What is agroforestry?

Agroforestry is simply the combination of trees and shrubs with crop and livestock farming. It can reap great benefits for farms, communities, nature and the climate

In its 2022 report Farming for the Future, the Woodland Trust found that planting more trees on farms can help achieve commitments on nature and climate, while supporting agricultural production.

Farming currently produces large greenhouse gas emissions but agroforestry can help reduce these, as well as contributing to reversing declines in biodiversity, increasing carbon storage and providing cleaner air and water. However take-up is low.

What does agroforestry look like?

It can take many forms:

• Hedgerows and buffer strips create a habitat network for wildlife, as well as mitigating flooding, and enhancing soil, carbon and water resources to bolster crop production
• Trees in livestock fields (silvo-pastoral agroforestry) provide shade on hot days and shelter from wind and rain in winter, as well as food.
• Trees grown among arable crops (silvo-arable agroforestry) can bring in extra income from fruits nuts or timber.

Agroforestry can also be applied in a forest settling or on a smaller scale in more mixed or urban settings.

What can we do in London?

Obviously, there are few farms in London, but in recent years, there has been a huge swell of interest in community food growing on available peri-urban green space in and around the capital. CPRE London fully supports this movement, recognising the benefits to the climate and nature, as well as potential increases in community access to green space, improved food resilience in the face of  threats such as increasing living costs and global instability, and provision of jobs and training.

As part of the More Natural Capital Coalition, we are calling for the GLA and local authorities to support the creation of six new major peri-urban community farms and 150 new community orchards by 2030. The farms can be managed in a nature-friendly way, including hedgerows, shrubs and trees to provide natural wind breaks, as well as incorporating areas to grow fruit and nut trees.

You can learn more about our London Tree Ring vision here.

Read about the More Natural Capital Coalition, a coalition of 20 environmental charities working together to influence policy in London, here.