In temperate regions, as the main agricultural land uses are livestock grazing or tillage, the most applicable agroforestry practices are silvopastoral systems (where trees are grown in grazed or mown pasture in a regular or varied pattern) and silvoarable systems (where trees or shrubs are grown in rows between an arable crop). A silvopastoral system is a land use type which is a three dimensional complex ecological mix where seasonal and temporal evolution of the system delivers a wide range of ecosystem services. In this chapter the definition of silvopastoral systems will be considered as those where trees are grown in grazed pasture in a regular or varied pattern. The value of the system lies in its complexity and its capacity to be resilient within an increasingly challenging climatic framework.

Silvopastoral systems (SPS) have been identified as efficient land management strategies to increase the performance of animal and tree production. The combinations of trees and/or shrubs with pastures and animals are present in diverse ways, generating different SPS. SPS design can be two or three strata where grass, trees, and shrubs could be combined; live fences and barriers; windbreaks and native forests. These SPS deliver environmental services such as soil carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, water sources conservation, water regulation and soil quality improvement, animal welfare and increased forage production. The chapter includes four different SPS cases from Argentina. The chapter reviews their impacts, including an increase in total biomass production of the whole system and levels of soil carbon sequestration. SPS are therefore important tools for managing climate change mitigation and food security.

This chapter discusses the integration of livestock (or forage) production with tree crops, particularly fruit trees and vines. After reviewing the current extent of fruit tree-based agroforestry systems, the chapter highlights the opportunities this integration offers in increasing overall land productivity, whilst minimizing competition between forage and food production, while reducing inputs and environmental impact. The chapter then discusses in detail the many challenges this integration entails and how these challenges can be effectively addressed.

In this chapter, the authors summarize historic and current research on multifunctional biomass production, and provide insights in current research trends and future possibilities. The chapter is oriented around a case study in which widespread deployment of riparian buffers and windbreaks is modelled across Europe, in over 81,000 landscapes. Using three policy scenarios, we identify landscapes in which riparian buffers and windbreaks can mitigate nitrogen emissions to water and wind erosion, respectively, and quantify corresponding areas, biomass output, and environmental benefits. The findings indicate that the implementation of these systems results in effective mitigation of the targeted environmental impacts, concurrently yielding substantial environmental co-benefits with minimal consequences on prevailing agricultural production. Such beneficial land-use change is pivotal in fulfilling environmental targets and facilitating progress towards a sustainable bioeconomy.

By fostering a balanced and symbiotic relationship between livestock and their environment, silvopastoral systems also offer pragmatic solutions to contemporary environmental challenges, including climate change and wildfire management. This chapter investigates the complex interactions occurring on the Iberian Peninsula between key oak species—holm oak (Quercus ilex L.), cork oak (Quercus suber L.), and Pyrenean oak (Quercus pyrenaica Willd.)—and various livestock species, including ruminants (sheep, goats, cattle) and monogastric animals (horses, pigs). The chapter aims to show the pivotal role of Mediterranean silvopastoral systems as resilient and sustainable agroforestry models, with a particular focus on their economic, ecological, and cultural significance. By examining these systems, the chapter underscores the synergistic interplay between anthropogenic activities and natural ecosystems, highlighting their potential to support sustainable land management practices and biodiversity conservation within Mediterranean landscapes.

Urban agroforestry sub types are reviewed and the nature of current literature is described. Definitions for key concepts are clarified and steps in the design process are explained with a focus on dimensions of resilience and measures of effectiveness in the context of climate change resilience and biodiversity restoration. Two UK-based urban agroforestry case studies are outlined to give some answers to the key driving questions for ongoing research: (1) What would the system look like if we want to feed the most people per unit area? and (2) How can we use the land for maximum benefit forever?