Intercropping medicinal plants under cherry timber trees - Understory planting to improve productivity of plantations

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Farming with pollards - A productive way of pruning

Why pollard trees?

Pollarding trees optimises renewable biomass production and facilitates local production of firewood, ramial chipped wood (RCW), lumber and fodder. Harvest occurs over decades, depending on the chosen frequency of pruning and utilization. Many tree varieties can be pollarded to provide a range of products. Pollarded trees have an increased lifespan. As their growth is limited, they better resist wind and drought, and this may be of particular benefit in global warming conditions. Old pollards use compartmentation to ensure living cells are protected from diseases and dead cells in the middle of the trunk. The tree trunks, and even the roots, are also great biodiversity habitats for flora and fauna.

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Featured Farm of the day

Innovative business concept of an organic farm with agroforestry system – Biolandhof Braun, Freising, Germany

The Biolandhof Braun is a much-diversified organic farm with 58 ha of arable land, 17 ha of permanent grassland and some forest. In 1988, the conversion to organic farming took place with the aim of respecting and preserving the environment and resources as well as creation. The interest in closing nutrient cycles lead him via forest garden systems and permaculture to agroforestry.

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Why combine Melissa officinalis L. with cherry trees?

Melissa officinalis L. (commonly known as lemon balm in English) is used to supply rosmarinic acid to the pharmaceutical sector. Melissa officinalis L., like many medicinal plants, is well adapted to partial shading. Cherry trees are a high value timber tree with good economic return. They generate little shade compared with other trees.

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Factsheet

Silvopastoral system in Poland

Montado near Montemor-o-Novo

Clover ley and apple trees

Alley-cropping at Vattholma, Sweden

Authochtonous goat breed (Serpentina) grazing under Holm oak (Quercus rotundifolia)

Willow silvopasture

Alley cropping, Seabuckthorn & Buffaloberry, canola and alfalfa

Agroforestry with willow used as medicinal fodder

Knepp Re-Wilding Project

3rd EURAF conference, Montpellier, France, May 2016

Intercropping medicinal plants under cherry timber trees - Understory planting to improve productivity of plantations