Trees even fruit trees are not allowed on most allotments. However, There is a tree on the edge of my plot, (and it's surrounded on three sides by trees and overgrown hedges), and the council are not interested in removing it, so I am pretty well bound to try it!
On the plus side this opens the door to all sorts of other trees.
There's a hazel 'thicket' just the other side of the bourne, and one of it's branches reaches right over my plot, I wonder if it 'accidentally' gets pinned to the ground, and grows into another thicket, will they ask me if I can love that too?
Oh and there's an elderberry too, I was going to dig it out, but as they don't mind a great big birch(?) they can't really object to my not dealing with that either. Oh and down by the bourne would be perfect for growing basket willows . . .
Raspberries like a bit of shade so they can go nicely in the shadiest parts, and I'm going to try underplanting with the dwarf comfrey that is spreading in my garden.
I want to grow all sorts of rabbit proof flowers in the 6" strip around the rabbit fence. I have nearly 20 suitable plants in my garden that should do well on the lottie too as it's got similar soil and light levels.
I think that's the gist of it isn't it? Biodiversity, with a bit of selection so that everything has a place and a function. They didn't go into specifics, but clearly if you are growing veg in proximity to trees, you need to grow shade loving things in the woodland edge and reserve the sunniest for those that need sun. I'm trying to find out more but it all seems very closed off from public domain, you have to go on courses or at the very least buy books.