Ben Raskin is leading our Agroforestry Design Masterclass next February.
He was an advisor on this film about Agroforestry in the Uplands, which focuses on why trees and hedgerows on upland farms are good for livestock, the environment, biodiversity, soil health and the bottom line.
The short documentary shows that farming CAN be part of the solution when it comes to tackling climate change. Three farmers in upland areas across the UK talk about how they have turned to trees as part of their strategy for future resilience.
They’ve done this to:
Take carbon out of the atmosphere, putting it deep underground
Benefit their livestock by providing shade and shelter in times of increasingly unpredictable weather
Encourage wildlife and biodiversity
Help their businesses thrive - healthier animals and soil reap healthier financial returns
Pre 1970s, agroforestry was the norm yet in 2021 only 3% of UK farms practice it. We want to change that.
The Soil Association has a wealth of agroforestry resources for farmers (soilassociation.org/agroforestry).