Research objectives

1. Identify and agree with stakeholders the key policy and research questions, which would enable agroforestry expansion
2. Provide evidence syntheses of existing knowledge, gap analysis to identify what is not yet known, and an overview of research which is in progress.
3. Undertake further empirical research to extend and strengthen the knowledge base on agroforestry for ecosystem service delivery.
4. Establish an agroforestry research strategy to extend beyond the project, to service long-term knowledge requirements, including an experimental network of sites, liaising with the emerging projects and partner networks.

Research Questions

1. What are the key policy questions underpinning agroforestry (AF) deployment, and what are the evidence/knowledge synthesis priorities which can deliver the answers?
2. What quantitative evidence is available for the ecosystem services and disservices from AF systems?
3. What are the key considerations for the regulation of AF, learning from measures outside the UK?
4. How do site, soil, silviculture and climatic factors influence the ecological suitability and productivity of AF trees species?
5. Which established AF sites are available to act as exemplar case studies
6. What is the contribution of silvopastoral agroforestry systems, to climate change mitigation? What are the soil health benefits of AF?
7. How can impacts on priority species and habitats be taken into account in AF expansion?