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Plate 27: A homestead with a variety of trees in the garden

Trees of different heights can be grown together in multi-storey
systems to make maximum use of the little space available. Trees with
brittle branches or big root systems should not be planted too near
houses. Schools with a continuous water supply can run school
nurseries.

Management aspects
Management will also depend on the species chosen and their
intended uses. Normally seedlings are well protected in the
homestead, but chickens can cause a lot of damage if seedlings are
not protected.

Benefits

All the products and services can be useful. Priority should be given to
valuable production, which requires management, and where access
is important. The risks include brittle branches or heavy fruits falling
or trees blowing over and damaging houses or injuring people. Roots
penetrating under a house may damage the foundations. Some
species produce a lot of litter which may add to the work of keeping
the homestead tidy. Bamboo and mango trees, for example, may
attract snakes.

Examples of species
A complete list of suitable species would be too long to include here.
Very tall species, e.g. eucalypts or Acrocarpus fraxinifolius, are not
ideal, and neither are trees with brittle branches or aggressive roots,