Nearly a thousand people from the farming and forestry community will descend on Wiltshire next week for the UK’s first major event aimed solely at bringing more trees onto British farms – the Agroforestry Show.
Around 900 delegates from farmers and foresters to researchers, policy makers and advisors will explore how trees are key to ensuring food production while tackling climate change and biodiversity loss, at the event with the Soil Association and Woodland Trust.
Researchers and farming pioneers have found that agroforestry – combining trees with livestock or crops – can boost yields, and cut river and air pollution.
These findings will be presented at the show alongside new discoveries by farmers on how best to incorporate trees on farms as tools for climate resilience and producing food.
The two-day Agroforestry Show, on Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 September, aims to upskill farmers and foresters to expand agroforestry as a key climate, nature and farming solution across the UK.
The event programme which will feature more than 100 speakers on all aspects of agroforestry and include research on how trees can prevent river pollution and reduce ammonia emission, plus insights into the benefits of tree shade to reduce heat impacts on livestock.
Farmers will also be sharing both what has worked and what hasn’t with tree planting, and the impacts it has on nature, with new updates on farm research that is being supported by the event organisers.
There are over 100 expert speakers attending the show, at Eastbrook Farm near Swindon, which is backed by lead sponsor Sainsbury’s, to discuss first-hand how they are using trees on their farms.
Eastbrook Farm is managed by Soil Association chief executive Helen Browning, who will be giving tours of her seven-year agroforestry project which has been supported by the Woodland Trust.