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Agroforestry and decentralised food and energy production - The role of coppicing and pollarding

The tree problem

From the emergence of Homo sapiens until the last 200-300 years, trees have been the major source of energy (and other materials and food). Even 20,000 years ago, the ratio of trees to humans was about 1.5 million to one, but it has now fallen drastically to about 400 to one (and is still falling). To save the planet, and humanity, we need food and energy systems that are efficient in terms of supplying both of those outputs while improving the quality and sustainability of the biosphere. This could best be done by reversing this declining ratio of trees to humans.

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Featured Farm of the day

Wakelyns Agroforestry - a diverse organic silvoarable system in the UK

The general layout of the farm (Google Earth UK postcode IP21 5SD) is a series of 2 ha alley-cropping systems, with all production hedges aligned north-south on each side of 12m wide cropping areas. There are two coppice systems (hazel, willow), two mixed hardwood systems (ash, hornbeam, Italian alder, oak, small-leaved lime, sycamore, wild cherry, with or without apple) and two mixed fruit and nut systems. The organic crop rotation (cereals-ley-potatoes/squash-ley-cereals) runs as a single cycle around the whole farm.

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UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Contact: info [at] europeanagroforestry [dot] eu

Whitehall Farm, Cambs, UK, apples and arable

Fattening pigs in willow Research Centre Foulum

Alley cropping, Seabuckthorn & Buffaloberry, canola and alfalfa

Willow coppice, Netherlands

Silvopastoral system with Ash at Loughall, Northern Ireland

Montado near Montemor-o-Novo

Ploughing in between 14 year old walnut trees

Silvopastoral system in Poland

Grazed orchard

Strip-like willow plantations offer a variety of retreats for birds and game

Staff