Farmer-led Climate Adaptation and Mitigation.
Why and how trees on farms can help!
Conference Proceedings
Thursday 16th November 2023
Plenary 1 -Agroforestry Policy Developments including Land Use Change
Fergus Moore (DAFM)
Ireland’s New Forest Strategy – opportunities for diversification
This presentation will outline the main policy direction in Ireland's recently launched Forest Strategy and outline the significant opportunities to increase diversification in forestry, including the use of agroforestry. Significant funding of €1.3 billion has been provided by the Irish Government for forestry and the process of delivering on a range of programme measures will be key to success.
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Eugene Curran (DAFM)
DAFM supports for Agroforestry
The Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine launched an agroforestry measure in 2015 under the Afforestation programme. This presentation will review its origins, progress and lessons learnt. The presentation will also outline the new agroforestry measures for the 2023 - 2027 programme. This will include an overview of the tree planting opportunities under the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES).
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John Casey/Tom Houlihan (TEAGASC)
Whole Farm Planning to Support Agroforestry Creation
The new Forestry Programme 2023-2027 provides excellent opportunities for new forest creation including exciting agroforestry options. In this regard, it is essential for farmers to consider all elements involved in the integration of trees on their farm. This talk will focus on the importance of whole farm planning and consider how planting land may interact with farm enterprise combinations, farm schemes/supports and future succession planning. It will highlight the beneficial interactions involved by case study example.
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Dr Gerry Lawson (EURAF)
Agroforestry in the current agricultural and climate plans of 15 EU Member States’.
It focuses on the role of agroforestry in three national policy documents: a) CAP Strategic Plans (AF definitions, eco-schemes, GAEC-8, AECMs, Investments), b) National Climate Adaptation Plans (e.g. mentions of agroforestry and landscape features), and c) National Climate and Energy Plans (e.g. roadmaps to meet the 2030 LULUCF targets). The countries included are BE-FL, CZ, DK, FI, FR, DE, EL, HU, IT, LV, NL, PT, SL, ES, IE.
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Official Opening: Senator Pippa Hackett, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Plenary 2 - Agroforestry systems for Farm Production (livestock/crops) and wider ecosystem benefits
Keynote: Clive Bright (IAF and Rare Ruminare)
Creating Habitat for Livestock and Enhancing Ecological Processes.
A farmer's holistic perspective of how silvopasture offers resilience, productivity and profitability to livestock farming on marginal land. Harnessing and shaping natural succession to mimic a more complex and stable ecosystem that benefits the animals and the broader environment.
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Professor Jim McAdam (QUB/IAF)
Potential for silvopasture to deliver climate-resilient livestock systems in Ireland.
The evidence base from a mature silvopastoral trial site in Northern Ireland will be presented to show the ways in which trees can be integrated into livestock farms to deliver a wide range of ecosystem services and to explore how trees can be used in a wider context to create more climate - resilient farming systems.
Dr Lindsay Whistance (Organic Research Centre UK)
Livestock and Trees: a balancing act
The talk will focus on how the presence of trees on farms offers multiple benefits, supporting system resilience and promoting good animal welfare. Lindsay will touch upon different aspects including how trees can benefit animal health, and human-animal relationships as well as delivering a valuable source of nutrition and medicine in the grazed landscape.
Dr Kathy Soder (USDA)
Integrating Agroforestry and Grazing Ruminants
This presentation will discuss the addition of grazing ruminants to agroforestry systems, including benefits and drawbacks; potential impacts on plant and animal production; understanding grazing behavior; impacts on animal welfare; and ecosystem services.
Plenary 3 - Agroforestry Innovation and Farmer Engagement
Niamh Garvey (NESC)
Just Transition in Agriculture and Land Use
This presentation will outline some of the findings and recommendations of a recent National Economic and Social Council report on just transition in agriculture and land use. The report explored how to achieve Ireland’s environmental targets in agriculture and land use in a way that is socially inclusive, economically viable and environmentally resilient. The presentation will highlight findings related to agroforestry – one of a range of measures that was explored with farmers and other stakeholders, including identifying the barriers and enablers for wider uptake.
