Well-placed trees can help protect soil, reduce input costs and build resilience against droughts and flooding. Planting trees as shelterbelts and on marginal land can make a significant difference to your business’ long-term productivity, without taking large areas of land. And there are subsidised trees and help available to help you gain these benefits.
Nottinghamshire farmer James Thomas has witnessed the value of trees first-hand. “We’ve found weather events have become increasingly extreme and intense in nature, be it heavy downpours of rain or damaging gusts of wind. In some instances, we could see our soil literally running off the farm. Once that happens we’ve lost it forever,” he explained.
To combat the problem, James, helped by the Woodland Trust, started planting trees in long belts and in awkward corners, targeting areas most prone to erosion. The trees now protect topsoil from wind erosion and slow down water during heavy downpours, reducing flooding and keeping inputs out of watercourses. By encouraging infiltration, trees also help keep water in their aquifer for later use irrigating their sandy soil. As the trees are thinned, they provide a source of woodfuel for a biomass burner.
James strongly encourages others to follow his lead: “We found that the land most exposed to the elements and most at risk to erosion was least productive for us. We have not limited farm productivity but enhanced adjoining land by creating a more stable microclimate on our light land where crops flourish. The trees have also become a visible and powerful statement to our local community that we are committed to the environment, wildlife and local scenery.”
Richard Bower, chairman of the Next Generation Forum, has also been inspired by the diverse benefits presented at a recent agroforestry conference: “I expected to be asked to plant trees as an environmental measure. While I feel this is important, I learnt a lot about how trees can add commercial value to our business as well as economic benefit.”
“It was good to hear from actual farmers how agroforestry has been successful – shelter belts for sheep in Cumbria, which also help tourism, trees for free-range poultry, walnut trees for harvesting and trees as an erosion measure,” he added.