Agroforestry is all about creating multifunctional farming systems and landscapes, where ecological interactions are leveraged for benefits to farms, landscapes and society.

Agroforestry practices vary according to how they integrate into different farming systems, they include: silvopasture (trees with grassland and livestock/poultry), silvoarable (trees and crops) and agrosilvopasture (trees, crops and livestock together). These practice designs can be dispersed in-field trees, linear rows, on field edges (shelterbelts, hedgerows), in groups (clumps) or as woodland blocks. There is no one-size-fits all approach, each agroforestry system should be designed to respond to the individual context and needs of each farm and land manager.

Why Agroforestry? Farming with Nature

For generations following the intensification and industrialisation of farming, trees on farms were often viewed as obstacles, but a growing body of science and the experience of pioneering and historic farmers is proving that trees are actually a farm’s greatest economic and ecological ally.

When strategically integrated into agricultural systems, trees unlock incredible benefits:

• Climate & Weather Resilience: Agroforestry systems help protect soils from wind and water erosion and can increase crop yields through improved microclimates and enhanced soil moisture retention. 
• Livestock Health & Welfare: For livestock farmers, trees provide vital shade during increasingly hot summers - preventing heat stress and maintaining and increasing production - while offering natural browsing opportunities rich in trace minerals, proteins, and medicinal compounds (such as the pain-relieving, aspirin qualities found in willow).
• Nature’s Pest Control: Tree lines and margins create crucial habitats for beneficial predators, supporting integrated pest management and reducing reliance on inputs.
• Water Management: Deep root systems greatly improve soil structure, increasing water infiltration and holding capacity. This plays a vital role in slowing the flow of water through catchments and mitigating flood risks during heavy rainfall.
• Carbon Sequestration: Above and below ground, trees lock away carbon, helping farm businesses move toward net-zero targets while boosting organic matter in the soil.
• Nutrient Cycling: Planting trees, particularly with deep roots, can take up the nutrients that are leached down below the rooting zone of the associated pasture grass or annual crops.
• Diversity: Structural and functional diversity result in improved resource utilisation and enhance ecosystem benefits. For example, the reduction in nutrient leaching to ground water in silvopastoral systems as a result of the deep tree roots. 
• Economic benefits: The opportunity to increase the range of outputs, creating additional incomes streams and spreading risk. For example, fruit and nuts, timber or fuelwood.

Closer to Home: Agroforestry in Action at Great Chalfield

You don’t have to look far to see these principles put into practice. Here in Wiltshire, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust is engaged in an inspiring, forward-thinking partnership with the National Trust at Great Chalfield. 

This collaboration is transforming the 140-hectare mixed farm into a thriving regional hub for nature recovery and regenerative, agro-ecological farming. Supported by Trees for Climate, the site has seen the large-scale planting of thousands of native broadleaf trees to establish a number of different silvopasture and silvoarable systems, as well as closed canopy woodland.

Great Chalfield serves as a living, breathing case-study. It demonstrates how modern farming and conservation can walk hand-in-hand: testing innovative tree-planting designs, creating vital nature recovery, improving soil health, and building climate resilience. It showcases how trees can be successfully woven into a productive landscapes to benefit community, nature recovery, while supporting a viable, thriving farm business.

Planting the Seeds for Tomorrow

Agroforestry looks different on every farm - whether it’s silvoarable alley-cropping, silvopasture with grazing livestock, or simply allowing hedgerows to grow taller and thicker. This National Tree Week, let’s celebrate trees as an essential pillar of our agricultural future. As you are out and about throughout Wiltshire’s landscapes, take some time to notice the existing diversity of trees in the farming landscape.

The inspiring work at Great Chalfield is just the beginning, but we can’t do it without you. By donating to our Nature Recovery Fund, you directly support the planting of native trees, the restoration of vital habitats, and the transition to climate-resilient farming across Wiltshire. Together, we can make a lasting impact on our local landscape.

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