Dr Tim Pagella (Bangor University)
The importance of systems thinking in agroforestry – with a focus on gender in agroforestry decision making
Getting the optimal returns from agroforestry requires us to think in systems. In this talk the value of integrating systems thinking for agroforestry decision making will be discussed. As part of this the talk will examine the role of gender, highlighting the importance of making sure agroforestry systems are inclusive and that all stakeholders’ views are represented in decision-making.
Dr Réamaí Mathers ( Farmer/Aspen Consulting)
Farming with trees
Culture, language and change – let’s cut to the chase!
The presentation looks at the current agroforestry innovation in Ireland and how culture, attitudes and language are important. It will also suggest goals that could be put in-place for its successful integration as one tool in a diverse suite of options working towards a sustainable, productive agricultural industry and maintaining healthy rural communities. The talk will attempt to discuss the behaviour of change and explore what we may be missing in our work in changing attitudes and perceptions of agroforestry and the main barriers that are currently in place.
The purpose of this talk is to encourage debate as to what we could do better, (A lot in my case!).
This presenter was unable to come we will try and run a member meeting with him on another date.
Rachel Irwin (TEAGASC)
The main attitudes, influential bodies and barriers that affect agroforestry uptake.
The innovation of agroforestry is relatively new in Ireland, with many benefits cited at both a farm and climate level. However, even with the introduction of profitable financial incentives in Ireland, uptake remains low due to the presence of existing barriers. The presentation will review the results of a set of recent studies involving both Irish dairy and drystock farmers, and various stakeholders on the barriers impeding the success of the current scheme.
Plenary 4 - Agroforestry markets, products, added-value
Hannes Bürckmann ( Farmer) and Sophia Philipp (Farmer/Consultant)
"Hochstamm Deutschland" and our strategies for the preservation of the traditional AFS "Orchard".
The traditional agroforestry system of orchard meadows provides various ecosystem services. At present the production of ecosystem services is not rewarded directly by the market and can very rarely be monetized through the price of the products. The presentation will present the current status of the project "Orchard meadow 2030" of the German Orchard Meadow Network "Hochstamm Deutschland e.V.". Hannes and Sophia will discuss the possibility of integrating the "production of ecosystem services" into value chains using the example of traditional orchard meadows. It will give insight into this basic approach, how it fits into the network's overall "preservation through farming" strategy and the current potential in demand for ecosystem service certificates.
Jack Nolan (DAFM Organics)
Ongoing developments in the organic sector and the opportunities for farmers
Kathleen Conroy (FOR-ES)
Creating a Decision Support Tool Based on Analysis of Ecosystem Accounts in Irish Forests
Many communities benefit from forests due to their ability to provide local ecosystem services (e.g., recreation opportunities, regional climate regulation) and global ecosystem services (e.g., carbon sequestration, global climate regulation). With inappropriate or lack of management and the risk of subsequent ecosystem degradation, the provision of ecosystem services may decline. The ForES project will create a decision support tool to help land managers make decisions to maintain or enhance preferred ecosystem services for their land. Using 25 different forest sites throughout Ireland, ForES uses an ecosystem accounting framework to create extent, condition and ecosystem service accounts and corresponding maps. The information generated from the accounts and through stakeholder workshops will drive the web-based decision support tool. ForES is a collaborative project between Trinity College, University College Dublin and Coillte. This project is funded by DAFM.
Patrick Worms ( World Agroforestry)
Exploring some of the reasons that nevertheless encourage farmers to add trees to their fields, and foresters to add agricultural production to their forests.
