Optimisation of shelter for sheep productivity

Status: Ongoing

Contact person: Sam Hollick (smh18dnh@bangor.ac.uk) / Dr Andy Smith / Dr Mark Rayment

Funding sources: KESS/European Social Fund, Woodland Trust

Background: There is a growing interest in the planting of trees on farmland to improve carbon sequestration and water infiltration, and for biodiversity purposes. However, trees can also of course offer benefits from an agricultural production perspective – during the summer months, they provide useful shade from the sun, and during the winter months, they provide shelter from harsh weather. This can avoid the losses and welfare issues associated with heat stress and wind chill. Using a combination of field experiments and modelling approaches, this project aims to quantify the impacts of trees on farms on the productivity of sheep, via changes to microclimate

Aims: To identify strategic placement of natural shelter to support farm productivity

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