UNHIDE Agroforestry booklet 2025.09.22 - Flipbook - Page 23
Lundens’ farm: Silvoarable, Sweden
the mix, making it harder for pathogens to spread,
as well as rapeseed, fava bean and grey peas, a
field pea with a thousand-year history of cultivation
in Sweden.
as it needs much less water than conventional
crops, reduces drought caused by the wind, and
provide shelter for pollinators and other insects
who easily become exhausted by the wind.
As the grains at Lundens’ farm require nitrogen
fertilizer from circulated waste products, the group
argued this could be replaced by nitrogen-fixing
plants such as sea buckthorn or common/black
alder, making the system less dependent on industrial, linear economy.
The group also noted that autumn sowing might
be the most suitable for this kind of system, now
used for spring sowed cereals, as the trees would
not leaf out in time to shade out the crop before
summer harvest. With no road along the tree
lines this is not an option, as it would result in
crop destruction when driving along to pick the
apples.
A more diverse and dense system not only prevents
run-off. For example, the spread of wind-borne
diseases in annual crops have also shown to be
reduced by tree barriers, according to research at
Wakelyns. To avoid such a system becoming too
dense, it needs to be pollarded. The residues left
on the ground would improve the soil.
“Photosynthesis creates
precipitation as it cools the immediate area around the leaves
- hence we can plant water”
- James Godfrey Faussett, forest advisor, Miyawaki
forest and nature restoration expert.
Along the fence, trellised B9 rootstock apple trees
are planted. The group discussed the advantages of
planting a surrounding poplar windbreak, or a temporary windbreak from fast-growing, soil-loosening,
fertilizing and pollinator attracting industrial hemp,
The largest cost in establishing the system was
16,600 Euro for fencing, to keep out deer. As
income from apples is modest, the group discussed considering giving up fences in a system
like this, and to expect some loss through deer
damage. The money saved could be used for
building a farm nursery, for diversification.
•
Since 2024 planting trees to produce food, feed or
other ecosystem services in combination with annual
crops on arable land is eligible for subsidies in Sweden. The trees may not cover more than 50 percent
of the total area of the block/field. Nurse trees are
accepted, and may be moved into the system, but can
not be brought in by natural means. As agroforestry
doesn’t entail a static system, but one in constant lifeand management cycles in interaction with surrounding nature, it’s not fully clear how the rules will apply.
