Apart from plantation forestry, two of the major uses of tree species are their incorporation in agroforestry and land rehabilitation systems, the latter including not only reclamation of wind and water eroded sites, but also helping halt desertification.
Agroforestry and sylvopastoral activities are a part of the indigenous culture of the great majority of primary producers of the world and take many forms, ranging from alley cropping to the growth of multi-purpose trees in village gardens to the interfacing of pastoral activities with plantation forestry involving grasses and tree species. While recognizing that the
same considerations apply to the use and management of mycorrhizal fungi in all of these systems, this paper focusses particularly on the species used in systems such as alley cropping in sustainable agriculture, wind breaks, erosion control and anti-desertification.
The tree species frequently have more than one use, e.g. controlling erosion, providing fueiwood (the major source of energy for the majority of developing countries) and sustaining (or increasing) soil fertility.