The meeting started with a visit to the agroforestry fields at François Ongenaert’s farm. Across three fields, sessile oak, common walnut, cherry, sycamore, chestnut, plum and lime trees were planted. The farmer has an interest in both fruit and wood production. At one field, the farmer also planted berries and hazelnut trees as understorey vegetation in the tree row.
After the field visit, the AFINET-project was presented, its main goals and the focus for Flanders. Main objective is to exchange knowledge and experiences on agroforestry, with a focus on fruit and nut trees. Furthermore, the results from the first RAIN meeting and the survey regarding agroforestry challenges were presented. And also the way in which these challenges are approached during the AFINET-project was discussed.
At the end of the meeting, Steven Van den Berge presented his experiences with walnut production and processing.
More information on agroforestry activities organised in Flanders can be found at www.agroforestryvlaanderen.be