Events

Farm Woodland Forum annual conference, Reading - May 18th/19th 2026
This year's theme is:

“The best time to plant a tree was 40 years ago. The second-best time is now"

The conference begins immediately after the 2026 Agroforestry Open Weekend, allowing attendees to combine travel and accommodation for both events.

Day 1 Monday 18th May: Little Hidden Farm, Hungerford.

We will begin the conference, meeting at 11:00 to visit the farm’s well-established 30+ year old row-based agroforestry system. The farm tour promises to highlight:

• The system’s original planning and purpose
• Changing circumstances and management
• Adaptation to new objectives
• Costs of change
• Value of the system to the farming enterprise
• What wood-based produce can be utilised effectively
• Importantly, with the benefit of hindsight, what might be done differently today

Day 2 Tuesday 19th May: Reading University.

Indoor sessions combining in person and remote presentations of 15 – 20 minutes. These will cover:

• How to plan, manage, and market agroforestry systems effectively to support the wider business
• The importance of instilling economic values to farmers' decision making
• The value of established agroforestry systems
  • for research
  • for inspiring new planting
  • challenges and opportunities over the life of an agroforestry system
  • intergenerational changes 
• Long term vision for agroforestry-based value chains
• How to support agroforestry systems during establishment

For details and tickets :
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/farm-woodland-forum-annual-meeting-2026-mon-may-18th-tues-may19th-tickets-1985355836752

If you are interested in attending please can you try and confirm registration by Friday 17th April.

Please submit abstracts for presentations and posters for the event using the link below:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/TEkm73rp3L

Bursaries
2x for students, 2x for farmers, see details on booking form
send applications to BRaskin@soilassociation.org

Any questions contact:
aormerod2015@gmail.com

Agroforestry has received official policy approval with funding available for farmers and landowners to plant trees on their land. However, policies and adoption rates differ widely between countries. This series aims to explore factors affecting agroforestry adoption, training, market awareness considering the perspective of farmers, foresters and policy makers. This webinar considers how to improve understanding of policymakers making agroforestry decisions with exchange of ideas from UK, Europe and USA perspectives about what works and what challenges have arisen through presentations and a question and answer session involving experts and attendees.  
Speakers and expert panel include:

Bev Paul, founder of Devonport Policy; advocates for a sustainable food and agriculture system that nourishes people, strengthens rural communities, and restores nature. She has previously spoken on Agroforestry Policy Is Taking Root, Now What? 
Gerry Lawson, who is the policy analyst for EURAF
Joseph Harris from Forest for Cornwall who was involved in local agroforestry schemes before policy was introduced in England.

This is the fourth in an international webinar series linked to Agroforestry training and awareness raising organised by the Farm Woodland Forum in the U.K., Irish Agroforestry Forum and Interlace Commons in the USA.

Join the webinar here.

Passcode: 359843

How to increase the profile and awareness about agroforestry value chains?

An international panel will be discussing ways of raising awareness of agroforestry value chains, including:

Matt Chatfield - Cornwall Project - enhancing the value of mutton production with woodland grazing
Colin Curton - Overstory Ventures

Value chains encompass the full range of actors, processes, and activities—from agricultural input supply and production to processing, distribution, and final consumption—that add value to products. They represent a market-driven, collaborative approach focusing on efficiency, profitability, and, frequently, social or environmental sustainability. This webinar will provide insights for those embarking on agroforestry schemes, bringing together existing examples and answering your questions in a Q&A session.

Register here.

Join us for the next edition of the International Webinar Series - The Role of Agroforestry Service providers

The event, considers a range of innovations and approaches in agroforestry training from the USA, mainland Europe, and Ireland. The webinar will consist of short presentations with plenty of time for Q & A. We will hear from:

USA
Meghan Giroux, the Founding Executive Director, Interlace Commons

Mainland Europe and Ireland
Julia Günzel, Speaker in Further Education and Association Developments, German Association for Agroforestry (DeFAF) e.V.
Sarah Carton, Plant Scientist, ILVO Vlaanderen, Belgium
Maureen Kilgore, Manager at the Irish Agroforestry Forum  

This webinar is the perfect chance to explore diverse techniques and share ideas. Dive into innovative practices; connect with experts, and get inspired to make a difference in sustainable farming!

Sign up here.

Find out more about the world of truffle cultivation with this Irish Agroforestry Forum webinar; learn the key steps to establishment and management of truffle orchards in tempereate climates.

Find out more and register here.