ALFA Trust Farm Case Study: Planting Trees for Sustainability and Self-Sufficiency
- admin536133
- Nov 23
- 3 min read
Rangitaiki dairy farmer Alan Law is taking a forward-thinking approach to his business, partnering with ALFA Trust to integrate Poplar trees into his farm system as part of a sustainable, long-term strategy for productivity and environmental resilience.
The initiative aims to enhance environmental sustainability while securing a reliable, on farm supply of woodchip for calf sheds and stand-off pads. Alan, along with his sons Brandon and Cameron, milk 700 cows across two farms near Edgecumbe in the Bay of Plenty.
“A few years ago, we couldn’t get a supply of woodchips from our regular source. It was a real wake-up call for us,” Alan says.“We see a real risk we might not be able to secure woodchip in the future.”
To address this, Alan teamed up with ALFA Trust to trial planting Poplar trees on the farm, which can later be harvested for their own woodchip supply.
Poplars and willows are ideal because they are easy to establish, fast-growing, and respond well to coppicing – a method of cutting trees to encourage regrowth.
“Because the trees will be managed - felled and chipped at their optimum time – they won’t grow too large and fall over, causing problems in later years,” Alan explains.
In Spring 2025, Alan planted 50 Poplar poles (donated by ALFA Trust) along a fence line and plans to continue planting 50 each year for the next five years, guaranteeing a continuous supply of woodchip.
“We’re delighted to work with Asher and his company. Sustainability is key to our farming business, and I see this project as helping us become more self-sufficient – it ticks a lot of boxes for us,” Alan says.
The trees also support wider environmental goals, including carbon sequestration, nitrate filtration, improved biodiversity, and providing windbreaks and shade for livestock.
“Shade is a big issue, and shelter from wind is important too,” Alan adds.“We are in a high-wind zone in the coastal Whakatane District, which can strip moisture from soils and damage pastures.”
“Beyond environmental sustainability, the initiative is efficient and cost-effective,” says Asher Bowyer, Founder of Alfa Trust.
“Harvesting and chipping your own wood works out at about half the cost of buying and delivering woodchip. It reduces the environmental footprint of trucks delivering the woodchip, plus, you secure a reliable supply.”
Asher, Director of Ash & Oak Arborists and ALFA Arb and Forestry Equipment, sees strong potential for both business growth and environmental impact as more farmers look to plant trees that can be sustainably harvested and chipped.
“While there’s certainly a solid business opportunity in this space, our primary focus through the ALFA Charitable Trust is education and advocacy,” Asher says.
“We’re committed to raising awareness about the positive role trees play – not only in environmental sustainability, but also in supporting the wellbeing of our people and communities.”
The process of actually harvesting the wood is straightforward for farmers to manage themselves or by hiring local contractors, he says.
Each mature Poplar tree can produce up 2m³ woodchip depending on location, so a farmer needing 100m³ each year would need to plant about 250 trees in total for a five year cycle.
Five-year-old trees depending on location and climate typically reach 15-18m in height with a 400mm DBH (Diameter at Breast Height), making them safe and easy to fell. Trees can be stored nearby, dried, and chipped directly into the calf shed or stand-off area.
“The large chippers we use can produce up to 60-80 cubic metres of woodchip per hour, making it a quick and cost-efficient method,” Asher explains.“There is also potential to expand this initiative in the future to supply woodchip for on farm biomass boilers to heat dairy sheds.”
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Watch our video on establishing your own wood chip supply https://youtu.be/tA3CODXU7io
Contact us for more information.
0800425325 info@alfacontracts.co.nz
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