Streuobst: a traditional agroforestry system as a model for agroforestry development in temperate Europe

The development of agroforestry for industrialised countries can be further ed by an understanding of the history and present functioning of traditiona l systems. In temperate Europe, fruit trees were traditionally grown on agr icultural land undersown with crops or managed grassland (Streuobst). The h istorical evolution of this agroforestry system has been driven by the inte raction of technical progress, market development and intervention by publi c authorities. Streuobst reached its peak in the 1930s, but has since been in continuous decline due to the development of intensively managed dwarf-t ree orchards. However, even today, it still occupies approximately one mill ion hectares in 11 European countries and has a strong impact on the Europe an fruit market. The profitability of streuobst is relatively poor due to i ts low labour productivity, but it has advantageous ecological and socio-cu ltural features, particularly in terms of biological diversity and landscap e aesthetics. Accordingly, it finds strong acceptance among the general pub lic, such that subsidised eradication programs have been abandoned and, in a number of countries, streuobst is now supported by non-governmental organ isations and by state conservation policies. Modern agroforestry in tempera te, industrialised countries should be oriented towards the creation of sim ilar ecological and socio-cultural benefits in order to receive public supp ort as a land-use system.