What leads some farmers to dramatically increase the number of trees on their land? What role do social and cultural values play? And how do values and behaviour interact?

This Research Note presents accounts from four farms which have substantially increased tree cover, foregrounding the farmers’ stories to focus on the role social and cultural values play in changing farmers’ practices. It explores how values might change over time, and when and how farmers are able to farm in line with their values. We outline four insights that cut across the experiences of the four farmers we spoke to.

These insights were:

(1) New or returning farmers see managing agricultural land as an opportunity to act on their values.

(2) Farmers may reinterpret existing values after pivotal experiences, leading them to rethink whether existing farming practices align with these values.

(3) Support from like-minded individuals can prove essential when farmers seek to farm outside of the norm, but this sense of affinity can take time to develop.

(4) Whether farmers are able to farm in line with their values is influenced by a range of other factors.

This publication extends the approach from a previous Research Note.