UNHIDE AGROFORESTRY
Agroforestry In Practice
Agroforestry is the practice of integrating trees into agricultural land. Even a single tree —all the more so when several are planted in guilds or organized rows — can significantly enhance the microclimate, improve water and nutrient cycling, and expand habitats and food resources for a wide range of organisms. In doing so, they foster biodiversity — and with it, the natural resilience of ecosystems to pests, diseases, and climate stress.
By combining trees with crops and livestock, we may not hope to mirror the full complexity of a forest — with its intricate and only partly understood web of relationships among all living and non-living beings. Yet it offers far more than a sown grassland or a monocultural field. Agroforestry is a step toward making agriculture more nature-aligned — a system that cooperates with, rather than competes against, ecological processes.
In this booklet "Agroforestry in Practice: Demonstration Farms from Latvia and Sweden" we share diverse experiences of farmers who have begun this journey — transforming ploughed fields into living landscapes and moving, step by step, toward their own versions of the Garden of Eden.
Project Title
LATVIA -SWEDEN AGROFORESTRY
KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE
Project Acronym
Unhide Agroforestry
Project Start Date
01/09/2023
Project Duration
24 months
Project End Date
31/08/2025
Project Partners
Latvian Permaculture Association,
NGO Forest Projects, Agroforestry Sweden
Project Funding Erasmus + Adult Education
UNHIDE AGROFORESTRY (2023–2025)
Latvia–Sweden Agroforestry Knowledge Exchange
The project brings together experts, farmers, and educators to explore agroforestry as a practical response to climate change. Recognised by the EU as a key strategy for climate adaptation and biodiversity restoration, agroforestry is still largely excluded from national agricultural policies in Latvia and Sweden. This project marks the first structured collaboration between the two countries to train consultants, establish demonstration farms, and build an interactive, long-term knowledge network.
Through exchange visits and on-site learning, participants gained experience in integrating trees into productive landscapes — from forest gardens and alley cropping systems to silvopastoral and edible landscape designs. The project showcases 14 demonstration farms, highlighting ecological, economic, and cultural benefits of agroforestry, and shares practical outcomes through the digital publications, video-stories and movie.
The project’s ultimate goal is to unhide agroforestry — making it visible, accessible, and applicable across the Baltic region and beyond — by connecting practitioners, researchers, and policymakers in a shared effort toward sustainable land use and resilient rural development.
Agroforestry Farms from Latvia and Sweden
Within the UNHIDE Agroforestry project, 14 agroforestry farms in Latvia and Sweden were visited and studied, representing a wide range of innovative approaches to integrating trees into agricultural landscapes. Several of these farms were selected and analyzed in detail as demonstration sites, illustrating different agroforestry practices in real-life conditions — from forest gardens and alley cropping systems to silvopastoral models and edible landscapes. These examples serve as practical learning environments and sources of inspiration for farmers, experts, and policymakers interested in sustainable land use and climate adaptation.
Väversunda berry orchard is a commercial farm cultivating strawberries, rhubarb, and cherries, which started as a post-retirement project south of Vadstena. The site includes an 8-hectare "emergency forest garden" established in 1996, focusing on resilience through established nut trees and diverse native and fruit/nut species
Väversunda berry orchard
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Östergård farm
Östergård farm is a forest grazing system located in southern Småland where Anders Rydén manages his production forest using Belted Galloway cattle to suppress undergrowth. This method facilitates the transition from spruce monoculture to a more robust deciduous forest while increasing biodiversity and reducing the need for costly clearing
Rydeholm farm & forest garden
Rydeholm farm & forest garden is a 14-hectare extensive food forest and agroforestry demonstration site in southern Sweden, focusing primarily on nut trees. The long-term vision is to replace annual monoculture crops with tree crops, such as sweet chestnuts and walnuts, to achieve sustainable agriculture and biodiversity goals
Boat in Forest farm
Boat in Forest farm is a homestead focused on reconnection processes, featuring food forests, nut cultivation, and bio-pools across approximately 4 hectares. They plant a large genetic diversity of walnuts, sweet chestnuts, hazelnuts, and pine trees to ensure resilience and resistance to disease in a mild coastal climate
Österlen’s arboretum
Österlen’s arboretum is a 4-hectare public recreation spot located by the Baltic Sea, managed by a non-profit association. The site functions as a learning site and seed source, currently experimenting with planting grafted and seeded walnut varieties, often utilizing the niches left by ash trees killed by blight
