ReForest joins the dialogue at the “How can the Nature-Based Solutions approach help build sustainable food systems?” event in Brussels
2026-03-18
On 18 March 2026, the ReForest will participate in the event “How can the Nature-Based Solutions approach help build sustainable food systems?” in Brussels. The event will explore how the Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) approach can contribute to building more resilient, sustainable, and climate-friendly food systems across Europe.
Organised by the Institute for European Environmental Policy, the event will bring together EU policymakers, researchers, EU-funded projects, and stakeholders from farming and forestry organisations, agri-food businesses, and environmental NGOs. Participants will exchange experiences and discuss how nature-based solutions can help transform agricultural systems while delivering environmental and societal benefits.
Nature-based solutions are increasingly recognised as a key approach for addressing interconnected challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and food system sustainability. Agroforestry, which integrates trees into agricultural landscapes, is one of the most promising NbS for farming systems.
During the session dedicated to measuring and demonstrating public benefits, the ReForest project will present its Public Goods Tool together with its financial scheme for agroforestry. Through its participation in this event, the ReForest project will contribute to ongoing discussions on how assessment tools, financing mechanisms, and policy frameworks can accelerate the transition towards more resilient agricultural systems.
The event will also provide an opportunity for participants to exchange best practices and experiences from research projects, policy initiatives, and practical applications of nature-based solutions in agriculture.

Agroforestry in Czechia – 10 Years of Common Journey
2026-03-19
Date: 19 March 2026
The conference “Agroforestry in Czechia – 10 Years of Common Journey” marks the 10th anniversary of the Czech Agroforestry Association and highlights a decade of progress in developing and promoting agroforestry systems in the Czech Republic. The event will bring together farmers, researchers, policymakers, advisors, and practitioners to exchange knowledge and discuss the role of agroforestry in building resilient and sustainable agricultural landscapes.
The programme will include expert presentations, policy discussions, and farmer-led panels focusing on the development of agroforestry practices, national and European policy perspectives, and examples of successful agroforestry projects. Participants will also have the opportunity to engage in discussions about practical experiences, challenges, and lessons learned from implementing agroforestry systems.
During the international session, the ReForest project will be presented by Robert Borek (Poland) and Rico Hübner (Germany) as part of the session “Agroforestry from an international perspective.”
The conference will provide an important platform for dialogue between the scientific community, policymakers, and agricultural practitioners, contributing to the wider exchange of experiences and strengthening collaboration within the European agroforestry network.
Participation in the event is free of charge, but prior registration is required.
More information: https://agrolesnictvi.cz/prehled-akci/koference-agrolesnictvi-v-cesku—10-let-spolecne-cesty

Upscaling agroforestry in Europe – regulation and finance policy dialogues
2026-03-26 13:00 - 18:30 UTC | SEPS Conference Room, Place du Congrès 1, Bruxelles, Belgique
March 26, 2026, 13:00 – 18:30h
Europe’s agricultural landscapes are at a critical turning point. The challenge is no longer whether we can produce food sustainably, but whether food systems can remain viable on a planet that has already warmed by about 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels. We are heading towards far more dangerous projections, with rising risks of crop yield losses and land degradation beyond 1.5°C scenario (IPCC, 2023).
This is a call for society to reconcile productivity with climate resilience, biodiversity restoration, and long-term land stewardship
Agroforestry—the integration of trees into farming systems—offers a transformative, nature-based pathway. It enhances carbon sequestration, strengthens ecosystem services, improves soil health, and diversifies farm income. Yet despite its well-documented benefits, agroforestry remains under-scaled across Europe, covering only about 15.4 million hectares—or 8.8% of the EU’s utilised agricultural area (den Herder et al., 2017).
Why is this the case?
Past CAP programming periods have shown that institutional fragmentation and ‘policy silos’ continue to hinder progress. Agroforestry has often fallen between agricultural and forestry departments, too agricultural for forestry and too forestry-oriented for agriculture. At the same time, farmers considering agroforestry face high upfront costs, long payback periods and limited access to blended or private finance.
We’re at a critical moment, with agroforestry now prominently reflected in National Energy and Climate Plans and Climate Adaptation Strategies, and with the proposed National and Regional Partnership Regulation (2028–34) offering new governance opportunities.
Scaling agroforestry requires more than stated ambition. It requires:

Regulatory coherence across agricultural, forestry and climate frameworks
Integrated national and regional planning mechanisms
Innovative financial instruments that de-risk long-term ecological investments
Stronger bridges between public incentives and private capital

Organised in the Framework of the ReForest and DigitAF projects by the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association (EMEA) in collaboration with the European Agroforestry Federation (EURAF) and the German Association for Agroforestry (DeFAF) and hosted at the Center for European Policy Studies (CEPS), this Policy Dialogue will bring together policymakers, researchers, financial actors and practitioners to explore how Europe can move from pilot success to the systemic adoption of agroforestry.
The event will feature:

A brief presentation of the latest research insights and evidence from European agroforestry initiatives from two Horizon Europe projects – ReForest & DigitAF
A dialogue on leveraging National and Regional Partnership Plans to better integrate agroforestry support
A dialogue on closing the investment gap and embedding innovative finance mechanisms within the future CAP

By bridging science and policy, regulation and finance, this event aims to help shape a governance and investment ecosystem capable of supporting Europe’s regenerative transition by enabling the upscale of agroforestry practices.
Registration link: https://ceps.my.salesforce-sites.com/eventregistration?eventid=a1GQA00000GrdBm2AJ
Download “Policy Dialogue on AF Programme”

