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e.g. Ficus benjaminii and Jacaranda mimosifolia which have a
reputation for damaging foundations and water and sewage systems.

Woodlots

Spatial arrangement

If an area is set aside more or less entirely for trees, such an
arrangement is known as a woodlot. Vegetables or crops are often
intercropped in the woodlot in the early stages of establishment, but
with time wood production is the most important use.

In small-scale farming areas woodlots are often very small, 0.1 hectare
or less. Large-scale farms may have woodlots of many hectares.

Plate 28: A Eucalyptus woodlot

Areas where the practice is relevant

Woodlots are particularly relevant in areas where light-demanding
crops are grown, e.g. in areas where maize or sugarcane are dominant
crops. Woodlots are also relevant for meeting wood requirements near
irrigation schemes. In coffee-growing areas they are only relevant on
waste land that is not fit for other use. Otherwise it is better to
intercrop trees and coffee, or use boundaries, etc., since the coffee will
tolerate a certain amount of shade. Tea performs best in Kenya
without too many intercropped trees, so woodlots are also relevant for
those areas. The British American Tobacco Company has also
promoted woodlot establishment in tobacco-growing areas in Kenya.
Poor land that cannot be used for anything but trees is primarily
recommended for woodlots. In some areas, however, tree production