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Ēdenes Dārzs
Gramzdas Ēdenes dārzs is established as a multi-layered food forest garden in South Kurzeme, based on permaculture principles, intended for long-term yields and farm self-sufficiency. This garden features an extensive collection of over 125 edible plant species, integrating exotic plants like pawpaw (asimina) and persimmon to test their hardiness, while windbreaks are planned for protection against strong winds
Rūķmuiža
Rūķmuiža, Vadakste Biodiversity Forest is a 50-hectare site in southwestern Latvia aiming to restore deciduous forest character while assisting the migration of new vegetation, including nut trees, for food and timber. The farm utilizes a random, multivaried system planting nut and fruit trees within existing thinned pioneer alder stands, alongside sparsely spread alley cropping trials
Ragares Herb farm
Ragares Herb farm, located in Skrīveri, cultivates about 100 edible fruits, berries, and medicinal herbs across 7.5 hectares using permaculture principles. The farm designs its specialized tea recipes based on natural and folk medicine, while the structural diversity of plants creates a favorable microclimate and a self-regulating ecosystem
Bekas
Bekas is a family farm, demonstration site, and learning centre dedicated to grassland restoration in northern Latvia, which is partly located within the Ziemeļgauja nature reserve, one of the country’s most species-rich Natura 2000 areas. Utilizing "biodiversity farming" methods, including the grazing of about 60 Scottish Highland cattle, removal of trees and bushes, and mowing of varied intensity, the farm successfully restores overgrown oak meadows, improving the vegetation composition toward biologically highly valuable grassland.
Gundegas
Gundegas, NATURE GIFT cranberry farm is a commercial cranberry operation established on a pristine peat bog north of Riga, utilizing an alley-shaped cultivation system. Pine and birch trees planted in the alleys mitigate spring frosts and contribute to cooler surface temperatures, which is crucial for the development of the cranberries' flavor and color.
Pardenči
Pardenči, SKRĪVERI FORESTRY DEMONSTRATION TRIAL was established in 2011 to test introduced, fast-growing, short-rotation tree species and perennials suitable for industrial biomass production on agricultural land. The trial features tree species like maple, linden, and alder planted in rows alongside energy crops such as Reed canary grass, aiming for high industrial yield
Līči
Līči, selfsufficient historical homestad, is 17-hectare farm that began agroforestry practices (in the form of a food forest garden) in 2020, concentrating on securing the family's "food bank" and maintaining a biologically oriented lifestyle. The system incorporates intentionally created windbreaks using hazels, rowans, and sweet cherries to improve the microclimate and soil health through mulching, while large, conserved oak trees protect and adorn the site
Stora Juleboda
Stora Juleboda is a KRAV certified farm covering 100 hectares on sandy soils, situated on the coast between Åhus and Kivik, and is divided into orchards, pastures, forest, and cropland. The farm utilizes diverse practices, including rotating livestock like Berkshire heritage swine and sheep and generating a substantial and stable income by foraging leaves and herbs in maintenance-free edge zones.
Discover how trees and fields can thrive together
This analytical booklet, “Agroforestry in Practice: Demonstration Farms from Latvia and Sweden”, brings you closer to inspiring farms where innovation meets tradition. Through detailed case studies, practice definitions, and a clear classification of agroforestry systems, it reveals how farmers are shaping resilient, biodiverse landscapes — and a more sustainable future for agriculture.
Agroforestry pactices
Silvopastoral agroforestry
Silvopasture is an agroforestry system that intentionally integrates woody vegetation (trees or shrubs) with the grazing of livestock and/or periodic mowing. When implemented on agricultural land, it is referred to as wood pasture, while on forest land it is known as forest grazing. Historically, silvopasture has been one of the most widespread and traditional forms of agroforestry in Europe.
Silvopasture systems improve fodder availability, offer shade and shelter for livestock, and play an increasingly important role in ecological restoration and the development of resilient, multifunctional ecosystems.
Examples from “UNHIDE Agroforestry”:
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Stora Juleboda (Sweden)
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Östergård Farm (Sweden)
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Bekas (Latvia)
Silvoarable agroforestry
Silvoarable – Tree or Coppice Alley Cropping
This agroforestry system integrates rows of trees—planted singly or in multiple lines—with annual agricultural crops grown in the wider alleys between them. The annual crops occupy the majority of the area, while the trees contribute to diversified income, enhanced soil fertility, better water retention and infiltration, and increased mycorrhizal activity.
A variation, known as Alley Coppice, uses short-rotation coppice species such as willow, poplar, or alder, which are periodically harvested for biomass or timber.