Farm Woodland Forum Annual Meeting 2026
2026-05-18 - 2026-05-19
The Farm Woodland Forum Annual Meeting 2026 will take place on 18–19 May 2026 at the University of Reading, bringing together a community of researchers, farmers, advisers, and practitioners engaged in advancing agroforestry in the UK and beyond.
This year’s edition is particularly significant, marking the 40th anniversary of the Farm Woodland Forum and coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the University of Reading. The meeting will provide a valuable platform to reflect on lessons from pioneering agroforestry systems and explore how these insights can inform the future development of sustainable and resilient land-use practices.
The first day will focus on practical insights through a visit to Little Hidden Farm near Hungerford, a long-established agroforestry site. Participants will explore how the system has evolved over time, including its economic and intergenerational dimensions.
The visit is part of the Agroforestry Open Weekend and will include guided farm walk and discussion on system development, exchange on real-world challenges and opportunities in agroforestry, and informal networking opportunities among participants.
The day will also feature the Farm Woodland Forum Annual General Meeting, reflecting on the Forum’s direction 40 years after its establishment, followed by an evening buffet at the University of Reading.
The second day will host the annual conference at the University of Reading, featuring:

Oral and poster presentations
Discussions on agroforestry systems, agroecology, and value chains
Insights into how established sites can support innovation, demonstration, and scaling

The conference will continue the overarching theme of learning from pioneer agroforestry sites and applying these lessons to future systems.
The ReForest project will be represented at the event by the project coordinator Martin Lukac who will share the long-term benefits of research in the project. His contribution will bring a broader European perspective to the discussions, highlighting how research, data, and practical experience can support the scaling up of agroforestry across diverse contexts.
The event offers a unique opportunity to:

Connect with a well-established agroforestry community
Learn from long-term, real-world agroforestry systems
Exchange knowledge across research and practice
Contribute to shaping the future of agroforestry

Join the conversation and be part of shaping the future of agroforestry in Europe.
More information and registration link here.

Agroforestry Policy Workshop (closed event)
2026-05-19 | Recinte Modernista Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
19 May 2026, Recinte Modernista Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
The upcoming reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for the 2028–2034 programming period presents an important opportunity to strengthen the role of agroforestry in European agricultural systems. As the EU aims to improve resilience, competitiveness, and sustainability in the face of climate change, biodiversity loss, and growing geopolitical uncertainty, agroforestry offers a practical and multifunctional land-use approach with significant environmental, economic, and social benefits.
Despite its recognised potential, agroforestry uptake across Europe remains limited, highlighting persistent challenges in policy implementation, governance structures, access to finance, and knowledge transfer.
This closed workshop will bring together policymakers, agricultural advisors, farmer representatives, financial actors, and innovation stakeholders to discuss intensively how agroforestry can be more effectively integrated into the post-2027 CAP framework.
The event will focus on three key thematic areas:
Regulation and Governance
Exploring how CAP governance frameworks can better support agroforestry adoption, reduce administrative burdens, and improve coordination between agricultural and forestry policies.
Digitalisation and Innovation
Examining the role of digital tools, monitoring systems, and advisory services in supporting results-based implementation and improving access to agroforestry knowledge.
Finance and Investment
Discussing financing models and investment mechanisms that can improve the economic viability of agroforestry systems, including blended finance approaches and private-sector engagement.
The workshop aims to contribute to the broader policy debate on strengthening agroforestry implementation across Europe by identifying practical recommendations to improve governance, mobilise investment, and support farmers in the transition towards more resilient land-use systems.
The event is co-organised by EMEA, CREAF, EFI, BETA Tech Center, and CTFC as part of the ReForest project.

9th International Symposium on Woody Root Research
2026-06-03 - 2026-06-05 | Como, Italy
ReForest is honored to take part in Woody Roots IX, an international symposium on the physiological processes in roots of woody plants. The event gathers leading researchers, practitioners, and students from around the globe to discuss root-driven sustainability, soil–root interactions, technological innovations in root research, and links to agroforestry systems.
At the symposium, the ReForest project will be presented by our project coordinator offering insights into how agroforestry and root system science intersect in the context of climate resilience and sustainable land management.
Follow the conference programme for keynote talks, oral sessions, poster presentations, and a field visit — all set in the scenic surroundings of Como.

EURAF 2026: Advancing Agroforestry for People and Planet
2026-06-22 - 2026-06-26
The 8th European Agroforestry Conference (EURAF 2026) will take place on 22-26 June 2026, hosted at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. As a major gathering for scientists, farmers, and policymakers, the conference will focus on scaling agroforestry solutions that meet Europe’s social, environmental, and food security goals.
EURAF Conferences are held every two years and draw over 400 participants from across Europe and beyond. The 2026 edition will emphasize practical knowledge exchange, scientific dialogue, and informal collaboration—all in the scenic setting of Switzerland’s Jura region.
In the 2026 conference edition, which is in the final month of the project implementation, ReForest partners will contribute findings from our Living Labs, present the digital tools developed under the project, and participate in key discussions to share our 4 year experience and support shaping the future of agroforestry policy and implementation across Europe.
Why Attend?

Connect with leading agroforestry researchers, farmers, and advisors
Explore agroforestry’s role in food security, biodiversity, climate adaptation, and rural resilience
Engage in scientific sessions, workshops, and policy roundtables
Hear insights from ReForest and learn from diverse European contexts
Join excursions to alpine, lowland, and vineyard agroforestry systems

2026 Key Focus Areas

Agroforestry for food security in a changing world
Farmer-friendly agroforestry
Reconciling agriculture and nature
Agroforestry systems design and business models

The programme will include keynote lectures (from researchers and farmers), poster sessions, field excursions, workshops, and evening networking events.
