How to plant silvopasture alleys
Tree alleys can be adapted to integrate with your existing farming methods. Above is one example of how to create a well-designed, 5m-wide tree alley, which is structured like so:
- fence
- browsable row (at 0.5 metres)
- central row (at 2.5 metres)
- browsable row (at 4.5 metres)
- fence (at 5 metres).
Orientation
Positioning a tree alley north to south will capture the highest amount of sunlight between the rows. That said, the beauty of silvopasture is that the orientation of each alley can differ according to the different factors at play on your farm, including the slope, prevailing winds or specific field management techniques (such as planting along contours to reduce soil erosion).
Outside rows
The outside rows of your alley design can act as wind shelters and as browse for livestock. Leave one metre of space between each tree in this row, and four metres between this row and the other outside row.
Best tree species for outside rows of a tree alley
- Goat willow.
- Hazel.
- Rowan.
- Aspen.
- Common alder.
Central row
Between the two outside rows, you’ll plant a central row of standard trees which offer long-term shade, shelter and even timber. Typically, there should be 12 trees to a central row, with six metres of spacing between each tree in the row.
Best tree species for the central row of a tree alley
- English oak.
- Field maple.
- Walnut.
- Wild cherry.
- Small-leaved lime.
Fencing
At first, while the trees are young, your alley will need protecting from being nibbled by livestock. Add stock-proof fencing on either side which can then be removed once the trees mature and become more established.
For more information on appropriate species for your site location and growing conditions, please see our tree species handbook.