Agroforestry for Healthy Soils: Management and Maintenance
Venue: Gibside National Trust, near Rowlands Gill, Gateshead, NE16 6BG
Please join us at Gibside for the final meeting of the UK Agroforestry Network. This practical workshop will focus on the theme of planting and managing trees for healthy soils. We will be joined for the day by soil expert Julia Cooper from Newcastle University to give us insights in how to monitor and best look after soils and the positive impact that trees can have. The day will include a tour of Gibside community farm’s newly planted agroforestry system with fruits trees, hazel and willow coppice and substantial mixed shelterbelt.
Draft agenda:
10.00: Arrival and coffee (meet in the National Trust café)
10.30: Welcome and introductions (Mick Wilkes, General Manager, Gibside Group, National Trust; Jo Smith, Organic Research centre)
10.45:Gibside Community Farm: agroforestry, orchard and shelterbelt, progress to date (Garry Jenkins, Gibside Community Farm)
11.00: Transfer to community farm in shared vehicles - tour of agroforestry planting led by Garry Jenkins and Mick Marston, Gibside Community Farm
13.15: Lunch Supplied by Harissa http://www.harissakitchen.co.uk...with local produce from the Farm
14.00: Video tutorial: Agroforestry for soil conservation (Stephen Briggs, Abacus Agri)
14.15: Agroforestry for healthy soils, how to monitor your soil health and the impact of trees (Julia Cooper, Newcastle University)
14.45: On-farm production of ramial woodchip for soil health (Sally Westaway, Organic Research Centre)
15.00: The time is now for agroforestry: WT support and involvement locally and nationally (Sian Atkinson, Woodland Trust)
15.20: UK Agroforestry Network – what we have achieved and where next? (Sally Westaway and Ian Knight, Abacus Agri)
15.45: Questions and wrap up
