Growing trees on farms: Navigating the goals and values of farmers

Agricultural landscapes represent critical contexts for advancing policy objectives related to tree cover expansion. This paper explores how farmers' values influence their willingness or ability to grow trees on farms. Research is based on 49 interviews and two focus groups with farmers in England and draws on two social science research traditions to devise an analytical framework based on four value orientations—instrumental, relational, expressive and intrinsic. Analysing the data through the lens of these value orientations reveals how tree growing both aligns with and diverges from farmers' values. While growing trees is not a primary occupational goal for most farmers, neither is it inconsistent with the worldviews of farmers navigating the realities of an agricultural landscape increasingly oriented towards the provision of public goods. Instrumental values, particularly economic considerations, play a prominent role in farmers' decisions about growing trees. However, relational and expressive dimensions—including affiliations with particular trees, landscape aesthetics and opportunities for personal fulfilment—significantly shape farmers' perspectives. Intrinsic values, linked to an appreciation for the natural world and the farming way of life, further enrich these dynamics. Policy and practice implications. Our findings emphasise the importance of engaging with the full spectrum of values that underpin farmers' decision‐making about trees. The four value orientations provide a framework for understanding where, how and why trees matter to farmers. Policymakers and practitioners can use this framework to align initiatives, communications and support mechanisms with farmers' priorities, fostering greater integration of trees into agricultural landscapes. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.