Join us for an informative and engaging day all about how trees can benefit your farming business now and in the future. You’ll first hear from Davy McCracken, SRUC who will share his practical experience on how trees have an important part to play in the future of our farms before we hold an open discussion where you can share and hear from others about how trees feature in their plans for building a resilient agricultural business into the future. In the afternoon the Barbour family will introduce us to their family farm, Mains of Fincastle, a 540 Ha organic beef and sheep hill farm in Perthshire. We’ll hear about why and how they have successfully planted trees as part of their farm business, as well as the process and challenges they have faced. You will see how their trees are providing multiple benefits including shelter, shade, increased productivity, reduced costs, biodiversity gain, an income stream and carbon capture. They will also share their plans for future integration of trees on the farm, building further resilience into their farming system. You will also hear from a Scottish Forestry speaker who will join us to answer your questions on funding and the first steps to woodland creation.
Book your free place here. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided. Find out about the Network, its hosts and useful info here.
Rory Sinclair will introduce us to his family’s 1397 hectare hill farm on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula. You will hear about how they have approached cattle woodland grazing over the last 20 years and how it has protected and enhanced priority species pearl bordered fritillary and chequered skipper on their land. It has also supported the maintenance of glades and reduces bracken cover, thereby improving the condition of the woodland habitats. You’ll learn about how the Forestry Grant Scheme’s Woodland Grazing funding has supported this action. Rory will highlight other key activities on their land including how they have encouraged the natural regeneration of oak and birch, enabled by their deer management. Alongside this we will show their flourishing areas of Atlantic Rainforest and planted native broad leaved woodlands. We’ll look at the initial thought process, the decision to plant trees, woodland grazing, objectives, challenges and benefits. We will also have a speaker from Scottish Forestry joining us to discuss funding and first steps to woodland grazing and creation and Butterfly Conservation Scotland.
Book your free place here. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided. Find out about the Network, its hosts and useful info here
An introduction to Balbirnie Home Farms, Fife, organised by the Integrating Trees Network. A demonstration of how agroforestry and woodlands can be integrated into a farming enterprise, with a speaker from Scottish Forestry attending to outline grants available.
Meeting on agroforestry, in the north east of England.
This FWF webinar tells the story of the evolution of agroforestry in Ireland from the establishment of the first agroforestry pilots in 2015, the lessons learned, and trees on farms policy development, the necessity to bride the gap between forestry and farming, and the progress to date. The rationale for the agroforestry measure under the afforestation programme 2023 to 2027 and the support measure developed. The establishment of the Irish Agroforestry Forum, its structure, forest industry relationships, farmer engagement methods, and building trust, agroforestry as essential farm infrastructure, farmer innovation, application processes, tips, and next steps.
Click this link to register for the event