Agro-forestry as a huge opportunity for UK | Letters

Paul Brannen says Britain needs more trees not least because wood is a raw material that can be used by the emerging bioeconomy; while Peter Price defends Sheffield city council's tree-planting policyJohn Vidal is absolutely correct in identifying the multiple benefits of agro-forestry (A eureka moment - we're finally planting trees again, 13 February) but these benefits need to also be unleashed in the developed world, not only in Africa, Asia and South America.Currently 9% of EU agricultural land is given over to agro-forestry, meaning it is not merely a fringe activity. The UK's largest agro-forestry holding is just to the south of Peterborough, where Steve Briggs farms 125 acres of organic oats with strips of apple trees across; reducing wind erosion of the soil, increasing water retention and improving biodiversity - eg most bird species have increased by 20-50% with barn owls up 400%. Continue reading...