Overstory #232 - Trees outside forests: Functions and significance
Trees outside forests, a fundamentally multipurpose resource, are more intimately linked to the society around them than forest trees. Their productive, ecological and cultural functions are incisive, and their social, economic and environmental roles help to sustain households and household income. They are instrumental in national and international economies. They promote the conservation and sustainability of tree resources. A review of their role in peasant income acquisition strategies and potential value as economic and market indicators constitutes a challenge and innovation in the approach to forestry.