Our Alleen 3 agroforestry pilot project began long before the actual planting in January 2025. Around 18 months passed between the initial considerations and contacts and the ground-breaking ceremony in January 2025. This is certainly due, among other things, to the fact that three parties had to be brought together. If a farmer decided to convert own arable land into an agroforestry system, this would be significantly less complex in comparison. For example, the planning would be based solely on the farmer’s decisions.
Three hundred and twenty-three trees and shrubs were planted in seven strips of woodland in several planting phases on the 3.3-hectare site, which is owned by the town of Kleve. A special feature of Alleen 3 is the wide variety of 52 tree species. This is more than usual for agroforestry systems. The idea is to test the best combinations of trees for the Lower Rhine region. The tree strips are three to five metres wide so that trees of different heights and widths can be planted and the most effective combinations can be studied. In total, the tree strips cover four percent of the total arable land. In addition, there are plans to sow location-adapted flower mixtures alongside the trees, but still within the tree strips.
As before, the arable land between the tree strips is being cultivated by Haus Riswick for its own fodder production.
Work effort required for planting
In addition to the investment in trees and shrubs, an agroforestry system is a long-term decision. Generally, it is initially implemented on part of the total area of the farm so that the farm retains its main production structure. Depending on the objectives and diversity, the amount of work involved can vary greatly: Der Gänsepeter, a cooperation partner of our Agroforestry Living Laboratory, used a deep chisel and the help of four people to plant 625 poplar rods in four double rows covering a total of two hectares in just a few hours. In contrast, the Große-Kleimann family farm in Steinfurt-Dumte needed several days to plant its fruit trees with the support of many volunteers, Jan Große-Kleimann recalled during a talk in Kleve in November 2024. The Agroforestry Living Laboratory, as part of the HSRW, also relied on the cooperation of students and colleagues, who each spent a day working in the field, thus gaining practical experience on a larger scale.
Installation of irrigation system
In spring 2025, the city of Kleve installed an irrigation system. Individual drippers were inserted into the pipe to ensure that water is delivered directly to the trees. Contrary to the original plan, a well pump was installed and IBC containers were not used. This is the most efficient option for keeping the trees healthy. This option was made possible by the planning of the Landesgartenschau (State Garden Show). The well near Alleen 3 will later also be used in other areas of the event.
Our team from the Agroforestry Living Laboratory works closely together with the operations manager, Michael Berntsen from Haus Riswick, and Department 64 (Climate Protection, Environment and Sustainability) of the City of Kleve to discuss the possibility of installing a weather station and soil sensors on this test site.
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