Alley coppice—a new system with ancient roots

Table 3 Estimates for improvement of ecosystem services from alley coppice systems relative to traditional forms of agricultural management

Function	Services	Welfare benefits
Provisioning	Livestock products	Diversification of product lines
		Stabilisation of rural employment
		Additional renewable energy wood source
		Additional timber production
Regulating	Climate regulation	Carbon sequestration in timber trees
		SRC as a carbon-neutral biomass source
		Decreased anthropogenic nitrogen input
	Water filtration	Reduced nitrate and nutrient leaching
	Water filtration	Increased ground water quality
	Air filtration	Pollutant absorption (city boundaries)
Cultural	Landscape appreciation	Increased aesthetic value
Cultural	Landscape appreciation	Sense of increased ecologic value and sustainability
Supporting	Refugium and nursery/pollination	Increased biodiversity (invertebrates, mammals, birds, plants)
	Soil formation and retention	Improved soil quality and fertility, reduced erosion
	Nutrient cycling	Improved nutrient cycling

ISSN: 1297-966X