Wakelyns Agroforestry: Resilience through Diversity

Pioneering Suffolk research farm Wakelyns was established in 1994 by our friend and mentor the late professor Martin Wolfe to test and develop agroforesty approaches that integrate annual crops (like lentils and cereals) with trees and other perennial plants.

Martin aimed to increase diversity in fields and between fields, an approach that increases overall yields and ensures the farm is better able to cope with climatic variability, pest and disease pressures and is less dependent on inputs, like fertiliser, from outside the farm.

The farm has four agroforestry silvo-arable systems; hazel coppice, willow coppice, a fruit and nut tree system and a mixed hardwood and fruit tree system. The trees are planted in rows or as production hedges running north/south with organic crops grown in rotation within the 10-12m wide alleys.

Published by the Organic Research Centre and Woodland Trust, this booklet offers a fascinating and inspiring insight into the development, practice and legacy of Wakelyns.