Selecting tree species on the basis of community needs

Purpose of this manual is to help field workers to work with a community in order to identify the tree species that would best serve that community’s needs. A growing number of projects and programmes are recognizing that The species chosen for tree-planting projects should reflect the needs and priorities of local communities. Tree planting requires more than just planting trees. In most communities, tree planting involves a complex sequence of decisions regarding not only which trees should be planted, but also:

• how many trees should be planted
• where they will be planted
• by whom they will be planted
• who will provide care
• who will derive which benefits from the trees

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