Trees first appeared on Earth over 400 million years ago and have since diversified into many forms inhabiting various climates and habitats. Trees provide many ecological functions including sheltering plants from wind, moderating temperatures, preventing erosion, and providing wildlife habitat. Various agroforestry systems have been developed that incorporate trees into agricultural landscapes. These systems provide environmental benefits while also yielding useful products.

1. Working with Trees

2. Diversity of Trees

Trees turn up on the scene during the Devonian period some 400 Million yrs ago
 They have since taken many forms and had a long time to settle in to a vast array of habitats and climates

3. Ecological Functions of a Tree

4. Outputs of a Tree/Woodland

5. Shelterbelt-Windbreak
Also known as a wind break a shelter belt is a living barrier consisting of rows of trees and shrubs
to mitigate wind speed in a given location.

6. Shelterbelt-Windbreak
Advantages
•Protection of plants
•Moderating extreme temperatures
•Preventing, or at least reducing, wind erosion
•Reducing evaporation from the soil
•Reducing transpiration from plants
•Protecting buildings (reducing fuel and maintenance needs)
•Biodiversity
•Wildlife enhancing and attracting habitat
•Create soil fertility
•Production, food, fodder, fuel, biomass timber etc
•Ornamental value

7. Shelterbelt-Windbreak
Disadvantages
•Frosts
•Root competition
•Pests and diseases
•Shading
•Land consumption

8. Functioning of a Windbreak

9. Designing a Windbreak

10. Designing a Windbreak

11. Observing Wind

12. Selection of Species
- Local plants
- Rapid growth;
- Wind firmness;
- Good crown formation;
- Deep root system, which do not spread into nearby fields;
- Resistance to drought;
- Evergreen species

13. Suitable Species for Windward edge
Temperate Europe
 NATIVE MULTI -YIELDING
Prunus cerasifera-Myrobalan Plum
Rosa Canina-Dog Rose
Ligustrum ovalifolium-Privet
Corylus avellana-Hazel
Sorbus aria-Whitebeam
Sorbus aucuparia-Mountian Ash
Quercus rubra-Red Oak
Morus Alba-White Mulberry
 NITROGEN FIXERS
Elaeagnus angustifolia-Oleaster
Elaeagnus multiflora-Goumi
Caragana arborescens-Siberian Pea Tree
Elaeagnus umbellata-Autumn Olive
 EVERGREENS
Elaeagnus x ebbingei-Oleaster
Pinus slyvestris-Scots Pine
Pinus nigra-Corsican Pine

14. Forest Gardening
 A forest garden is a designed agronomic system based on trees, shrubs
and perennial plants. These are mixed in such a way as to mimic the
structure of a natural forest - the most stable and sustainable type of
ecosystem in this climate(temperate). -Martin Crawford

15. Why Forest Garden
 Needs less energy input to maintain annual production
 More stable to the vagaries of climate.
 In the event of climate change a perennial system will be
much better suited to withstand new stresses
 More sustainable in the long run especially when planted in
diverse mixtures.
 It provides a beautiful environment for all living things
 Help control and regulate wind, moisture , rainfall,
temperature, soil protection and so on.
 Relatively cheap to establish and relatively easy to maintain
 Place to outlet creativity.
 Range of yields locally ,no need to transport
 We are using space efficiently by using the different
dimensions to obtain yield- filling niches in space as well as
time.
 You are working with a model of productivity estimated to
be 400 million yrs old and that has served humanities
needs since our dawn.

16. Riparian Buffer
A riparian buffer is a vegetated area (a "buffer strip") near a stream
 Helps to shade and protect a stream from the impact of adjacent land uses.
 Increases water quality and reduces pollution.
 Yields of products associated with trees
 Biodiversity

17. Silvoarable
Silvoarable mixes trees amongst arable or horticultural crops.
 Combats soil erosion
 Increase the diversity of farmland.
 Provides shade in hot, dry environments (reducing water loss from evaporation),
 Retention of soil moisture, increase in the structural diversity of the site and wildlife
habitat.
 The woody perennials in these systems can produce fruit, fuelwood, fodder, or
trimmings to be made into mulch.

18. Silvopasture
Silvopasture systems, Integrating trees with livestock creating a land management system
that can produce marketable products while maintaining longterm productivity.
 Trees are managed for high-value sawlogs
 Provide shade and shelter for livestock.
 Provides fodder and forage for livestock
 Improves wildlife diversity, water quality, soil fertility

19. Super Trees ?
 Photovoltaic Cells Power the lights
of the park
 Rain water is harvested and stored
under ground and used for
irrigation
 Vertical gardens dress the
structures

20. Coppicing
Coppicing is a management technique of cutting trees and shrubs to ground level allowing vigorous
regrowth and a sustainable supply of timber for future generations. Benefits include
 Promoting ground and undergrowth vegetation- designed disturbance (by letting light in)
 Raw materials for thatching, fencing, kindling and charcoal making.
All deciduous trees can be coppiced, but hazel, ash, lime,sweet chestnut and beech are common.

21. Pollarding
 The difference between a Pollard and a Coppice is that Coppice's are cut to ground level whilst
Pollards are cut to a height over 2metres tall.