Examples from “UNHIDE Agroforestry”:
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Stora Juleboda (Sweden)
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Rydeholm Farm (Sweden)
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Östergård Farm (Sweden)
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Rūķmuiža (Latvia)
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Pardenči (Latvia)
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Gundegas (Latvia)
Agro-Silvo-Pasture
Agro-silvo-pasture, also known as alternating cropping and grazing, is a sustainable land-use system that integrates agriculture, forestry, and livestock production within the same landscape. Trees and shrubs are managed in combination with crops and grazing animals to deliver both ecological and economic benefits.
The trees provide shade, shelter, and additional fodder for livestock while improving soil structure, fertility, and erosion control. Grazing animals, in turn, help manage vegetation, reduce pest and snail populations, and contribute natural fertilization, creating a balanced nutrient cycle.
This integrated approach enhances biodiversity, resource efficiency, and long-term environmental resilience, serving as a model for regenerative agricultural practices.
Example from “UNHIDE Agroforestry”:
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Stora Juleboda (Sweden)
Forest Garden
Multi-layer Tree Gardening on Agricultural Land
The Forest Garden, focusing on agricultural ecosystem mimicry, represents a form of multi-level tree gardening established on agricultural or open land. Its purpose is to replicate the complex, multi-layered structure of a natural forest while maintaining productive use of the land.
This system integrates trees, fruit trees, shrubs, and perennial or annual crops arranged in vertical strata—canopy, understory, and ground layer—to optimize light, water, and nutrient use and ensure continuous productivity throughout the growing season.
Successful establishment typically requires active management, including the creation of windbreaks, soil enhancement, and strategic plant selection, to support the transition from open land to a resilient, self-regulating ecosystem.
Examples from “UNHIDE Agroforestry”:
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Boat in the Forest (Sweden)
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Rydeholm Farm (Sweden)
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Väversunda berry orchard (Sweden)
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Österlen’s arboretum (Sweden)
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Gramzdas Ēdenes dārzs (Latvia)
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Ragāres (Latvia)
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Līči (Latvia)
Food forest
Integration into Existing or Regenerating Woodland
While often used interchangeably with Forest Garden in EURAF terminology, the term Food Forest more precisely refers to the intentional integration of productive and medicinal plants—including trees, fruit trees, perennials, and annuals—within an existing or regenerating forest environment, thicket, or recently cleared woodland.
This approach leverages the ecological dynamics of natural succession. Existing trees—often nitrogen-fixing pioneer species such as alder or birch—serve as nurse trees, offering protection from frost, wind, and excessive sunlight. This sheltered microclimate enables the successful establishment of more sensitive fruit, nut, or understory crops, creating a resilient, semi-wild agroforestry system that evolves with minimal disturbance.
Examples from “UNHIDE Agroforestry”:
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Väversunda berry orchard (Sweden)
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Rūķmuiža (Latvia)
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Rydeholm Farm (Sweden)
Tree Landscape Features
Riparian Areas / Wind Buffer Zones – Woody Landscape Features
Woody landscape features encompass tree plantings in protective belts, isolated trees, linear rows, or clustered groups integrated within agricultural landscapes. These structures function as key complementary elements that enhance both ecological stability and agricultural productivity.
Their main purpose is to increase farm resilience by mitigating the effects of climatic extremes—such as strong winds, desiccation, and flooding—while also stabilizing soils and reducing erosion. Beyond their protective role, these features capture excess nutrients and fertilizers, support mycorrhizal networks, and enhance landscape connectivity, creating corridors for wildlife movement and water flow regulation.
Examples from “UNHIDE Agroforestry”:
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Boat in the Forest (Sweden)
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Stora Juleboda (Sweden)
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Rydeholm Farm (Sweden)
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Väversunda berry orchard (Sweden)
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Gramzdas Ēdenes dārzs (Latvia)
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Pardenči (Latvia)
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Līči (Latvia)
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Ragāres (Latvia)
This home page has been produced within the framework of the project “UNHIDE AGROFORESTRY – LATVIA -SWEDEN AGROFORESTRY KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE” (Project No. 2023-1-LV01-KA210-ADU-000166964), co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Programme.
The project aims to promote nature-based farming practices, integrate agroforestry principles into land use planning, and share knowledge on sustainable land management. The project is implemented by the Latvian Permaculture Association (Latvijas Permakultūras biedrība, Latvia) in cooperation with
Agroforestry Sverige and (Sweden) and Forest projects (Meža projekti, Latvia)
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or The State Education Development Agency (hereinafter – VIAA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority (VIAA) can be held responsible for them.