Classifications and Functions of Agroforestry Systems in Europe

Abstract

Agroforestry systems have often been neglected in Europe because administrative structures within many national governments have considered that only agriculture or forestry are legitimate within their remit. This has resulted in the loss of agroforestry systems in European countries and an impoverishment of the benefits that they provide. This paper argues that agroforestry systems are a complex interaction of agricultural and forestry elements which can be classified according to their components, spatial and temporal arrangement, agro-ecological zone, and socio-economic aspects. A further breakdown can be made on the basis of ecosystem functions, and their associated goods and services. The ecosystem functions of agroforestry systems can be grouped under production (the creation of biomass), habitat (the delivery of biodiversity), regulation (maintenance of essential processes and life support systems) and culture (cultural heritage, land-scape enhancement and recreation). The importance of the multi-functionality of agroforestry systems in terms of their management input and the range of their outputs is stressed and it is proposed that land use decisions should be made within the broader ecosystems perspective so that greater social well-being can be derived from rural areas in Europe.