They planted 12ha of silvopasture on their farm in 1991, their cattle and sheep graze the silvopasture in rotation and they have found that it brings multiple benefits to their livestock and their farm environment. There will also be a visit to the farm of Réamaí and Sinéad Mathers in Cushendall who use silvopasture and a shelterbelt system of hedgerows to protect their farm from severe north-easterly winds as well as to improve the welfare of their animals. The farm events will conclude with a visit to Broughgammon Farm near Ballycastle to see the whole farm environmental innovation which began with support through the Countryside Management Scheme. Farm walkers will get the opportunity to see silvopasture, hedgerow restoration, wildflower meadows and many more abundant and plentiful habitats that flourish on the farm.

The Irish Agroforestry Forum promotes the planting of trees on farms for the benefit of livestock, grass and crops as well as whole farm environments and climate resilience. It is an all- Island membership organisation which was set up by a group of people interested in promoting the multiple benefits that the planting of trees on farms can bring.

The advisory group, led by Jim McAdam (QUB and Ulster Wildlife and previously AFBI) is made up of farmers, research scientists, farming and environmental NGO representatives and forestry staff from across the island.

The Forum works to promote trees on farms and represents farmers interested in agroforestry.

The forum has been delivering an agroforestry education and promotion project funded by the Woodland Support Scheme for the past year. As well as promoting agroforestry at networking events they have built an agroforestry education website, held farm walks, developed a membership package and database as well as recently holding a Silvopasture webinar which is available on the IAF youtube channel.

The Silvopasture farm walks are free to attend and will take place on Monday 22nd and Tuesday 23rd of August. You can attend whichever ones you like and anyone who wants to learn more about trees on farms and wishes to attend the walks can book their place on the GrowIn website here. https://www.growin.land/our-events. The days and times of the walks are:

Monday August 22nd

11 am CAFRE Greenmount College

2pm Gibson’s Farm, Rathsherry, Longmore Road Broughshane

Tuesday, August 23rd

10 am Réamaí and Sinéad Mathers Farm, Cushendall

1pm Broughgammon Farm, Ballycastle.

The organiser would like people to book so they have an idea of numbers

You can find out more information on the Irish Agroforestry Forum on the website www.irishagroforestry.ie or at [email protected].