Context
The Climate Change Committee has estimated that 21 % of agricultural land will be required by 2050 for tree planting, in order to meet net-zero commitments.1 Whilst agroforestry is not a new concept, it’s adoption in the UK has been slow, but the need for solutions that integrate trees into farmland has fuelled a new wave of interest.
Held a day after the ialeUK agroforestry-focused Bunce Lecture and panel discussion, ialeuK is joining forces with the newly established University of Reading Agroforestry Group, led by researcher Tom Breeze, to host a visit to Tolhurst Organic, Berkshire. Tolhurst is a certified organic farm that implements many methods to produce crops in a way that boosts biodiversity and protects the surrounding environment.
Who?
The field day is open to everyone interested in agroforestry, including researchers at all levels, farmers, consultants, and more.
Itinerary
The group will meet at 10 am on the 1st December at the Agriculture Building, University of Reading. From here, we will travel by minibus to Tolhurst Organic Farm, Pangbourne, Berkshire.
The highlight of the trip will be a tour of Tolhurst Organic’s agroforestry system, an intercropping system of fruit trees and vegetables, established nine years ago. There will also be an opportunity to see the other initiatives at the farm, including a 7 ha complex seven-year rotation system designed to support biodiversity, a coppice woodland, organic strawberry production, greenhouses using home-produced growing substrates, and tunnels with an all-year-round cropping rotation and green manure production.
Lunch and hot drinks will be provided (free) on-site.
We hope to return to the University of Reading by 4 pm. For those able to stay, there will be an opportunity to visit the Crop and Environment Laboratory at the university, and a chance to network over drinks at the campus bar.
Info and Registration
The event is free for members of ialeUK (student membership: £15/year, full membership: £30/year; join here) and Reading University Agroforestry Group. There is a fee of £35 for non-members, £20 for student non-members (please pay below).
To register/find further information about this event: contact Tom Breeze (leader of University of Reading Agroforestry Group) at t.d.breeze@reading.ac.uk
For ialeUK membership enquiries, please contact James Millington at membership@iale.uk