The effect of agroforestry farming on wood quality and timber industry and its supportation by Horizon 2020

One of the goals of the European Union's agroforestry plans is to alleviate the shortage of timber in Europe caused by the growing demand for hardwoods and the declining import of tropical timber. The study shows which tree species can be considered in agroforestry systems in Europe, and which of them can be used as raw material for the wood industry and what quality of wood can be produced in agroforestry systems. Since 2005, the European Union has been officially encouraging farmers to plant the crops in an agroforestry system and parallel try to produce trunks for high quality timber. By analysing the current economic developments of the European Union, especially Horizon 2020, our study provides an overview of what can be expected by the participants of the agroforestry sector and the related primary wood industry in the European Union now and in the future. In addition to the distribution analysis, indices describing projects have also been created. Rank correlation was used to examine the relationship between them. Possible decision mechanisms were also outlined using a custom-built expert software system.

Automated summary

The goal of the European Union's agroforestry plans is to address the timber shortage in Europe due to the increasing demand for hardwoods and declining tropical timber import. This study identifies suitable tree species for agroforestry systems in Europe, assesses their potential as raw materials for the wood industry, and evaluates the quality of wood produced in agroforestry systems. The study also provides insights into the economic outlook for the agroforestry sector and the related primary wood industry in the European Union, taking into account the Horizon 2020 initiative and other key factors.