KindHarvest summary: The Devon Silvopasture Network is testing ways to add trees to grazing land without taking that land out of production. A central question is whether shade and shelter can reduce livestock heat stress while also improving soil, biodiversity and pasture resilience.
Three designs under trial
Seven farms spanning dairy, beef and sheep systems are testing shelterbelts, regularly spaced tree alleys and wood pasture. Researchers plan to measure soil carbon, biodiversity, sward composition and productivity as the canopies develop, looking for the point at which tree benefits are balanced with pasture growth.
A farm example
At Leworthy Manor in Devon, beef farmer Henry Andrews planted an extension to a wooded margin and ten tree alleys across a six-hectare exposed field. Cattle are cell-grazed between the protected rows. Once the trees and shrubs are established, the plan is to allow browsing as well as access to shade and shelter.
Practical steps with existing features
The network also suggests extending hedge-cutting rotations to create shade, allowing carefully managed access to lower-value woodland, reviving coppice management and planting trees along electric-fence lines. Each option needs to account for animal movement, fencing, soil conditions and the ecological sensitivity of existing woodland.
What remains to be learned
The expected benefits include cooler microclimates, browse, shelter and better soil structure, but this is a long-term trial. Tree establishment takes years, and farmers need evidence on pasture competition, stocking, management cost and animal performance before applying the designs widely.
Source and credit
This KindHarvest Team research brief is based on reporting by Judith Tooth for Farmers Weekly, published 31 May 2022. Read the full Farmers Weekly article.