On 6 January 2025, the ground-breaking ceremony for the creation of an agroforestry demonstration site took place
at the Kleve Galleries. Professor Oliver Locker-Grütjen, President of the Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Karl Werring, President of the North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture, and Wolfgang Gebing, Mayor of Kleve, gave the go-ahead for this pilot project on innovative agriculture in the Lower Rhine region. Christoph Gerwers, District Administrator of the Kleve district, also took part in his capacity as a member of the Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences’ Transformation Advisory Board. Professor Dr.-Ing. Peter Kisters, Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Knowledge Transfer at the Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences and project leader of the TransRegINT project, chaired the event. Agroforestry systems combine and manage arable land or permanent grassland – with or without livestock – alongside woody plants on a single plot of land.
The project, also known as ‘Alleen 3’, is a collaboration between Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences, the City of Kleve and the Haus Riswick Agricultural Research Centre. On behalf of Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences, the Agroforestry Real-World Laboratory – which forms part of the TransRegINT project (‘Transformation of the Lower Rhine Region: Innovation, Sustainability and Participation’) – In addition to management, research and teaching by Haus Riswick and the HSRW, the agroforestry demonstration site is also set to form part of the 2029 State Garden Show, which will take place in Kleve. From 2025 onwards, the Agroforestry Real-World Laboratory team plans to organise activities involving both HSRW students and local residents.
Conversion of arable land to agroforestry
On the 3.3-hectare site, which is owned by the City of Kleve, a total of 349 trees and shrubs will be planted across six agroforestry tree strips in several planting phases. The tree strips are laid out in widths of three to five metres to accommodate trees of varying growth rates and widths.
The agroforestry strips between the trees are mulched and kept free of weeds. Flowering mixtures suited to the site are sown alongside the trees, whilst still within the tree strips. These are intended to increase biodiversity within the system, suppress competition from rapidly spreading species and add aesthetic value.
The arable land between the tree and shrub strips is managed by Haus Riswick, as has been the case to date.
Woody plants in agroforestry
The planting plan and the associated selection of woody plants were drawn up in detail with the support of agroforestry expert Burkhard Kayser, a consultant on sustainable land use and permaculture. Alleen 3 forms part of the Galleien section of the Alter Tiergarten, created by Johann Moritz von Nassau-Siegen. The area, situated in the Kermisdahl lowlands, was designated a garden monument on the City of Kleve’s list of listed buildings in October 2024. Particular attention was therefore paid to preserving the line of sight between Schwanenburg and the viewpoint on the Papenberg, near the burial site of Prince Johann-Moritz von Nassau-Siegen.
A key concern for all those involved is to test the best combinations of trees and shrubs and strip widths for the Lower Rhine region. In addition, the direct costs of agroforestry strips are to be determined, as they have a direct impact on farm management but have so far rarely been the focus of research projects.
An important aspect here is the cost-effectiveness of maintenance. A further criterion for the choice of trees and shrubs and the planting plan is the design of the area as a biodiverse system. Agroforestry systems in particular are considered to play an important role in increasing biodiversity, as they provide a habitat for a wide variety of living organisms. The selected tree and shrub species aim to strike a balance between diversity and economic viability. Climate change and its consequences for the Lower Rhine region have also influenced the choice of tree and shrub species, with drought and heat tolerance being key considerations. The planting plan also seeks to prevent the trees and shrubs from competing too fiercely for space, light and water.
The focus of the planting is on industrial and high-value timber trees. A distinction is made here between fast-growing trees and timber trees. Fast-growing trees are planted for what is known as ‘medium rotation’, i.e. a harvesting cycle of every six to eight years. In this context, the phrase ‘plant once, harvest many times’ is often used. Examples of this include sweet chestnut, sessile oak and small-leaved lime. The harvested timber is used as construction timber. In contrast to this are timber trees and high-value timber species such as hazel, wild service tree or cultivated pear. These are intended for use in the sawmill and veneer industries.
To maximise biodiversity, slow-growing shrub species such as rowan, raspberry and broom are also planted. As the agroforestry demonstration area will form part of the 2029 State Garden Show, ornamental shrubs such as roses and bladdernut are also included in the planting for aesthetic reasons.
Outlook
Once planting is complete, the area will be managed using traditional methods and used for research purposes and practical agricultural demonstrations. To ensure the trees and shrubs establish themselves in the early years, they will be watered. This will be done using drip irrigation to ensure that the roots grow deep into the soil. Anyone who does not wish to wait until the State Garden Show in 2029 to explore the agroforestry demonstration site can look forward to so-called ‘field days’ from summer 2025 onwards. The team at the HSRW’s agroforestry real-world laboratory will offer guided tours to explain the research, planting and the benefits of agroforestry systems in more detail.
Background
The Agroforestry Real-World Laboratory is a transformation project forming part of the ‘TransRegINT – Transformation of the Lower Rhine Region: Innovation, Sustainability and Participation’ project. Its aim is to implement agroforestry systems adapted to the Lower Rhine region and to create a regional network of the various stakeholders. The Agroforestry Real-World Laboratory team provides scientific support for the implementation of these systems in order to collect data on their ecological, economic and social benefits. Through the ‘TransRegINT’ project, Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences has set itself the goal of helping to shape sustainable change in the region on a science-based foundation. The project is funded by the ‘Innovative University’ programme of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. This funding initiative supports universities in finding creative solutions to the pressing challenges of our time, based on research findings. ‘TransRegINT’ will receive funding totalling just under ten million euros until the end of 2027. This will enable the development of solutions to shape the region’s future in line with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
