Connecting trees, farmers and foresters

The subject of the conference was ‘Connecting trees, farmers and foresters’.

In Northern Ireland this topic is particularly relevant as a gulf has been opening between the two professions, brought about by the increased afforestation rate in recent years on agricultural land.

According to the ‘Statistical Review of Northern Ireland Agriculture 2021’, in NI there are 1,036,000 hectares of land in agricultural production which accounts for 76 per cent of the total land area.

As a proportion of the total land area of NI, this exceeds the likes of the Republic of Ireland (62 per cent) and the UK as a whole (70 per cent).

Land ownership in NI is very fragmented. There are over 26,000 farming enterprises with an average area of less than 40 hectares.

Seventy-eight per cent of these farming enterprises or 49 per cent of the agricultural area are classified as being ‘very small’, whereby the farms are unlikely to provide full time employment or an adequate income from farming activities.

Today, farming and forestry are distinctly separate disciplines. However, this doesn’t have to be the case!

So, what will connect the two? Trees!

And how do we plant more trees and woodlands without generating discord between the two professions? We use agroforestry or silvopastural systems.

Agroforestry is a land management approach which combines trees and shrubs with crop and livestock systems.

Silvopasture is the practice of integrating trees, forage and the grazing of domesticated animals in a mutually beneficial way.

Agroforestry and silvopastural systems are not new.

They are the reason the British and Irish landscape is so distinctive today.

For example, hedges, orchards and parklands are all ancient examples of agroforestry and silvopasture.

In March 2020 DAERA launched ‘Forests for our Future’ - its aim being to create 9,000 hectares of new woodland by 2030.

Within the first two years, only 876 hectares or 10 per cent had been planted.

Former Environment Minister Edwin Poots announced the next stage of the Forests for our Future programme by launching the 2020/21 grant scheme aiming to encourage and help landowners plant their own woodland.

Agroforestry/silvopasture systems funded by agri-environment/forestry schemes such as the Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS) or the Small Woodland Grant Scheme (SWGS) can help to close this tree planting deficit, whilst enhancing agricultural grassland systems.

Agroforestry/silvopasture systems can assist to provide many advantages such as:

- Providing livestock with a more varied diet.

Trees are sources of macronutrients which can reduce the reliance of supplementary minerals.

- The grazing season can be extended by enhancing the shelter and microclimate.

- Variable habitat structure which has been found to increase social behaviour in cattle. Trees also act as natural scratch posts to help shed hair, dead skin and parasites.

- Increased carbon sequestration.

- Enhanced biodiversity.

- Enhanced water carrying capacity of the land.

- Enhanced soil health.

Agricultural production and woodland creation/tree planting can compliment and enhance each other.

The current Environmental farming Scheme tranche 7 opens for Higher and Wider applications in the coming weeks.

Funding through this scheme can assist farmers to implement agroforestry and silvopasture systems.

For further information please contact: [email protected]