UNHIDE Agroforestry - A Knowledge Exchange Latvia- Sweden 2023-25 - Report - Page 10
Väversunda berry orchard with Food forest, Sweden
Forested site with sweet chestnut trees
interplanted with native tree species.
as well as groups of walnut and hazel. Hazelnut
plants were purchased from Stångby nursery.
Over the years, Tor was warned that these “exotic
nut trees” might pose a threat to native species.
“But trees don’t choose their country,” Tor adds
thoughtfully, “they choose their climate.”
“AGROFORESTRY IS AN
EFFECTIVE AND LONGTERM INVESTMENT IN
FOOD SECURITY, BUT
INTEREST AMONG
POLITICIANS AND
AUTHORITIES IN APPLYING
IT IN SWEDEN HAS BEEN
LUKEWARM.” - Tor Nyberg
The forest garden is fenced, yet wildlife occasionally finds its way in. Measures taken to reduce the
impact of deer and voles include planting Crown
Walnut tree (Juglans regia).
imperial (Fritillaria imperialis), a pollinator plant
whose scent deters them, and keeping the grass
short to help hawks spot voles.
Wild boars have also entered the area on occasion, though without harming the trees. One year,
a badger consumed all the newly sown nuts, Tor
recalls.
WE-AGROFORESTRY
We-Agroforestry’s work began with a commitment
to preventing deforestation and desertification in
East Africa. The idea was to help farmers around
Lake Victoria increase productivity by combining
crops with trees, thereby preventing erosion of
fertile soils. This approach also reduced pressure
on natural forests, as on-farm tree systems supplied
firewood for cooking.
Trees planted close to households within crop
systems were referred to as “female trees”, one example being sesbania—a fast-growing, nitrogen-fixing, water-retaining pea plant providing fuelwood.
“Male trees”, by contrast, included eucalyptus,
grown for timber at the request of the market, a
practice that often leads to desertification.
When Tor Nyberg assumed his role as manager of
We-Agroforestry, the poverty-alleviation campaign
“Plant a forest in Kenya instead of giving flowers
as a gift” had achieved great success in Sweden.
Nurseries had been established in Kenya, and
Groups with walnut trees protected from frost by hazels.
