Welcome to the Agroforestry Exploration Program by Agroforestry i Nyland!
February 19th Finnish Language workshop is now taking RSVP admissions!
LAST CALL: RSVP by Sunday, February 8th 2026.
Only register if you are available for a 60-75 minute interview (Step 1 below) and are willing to review the intro materials for step 1 (about 2 hours to watch and read basic materials).
What if your farm could produce more - without expanding your fields or increasing inputs?
What if it could do it with increasing yields every year, for decades?
What if the trees you already have on your farm could be managed in new ways that make life easier and more rewarding?
Farmers who deliberately integrate trees and shrubs into their operations enjoy a number of benefits that only woody plants can provide such as protection from strong winds for vulnerable crops and livestock, novel cash crop opportunities, and even high quality perennial forage for animals. Note that we say "integrate" rather than "plant": some of the most successful agroforestry practices do not require the planting (and associated expense) of a single new tree.
Imagine a future in which the tendency for our landscapes to become "covered with trees" could be turned into a tireless, constructive partner on our farms. Where seemingly small adjustments lead to ecological intensification, improving the environment, your crops, and providing new forms of production – including some things you may never dreamed to have connected.
Agroforestry isn’t just a win for nature, it can also be a smart economic strategy. Our Agroforestry Exploration Program gets you started, fast.
We invite farmers, agricultural advisors, and horticulturalists in Uusimaa to join our Agroforestry Exploration Program, where – together with our team – you will develop your own introductory level agroforestry plan. When the program ends before 2026’s growing season, you will have a physical plan with sufficient detail (also known as a ‘design brief’) to help you decide how to continue agroforestry development for your farm. If you are an advisor, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn the foundational skills required to support farmers with an interest in agroforestry.
The highlight of our program is a live, on-campus intensive design workshop with our project’s agroforestry experts. In this workshop you will use quality drafting tools to physically prepare agroforestry plans: no computers, no software to learn, no bugs. The Agroforestry Exploration Program is designed to help you get started with planning in a short period of time by offering participants a chance to learn the basics of agroforestry design, using their own farm as study material, and additional support to produce an agroforestry design brief in just three steps.
An example of a farm scale base map we will help create for use during the workshop; tracing paper and quality materials will allow for iterative design.
A fast track means that our goal is to offer a basic design process to reinforce agroforestry fundamentals, explore potential ideas, and provide additional learning opportunities. Your newly developed planning skills and design brief can serve as the starting point for in-depth agroforestry planning at your own pace.
We offer:
1. An initial co-assessment interview to prepare for the workshop with mapping services and introductory agroforestry materials.
2. A full-length hands-on workshop during which you will produce your base agroforestry design. Refreshments and lunch are provided by the project.
3. Post-workshop support, including information to run essential economic calculations and outline additional steps to improve your plan and reach a conclusion.
4. The opportunity to build connections with others!
After the program, you will have a new level of understanding that will make our 2026 spring and summer on-farm workshops and visits even more valuable.
About the Agroforestry in Nyland Project
Agroforestry i Nyland is a three-year development initiative organized by Yrkeshögskolan Novia and funded by ELY-Keskus, Svenska kulturfonden, and Stiftelsen Finlandssvenska Jordfonden. The project promotes agroforestry in the Uusimaa region by providing farmers with materials and guidance to help them plan their agroforestry system, while also inviting advisors and educators to learn about the practical aspects and implementation of agroforestry in Finland. The results of the planning and workshops are then disseminated to the broader public in 2026 with recommendations for increasing viability of agroforestry in our region.
Program Schedule
Participation in the program is limited to those who register in advance. The preparatory interview and base mapping are completed remotely before the workshop day.
Please check the schedule for the final registration date to ensure ample time to prepare.
Workshop Location
The On-Campus Design Workshops will be held at Novia University of Applied Sciences’ campus in Tammisaari: Raaseporintie 11, 10600 Tammisaari.
Program Language
The program is bilingual: Finnish or English. The design workshop on campus will be held primarily in one or the other, please check the language of the workshop date you wish to sign up for.
Final 2026 Workshop dates
February 19, 2026
Finnish language workshop. Registration Deadline: February 8th, 2026 (Last call!)
