NOTS are delighted to be facilitating a 5-day introductory course in Syntropic Agroforestry from July 20th – 24th, 2022

Led by Felipe Amato, a former student of Ernst Götsch, this course is 5 full days of morning theory and afternoon practice course at Hazel and Davi’s Wicklow Farm. NOTS are providing 40% funding for the course

• Dates: July 20th – 24th, 2022
• Times: 9.00am – 5.00pm each day
• Cost: €300 when you sign up through NOTS (a discount of €200 on the full course price) This includes lunch every day (most of it produced at the farm) and tea breaks
• Venue: Hazel & Davi’s Wicklow Farm, Ashford Co. Wicklow

The Course will be divided into theoretical morning classes and a practical afternoon of work. 5 days to cover the basics of Syntropic Agroforestry and to plant the beginning of a Pear and Plum forest.

What is Syntropic Agroforestry? 

– Agricultural systems inspired by the local and original ecosystems of  any given place, allowing the production of food, timber, fibres and any  other farming activities. 

– Very diverse and dense forest systems that allow for continuous  harvests of crops, while sustaining healthy soil with little to no  dependency on external inputs. 

What Will Participants Learn On the Course?

• The history and principles of syntropic agroforestry;
• How to implement and manage syntropic agroforestry systems;
• How to harmonize these systems with nature’s patterns (sun, wind, topography, local flora, etc.);
• How to choose appropriate plant consortium to each stage and soil condition of the system
• How to choose and plan the production of value added produce;
• Strata: How plants behave in their environment.
• Natural succession: How the system develops through succeeding plants
• Mulching: The importance of keeping the soil covered with organic matter
• Planting: practical implementation of planting planning on the field.

Day 1 – Introduction to syntropic agroforestry; soil production processes in nature – Agriculture practiced in Brazil by indigenous people before colonization, contact with Europeans and transformation of agricultural practices, and much more

Day 2-3 – Natural Succession & Stratification – Systems of colonization, accumulation and abundance; – Vector quality and quantity of consolidated life; – Stratification: set formed by position in succession + stratum (need for light) + size (height) – Application of Succession & Stratification in agriculture, from placentas to climax

Day 4 – Ecological interactions & Ecophysiological functions – Pollination and seed dispersal; – Co-evolution of species and ecosystems – Elements of disturbance – Department of life’s process optimization (pests and diseases)

Day 5 – Design elements – Practical design exercise