Trees are of course very important elements in many permaculture designs. The specific roles that they can play, however, can be many and varied, and trees must always be used in the right places, and within the right type of design, to achieve the right results.
Tree planting is almost invariably talked about as a good thing. But there are different types of tree planting and not all are equally beneficial. So in this article, I will be discussing some of the different considerations when planting trees and utilising trees in permaculture design, to help everyone avoid some of the most common pitfalls.
Why Plant Trees?
Most people are surely aware of the broader benefits of tree planting. Of course, planting trees brings a range of ecological and environmental benefits both locally and globally.
Trees sequester carbon and expel oxygen, influence temperatures and rainfall patterns, and feed into a whole range of complex global and local cycles and mechanisms.
They provide humans, livestock, pets and wildlife with shade and shelter, improving environmental conditions, providing a windbreak, improving privacy, perhaps, and helping us feel more relaxed.
They can also provide us with a huge range of tangible yields, including fruit and nuts, edible leaves, fuel and firewood, gums and resins, fibres, dyes, crafting materials, medicines and more…
Even single trees are elements that can have a profound effect on the area around them, as ecosystem engineers. And they can play host to a wide range of wildlife.
When considering the use of trees in any permaculture design, we need to think very carefully about why we wish to plant them, and not only their broader benefits as trees but also specific benefits within a particular design.
Trees can be amazing multi-functional elements fulfilling a range of different roles on a property, all at the same time. thinking about the benefits of trees in general, and more specific positive attributes for particular trees in particular places, we can make sure that we use them to their full potential in any design.
Which Trees to Plant
One important thing to think about, however, is that when we choose the wrong trees, or put them in the wrong places, this may lead to tree deaths, and can potentially bring negative as well as positive consequences, even if the tree thrives.
The negative consequences of getting it wrong when deciding which trees to plant fall into two main categories – negative environmental factors (such as a tree outcompeting and shading out native vegetation, for example), and negative impacts for humans (such as creating too much shade, blocking views, etc..).
On a broader scale, the choice of trees may even impact their effect on the world’s water cycle, how much carbon they will sequester and the broader ecological system they can support.
When choosing trees, it is always a good idea to begin by considering species native to the region of planting.
A high proportion of the trees in any design should be native, though of course there is also potential to consider some non-native trees that deliver particularly beneficial yields (such as certain fruit trees, for example).
Just make sure that any species and varieties that you consider are suited to the specific environmental conditions where you live.
When to Plant Trees
Another important thing to get right when it comes to incorporating trees into a design site is timing. You need to remember that when you plant trees will determine how well they will do, and getting this wrong can often profoundly impact success rates.
You need to think about timing in terms of both the time of year, and when trees are introduced within the framework of the implementation schedule for a particular design. Both can be very important.
The best time of year to plant trees will of course vary depending on where you live. Ideally, when you plant, precipitation should ideally exceed the amount of water lost through transpiration and evaporation.
When the correct balance is struck, and water availability is high enough where you live, this can be the best time for planting. Of course, though key, this is just one of a number of different factors to consider.
Where to Plant Trees
The selection of a planting site is about more than just the basics of matching trees with areas that provide the environmental conditions that they require.
Though this is of course of great importance, you should also be thinking about planting locations within the context of the design as a whole, and their purposes within that design.
In permaculture design, trees are often used in agroforestry or forest garden type schemes, though of course, they can be used in a wide range of different contexts. Permaculture designs also often include some element of native habitat creation, including the restoration of native woodland or forest.
Check out some of my case studies for some examples of permaculture designs incorporate trees in some capacity and you will soon see just how much variety there can be, even when the same design ethics and principles are applied, and many of the same methods used.
Forest VS Tree Plantation
Whichever trees you incorporate into a design, and however and wherever you choose to plant them, it is always crucial to remember that they should not be considered in isolation. Forests are far more than just trees.
Ideally, however large or small a new area planted with trees may be, you should create a forest that is fully ecologically functioning and not a tree plantation that often lacks the biodiversity and natural complexity and resilience of a real tree-dominated ecosystem.
Trees planted within a true forest or woodland ecosystem, or within a complex guild of plants mimicking a natural ecological system are far more likely to stand the test of time and endure than those planted alone, or in mono-species plantations.
If you would like some help to incorporate trees on your property, or would like some input on your own design choices, please do get in touch for a bespoke design or consultancy.
EWSP Consultancy 