Designing Your Intra-Plot Agroforestry Project

Technical articles

Agroforestry Agroforestry in Viticulture

First of all, it is important to remember that implementing an agroforestry project is an investment at the farm scale and must be carefully planned and integrated to ensure the efficiency of expenditures and ultimately the viability of the system.

Key Elements to Consider for a Successful Agroforestry Project

Definition and Prioritization of Objectives

Identifying objectives is important to choose the type of agroforestry system to implement and its technical characteristics.

Consideration of Territorial Issues and Farm Challenges

An agroforestry system must be integrated into the territory and the farm and fully meet the farm’s operation and the farmer’s needs.

Techno-Economic Study

• Consideration of pedoclimatic conditions (soil reading and analysis to properly define site conditions at the plot scale).
• Consideration of network infrastructures (electric grid, pipeline gas).
• Consideration of regulations and environmental zoning (local, regional, national, European regulations, CAP…).
• Consideration of available equipment and skills for the implementation and management of the agroforestry system (current and future material resources, knowledge to manage a system with trees…).

Definition of the Agroforestry System to Implement

• Choice of the relevant agroforestry model meeting the farm’s objectives and territorial challenges (agroforestry intraplot, hedgerow… and shape of elements… + location and orientation on the plot).
• Selection of species adapted to climate change (it is imperative to anticipate the effects of climate change and pest risks).
• Definition of the system: density and spacing of plants:
  • Density.
  • Inter-row distance (between tree rows).
  • Intra-row distance (along the tree row).
  • Width of turning spaces.
  • Safety distance from network infrastructures (visibility easements relative to roads, crossings, distance from power lines…).
  • Implementation and management of the under-tree linear area (grass strip at the base of trees or hedgerow).
• Choice of mulching and protections.
• Site preparation and planting:
  • Marking out (location of future tree rows or hedgerows).
  • Subsoiling.
  • Surface soil preparation (reduce the seed bank of weeds and refine the soil to improve young plant establishment).
  • Sowing the grass strip.
  • Planting.
  • Installing protections.
  • Applying mulch.

Financial and Regulatory Aspects

• Project cost and possible aid application.
• Verify compatibility with various regulations.

Sustainable Management of the Agroforestry System Once Established

• Post-planting management (maintenance of protections, replenishment of mulch and training pruning of trees and shrubs).
• Medium and long-term management (pruning for training, plant maintenance then cutting or coppicing if necessary).

Common Mistakes to Avoid for a Successful Agroforestry Project

• Rushing to plant.
• Starting without support from an agroforestry expert or advisor, or at least obtaining technical validation of the project.
• Not informing the landowner in case of lease.
• Not properly preparing the soils.
• Choosing plants without certified genetic origin.
• Not protecting young trees.
• Not mulching young trees and shrubs.
• Neglecting the trees during the first 5 years at minimum.
• Planting poor quality and/or non-adapted species to the site and climate change.
• Leaving plants (and roots) exposed to air and sun between plant reception (or collection) and planting.
• Not anticipating the subsidy application sufficiently in advance of the project.

Sources

Document written with the kind participation of Christophe SOTTEAU - AGROECO Expert - Independent agroforestry and agroecology consultant.