AFBI provides support on agroforestry, tree production systems and the sustainability of trees in woodland and farm ecosystems. Additionally, biodiversity, and landscape assessments are of particular interest.
AFBI has 14ha of high quality agricultural land suitable for field experimentation which includes a highly specialised stock management expertise as well as handling and housing facilities. To demonstrate silvopastoral systems AFBI has trees and livestock (sheep and cattle) at varying combinations of spacing, species and ages.
AFBI also has technical and scientific experience with farm woodland systems assessments in the rest of the UK, Ireland, the Falkland Islands and Patagonia.
The work ranges over the following areas:
- Biodiversity assessments
- Agri-environment scheme monitoring (higher plants, mosses, insects and mammals)
- Plant identification
- Field surveying techniques and hedgerow assessments
- Habitat assessment (Condition Assessment and NVC classifications)
- Landscape assessment
- Cool temperate areas landscape assessment techniques
- Countryside survey (Stratified sampling and land classes)
- Environmental survey
- Environmental Impact Assessment
- Agroforestry assessment
- On- farm designing of Agroforestry models
- Shelterbelts and windbreaks (Experience in the Falkland Islands and Patagonia)
- Site and species selection
- Silvicultural practices for small scale farm woodlands
- Height, biomass and productivity estimation of trees
- Tree Production Systems
- Screening of tree seedlings for multipurpose tree production systems
- Nursery practices for tree improvement
- Plant quality assessments
For more information on farm woodland systems contact:
Dr. Jim McAdam
AFBI Headquarters
Newforge Lane
Belfast
BT9 5PX
