HOW TREES CAN BENEFIT FARM BUSINESSES IS FOCUS OF LATEST FARMERS’ EVENING
How trees can benefit farm businesses will be the focus of the third joint NFU/Lovewell Blake Farmers’ Evening of 2023, which takes place next month.
Fe Morris from the Forestry Commission and Esther Rosewarne from the Woodland Trust will be the speakers at the free event, which takes place at Halesworth Golf Club on Wednesday 8th November at 7.30pm.
The pair will present on how farming and forestry interact, covering the business benefits of creating and managing farm woodlands including alternative revenue streams from timber and carbon credits, increased livestock welfare and reduced nutrient and input run-off.
They will also cover the wider environmental benefits such as pollution capture, flood mitigation and increased biodiversity, along with an overview of the range and types of farm woodland systems including agroforestry.
The presentation will also cover woodland management and tree planting grants and what support is available.
Fe Morris manages her organic, family smallholding in North Suffolk. She is passionate about food and farming and how they interact with the environment. Fe works as a land use advisor for the Forestry Commission and a Wellbeing in Nature Facilitator for the Green Light Trust, and also volunteers for the Suffolk Tree Warden Network, running their community tree nursery project.
Esther Rosewarne lives in Norfolk and runs the Woodland Trust’s Claylands project, which is all about tree and woodland resilience in East Anglia. Through the Claylands project she and the Woodland Trust team provide free, non-obligation advice on all aspects of farm woodlands and trees, including woodland management, woodland creation, agroforestry and ancient and veteran tree care.
Lovewell Blake agricultural partner Ryan Lincoln, who will be chairing the event, said, “Everyone is aware of how important trees are to our countryside, but with the advent of ELMs, woodland management is likely to feature much more in many farm business plans.
“We are delighted to have two of the region’s most knowledgeable experts on the subject at our next Farmers’ Evening, and I’m sure it will be a relevant, interesting and engaging event.”
The event takes place at Halesworth Golf club on Wednesday 8th November at 7.30pm, and the presentation will be followed by a buffet supper. Attendance is free, but places need to be booked in advance, by visiting https://www.lovewell-blake.co.uk/events.