Woodlands for Wildlife & Water

What Is Agroforestry?

Agroforestry is an innovative land management approach. Rather than separating agriculture and native woodlands, agroforestry integrates trees into farmland in a planned and productive way. Trees may be planted alongside crops, within grazing fields, or along watercourses creating landscapes that work harder for people and nature alike.

How Agroforestry Works

Agroforestry can take many forms, depending on the land and farming system. Common examples include:

• Trees in arable land, providing a windbreak for crops and creating habitat links.
• Wood pasture, combining grazing with scattered or grouped trees for livestock shelter and shading.
• Riparian planting, where trees and shrubs are established along rivers and burns to increase infiltration and cool river temperatures.

Each approach is designed to complement farming activity while enhancing the wider environment.

Agroforestry and River Catchments

In river catchments like the River Tweed, agroforestry could play an especially important role. Trees planted within farmland and along watercourses help to stabilise riverbanks, reduce flood risk, improve habitats for fish and wildlife, and protect water quality downstream.

Native woodlands help deliver a host of beneficial ecosystem services and public goods, including improved water quality, natural flood management, biodiversity enhancement, carbon sequestration and community access benefits. Riparian woodlands particularly can have a huge role to play in mitigating rising river temperatures, which are increasing with climate change.

By slowing the movement of water through the landscape, agroforestry supports healthier rivers while maintaining productive land use.

A Practical Approach for the Future

Agroforestry is not about taking land out of production — it’s about making land work better. By enhancing farming while balancing nature and climate needs, agroforestry offers a practical, long‑term solution for resilient landscapes that benefit communities, wildlife and future generations.

Agroforestry work is a key part of the Woodlands for Wildlife and Water project delivering significant benefits to farmers and landowners on the Tweed.