Agroforestry systems now cover over 40% of the planet’s agricultural land at tree densities of at least 10% of the area. And yet it sometimes seems that they struggle to be rolled out further, especially in modern, capital-intensive farming systems sometimes constrained by complex regulatory webs, such as those prevalent in Europe and North America. This talk will explore some of the reasons that nevertheless encourage farmers to add trees to their fields, and foresters to add agricultural production to their forests. These include better financial performance, a range of valuable ecosystem services, rising resilience in the face of increasingly harsh weather conditions and, last but not least, reasons grounded in comfort, aesthetics and sociability. The talk will focus on a number of relevant use cases, ranging from very large-scale arable production to the use of well-managed silvopastoral systems to bring degraded lands back into financially valuable production. While mostly focusing on European examples, it will also draw on experiences elsewhere, notably India, Africa and North America.
End of day one – Q+A Panel - Jim McAdam, Clive Bright, Ray O’Foghlu
Chairperson closing remarks/Keynote closing
Conference Dinner
Friday 17th November 2023
Agroforestry Farm Visits
Please play the videos below to hear and see the wonderful agroforestry innovation happening on 3 farms in Skibbereen and Rosscarbery, Co.Cork
Farm Walk Rossa Gibbons, Skibbereen
13 Ha organic farm with both forestry and agroforestry (silvopasture sheep). Rossa is currently building up a pedigree Shropshire sheep flock with a focus on producing quality breeding stock and organic lamb for local supply. His sheep flock is registered with the UK Shropshire Sheep Society. He is studying for an MSc in Forestry at the University of Bangor, Wales and hopes to work in this area in the future.
Plots: Forestry Scheme 3.5 Ha 19 years old with Oak and Larch. Alder and Birch were planted on the more marginal ground. Contractors completed the work. Forestry Scheme 3.5 Ha 6 years old with 10 broadleaf species planted including walnut and some Scots Pine. Rossa completed the planting himself.
Agroforestry 2.4 Ha 3 years old (Funded under GPC 11) 10/11 broadleaf species silvopasture with Shropshire sheep. 8m spacing between trees and silage/hay harvested. 15% Fruit and Nut trees. Rossa completed the planting himself.
Farm Walk Alan Kingston’s, Skibbereen
20 Ha farm with horticulture (veg/fruit/nuts) and agroforestry (silvopasture sheep and silvoarable -aronia berries). Alan is a part-time farmer and is originally from a Dairy Farm. His land was originally an out farm for replacement heifers for the dairy herd. Alan has now converted 10 hectares of the farm to an organic system. He is currently building up a pedigree Shropshire sheep flock with a focus on producing quality breeding stock and lamb for local supply. His sheep flock is registered with the European Shropshire Sheep Society. There is a small herd of pedigree Kune Kune pigs which are used for fertilizing the forest floor, clearing briars without harming the trees as well as free-range pork production.
Plots:
A. Agroforestry 1.2 Ha 8 years old (Funded under GPC 11) 4 broadleaf species silvopasture with Shropshire sheep. 6m alleys in 5m grids with 1.5m between trees. Hay has been harvested from the alleys. Alan completed the planting himself including stakes and shelters.
B. Agroforestry 1.6 ha 8 years old (Funded under GPC 11) 4 broadleaf species silvoarable with aronia berries. 8m alleys with 1.5m spacing between trees and berries harvested.
Alan completed the planting himself. C. Forestry plantation. 4.2ha Mixed broadleaf plantation.
D. Alder plantation 1.6ha planted by a contractor in 2006 under the guidance of a registered forester.
Farm Walk Avril and William Allshires, Skibbereen
The Allshires planted 5.7 ha of forestry in the spring of 2018. Of this 1.58 ha was mixed broadleaf planting, 0.85 ha was forest for fibre planting while the remaining 3.27 ha was put into agroforestry. They have an existing mature spruce plantation and some ash which has been hit by ash dieback. They also planted areas with young spruce and eucalyptus. They produce pigs (Caherbeg Free Range Pork Ltd) and have a firewood business too. The Allshires are also part of the West Cork Farm Tours. Avril conducts forest bathing events.