Land degradation is associated with deforestation and the expansion of unsustainable agriculture. What receives much less attention is another form of degradation, which results from a massive increase in tree cover. The invasion of exotic woody weeds is a serious issue over many millions of hectares in dryland Africa. This article focuses on Prosopis juliflora, by far the most common invasive tree in tropical African drylands, and with some of the efforts made over the past 15 years to achieve the emerging solution of “control by utilization” for livestock fodder, charcoal and other tree products in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somaliland.

Article published in the ETFRN news 60: 'Restoring African Drylands'