In-Depth Information about the Agroforestry Exploration Program’s Three Steps
Step 1: Pre-Workshop
The Agroforestry Exploration Program begins with the pre-workshop: we will work together to identify a site on your farm that is both suitable for the one-day design workshop’s scope and offers potential for real-world agroforestry development. To accomplish this, we will schedule a one-on-one interview with you to explore your goals and aspirations related to agroforestry. Goals and aspirations require a foundation, so we will also discuss your personal role on the farm and farming history, as well as the characteristics of your site, such as growing conditions and environmental factors. In addition, we’ll talk about your farm’s current situation in terms of production and overall capacity to take on new initiatives.
Based on this discussion, you will work together with us and our in-house expert to produce maps of the chosen site to be used during the workshop. Please understand that while rapid site selection during a single interview may not provide us with the perfect location, it will serve as a practical starting point for learning and exploration.
To help you prepare for the workshop, you’ll gain access to a set of introductory materials designed to help you become familiar with modern agroforestry suited to the Finnish climate.
Step 2: Full-length On-Campus Design Workshop
Our goal is for you to leave the workshop with a thoughtful starting point—something that’s on the way to becoming a complete design. As such, the core of the program is hands-on design work.
We’ll begin with a shared design exercise using an example field, allowing you to get familiar with agroforestry design principles in a low-pressure setting.
After that, you’ll move on to developing a design for your own selected site, using the maps prepared during the pre-workshop phase. This process will help you shape a site-specific concept that can be refined further after the workshop.
You’ll receive a selection of tools and materials to support your design process – enough to help you take meaningful steps toward a site-specific agroforestry plan. These resources are intended to guide your thinking and provide a solid foundation for continued development beyond the workshop.
We’ll also discuss how to identify and account for field-level limitations and restrictions and explore the potential benefits of agroforestry – as well as some of the risks involved and strategies to manage or avoid them during the design phase.
At the end of the session, we’ll hold a feedback discussion focused on the choices you made in your design.
On-Campus Design Workshop Schedule
8:30–8:50 — Arrival, Coffee & Pulla
Grab a coffee, and meet the other participants & the team.
9:00 — Workshop Begins with the Morning Session
We’ll start by outlining the plan for the day, discussing our shared objectives, and identifying potential risks and barriers together.
After a short break, we’ll begin with an orientation to the tools and language of agroforestry design. This will lead into a group exercise where we’ll practice using the tools and symbols, and more importantly, learn how to combine them to create agroforestry patterns.
11:30–12:30 — Lunch provided by the project
Early Afternoon
After lunch, each farm will begin developing their own agroforestry plan. Before working individually, we’ll help you define key boundaries and limiting factors. Identifying constraints supports the design process by helping you rule out impractical options right from the start.
You’ll then have about an hour to work on your farm’s plan, with project facilitators available for guidance.
Afternoon Session
After a short break, we’ll stretch our legs with a round tour to review everyone’s progress, share ideas, and gather inspiration.
With fresh energy and new insights, we’ll continue the design process for another hour.
Closing Discussion
We’ll finish the day with a group discussion reflecting on the design work and outlining next steps for the post-workshop phase.
16:30 — Workshop Concludes
Step 3: Post-Workshop
After the workshop, you’ll continue to have access to support and resources to help you move forward with your agroforestry concept. The aim is to help you develop a plan that’s grounded in your reality – something that aligns with your available time, budget, and energy, and can evolve over time.
Additional learning materials will be available from early 2026 through lectures, written resources, and interactive sessions. Planned topics include:
Basic economic calculations
Species selection and suitability
Navigating government regulations
Maximizing available subsidies
Guidance on potential funding opportunities
Our goal is for you to have a complete agroforestry design brief by April 2026.
2026 Open Agroforestry Events
After the Agroforestry Exploration Program ends we will begin running open On-farm Design Workshops and field days during the 2026 growing season. These events will not require a pre-event interview or course work and are low threshold opportunities to see the design process up close and in the field. You can continue to discover new ways to innovate with agroforestry, picking up new tips, and engaging in dialogue with other agroforesters.
During the On-farm Design Workshops, participants collaborate to address the specific design challenges of the host farm through group brainstorming and shared problem-solving. This approach fosters learning, exchange of experiences, and community building.
Field days are opportunities to visit working examples of agroforestry in practice. We aim to commercial orchards, edible forest gardens, and mixed farms that combine arable cropping with animal husbandry.
Stay tuned for 2026’s summer program!
Register by following this link