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The Expanding Agroforestry project aims to support the creation of agroforestry in the UK through providing research to support policy and practitioners through evidence reviews and the collection of underpinning empirical evidence.
We have produced a ‘Tree Species Guide for UK Agroforestry Systems’ which aims to provide an overview of the physical characteristics, environmental tolerances, silvicultural characteristics, and ecosystem services and disservices, for a selection of 33 species of trees and shrubs that could be planted in UK agroforestry systems.
Expanding Agroforestry’ is a 2.5 year project which started at the end of 2022 and is funded by the UK Government through Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund programme to March 2025.
We have produced a ‘Tree Species Guide for UK Agroforestry Systems’ which aims to provide an overview of the physical characteristics, environmental tolerances, silvicultural characteristics, and ecosystem services and disservices, for a selection of 33 species of trees and shrubs that could be planted in UK agroforestry systems. It was produced by the University of Reading and Forest Research in partnership with Defra and the Expanding Agroforestry project stakeholder group.
The guide aims to provide a simple and accessible overview of the key attributes (whether beneficial or detrimental) of tree species in UK agroforestry systems. As such, it is suitable for farmers interested in agroforestry, and other interested parties including farm advisers, foresters, and policy makers.
It is envisaged that the guide will mainly be used at an early stage in the design process, e.g., to draw up a short-list of tree species. Following this, it may be advisable for those designing an agroforestry system to seek further specialist advice appropriate to the local context.
This guide has been produced following a rapid review of existing literature and databases, together with consultation with our stakeholder group. The guide comes with some important caveats, limitations and assumptions, which are discussed in the introduction.
This ‘Tree Species Guide for UK Agroforestry Systems’ aims to provide an overview of the physical characteristics, environmental tolerances, silvicultural characteristics, and ecosystem services and disservices, for a selection of 33 species of trees and shrubs that could be planted in UK agroforestry systems. It was produced by the University of Reading and Forest Research in partnership with Defra and the Expanding Agroforestry project stakeholder group.
Senior Scientist - Priority species/ habitats
Programme Manager
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