The Farm Woodland Forum - History

The Farm Woodland Forum traces its roots back to the Agroforestry Research: UK Discussion Forum, which had its first fully national meeting in Birmingham. This meeting reached agreement on the general structure of the Silvopastoral National Network Experiment which was originally conceived by the Agroforestry Research Co-ordinating Group (Edinburgh) in 1985..

The Silvopastoral National Network Experiment comprised the Hill Farming Research Organisation (now part of the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute (MLURI)), the Welsh Plant Breeding Station and the Grassland Research Institute (both now part of the Institute for Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER)), the University College of North Wales (now the University of Wales at Bangor) and the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, which for good measure is now the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development for Northern Ireland (DARDNI)!

The annual meeting was held at the University of Edinburgh.

The annual meeting was held at Long Ashton Research Station. The Forum's area of interest was stated as being silvopastoral systems, silvoarable systems, shelter belts, timber belts and grazing in established forests.

The annual meeting was held at the Open University, Milton Keynes.

The annual meeting was held at MLURI and SAC in Aberdeen.

The annual meeting was held at the University College of North Wales, Bangor. The Forum was re-named the UK Agroforestry Research Forum.

The annual meeting was held at Silsoe and Shuttleworth Colleges in Bedfordshire. The National Silvoarable Network was established with sites at Cranfield University in Bedfordshire, The University of Leeds, and the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester.

The annual meeting was held by the Department for Agriculture in Northern Ireland in Belfast.

The annual meeting was held at the University of Leeds.

The annual meeting was held at the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, North Wyke, Devon.

The annual meeting was held at SAC, Craibstone Estate, Aberdeen. It was jointly organised by SAC and MLURI. The Forum was renamed the UK Agroforestry Forum by dropping the word "Research", bringing it more in line with the need to include an emphasis on technology transfer.

The annual meeting was held at Cranfield University, Bedfordshire. The UK Agroforestry Forum web site was launched.

The annual meeting entitled "Trees in Fields and Farming Landscapes" was held at the University of Wales at Bangor. The meeting focussed on the practical lessons from a decade of agroforestry research on the impact of trees on farm productivity, diversification and environment. The meeting was attended by the Welsh Office Minister with responsibility for agriculture and senior members of staff of the Forestry Commission and the Welsh Agriculture Department which resulted in useful suggestions for the future and for further communication to promote agroforestry.

The papers presented at the meeting were published in a special issue of Scottish Forestry Volume 31 No. 1.

The annual meeting entitled "Farming with Trees" was held at Greenmount College in Northern Ireland. The Forum adopted a formal constitution and an expert database was set up to record areas of members' experiences that could be drawn upon to advise on agroforestry practice.

A meeting entitled " Farm Woodlands for the Future" was hosted by Cranfield University at their Silsoe Site. Note: this external link will open a new window.

A presentation on behalf of the Forum and its new role emphasising technology transfer was made to the Forestry Research Co-ordination Committee (FRCC) at its autumn meeting. This led to the recognition by the FRCC that the Forum is the official body representing agroforestry.

The annual meeting was held at Horticulture Research International, East Malling.

The Forestry Commission published its Bulletin 122 "Agroforestry in the UK", which was authored by members of the Forum.

The annual meeting entitled "Trees, Farms and Rural Development" was held at the University of Leeds.

The EU-sponsored Silvoarable Agroforestry For Europe (SAFE) project started. Note: this external link will open a new window.

The sub-head Farming with Trees was added to the Forum's title to reflect its extended range of interest.

The annual meeting entitled "Farming with trees: new options for short-term profit" was held at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester.

The Silvopastoral Agroforestry Toolbox was launched.

The annual meeting entitled "New Approaches to Trees and Woodlands on Farms" was held at the SAC Hill and Mountain Research Centre, Crianlarich, Perthshire.

The Forum was re-named the Farm Woodland Forum to reflect its widening interests.

The annual meeting entitled "Trees and upland farming: past, present and future" was held at the National School of Forestry, Newton Rigg, Cumbria from 23 to 25 June.

The Forum applied to the Charities Commission for charitable status.

Charity status was conferred on the Forum on 11 January 2005.

The annual meeting entitled "Ecosystem services of farm trees" was organised by the School of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor and was held at the Gregynog Conference Centre, University of Wales, Newtown, Powys from 29 June to 1 July.

The Forum celebrated the 20th anniversary of its founding with a conference entitled "The Benefits of Farm Woodlands and Agroforestry in UK Lowlands" which was organised by Biodiversity International and the Northmoor Trust. The conference was held at the Northmoor Trust, Little Wittenham, Oxfordshire from 27th June to 28th June.

During the year, the Forum hosted the first phase of an e-conference entitled "Policy Support for Agroforestry in the European Union". A second phase will be held in March 2007.