2007/08/01 by Christian A. Kull, Jacques Tassin, Haripriya Rangan · 53 citations
Environmental Science · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management #Wildlife Ecology and Conservation #African Botany and Ecology Studies #Livelihood #Geography #Agroforestry #Resource (disambiguation) #Ecology #Environmental resource management #Forestry #Agriculture #Biology #Environmental science #Archaeology
paper · pdf · doi:10.1659/mrd.0864
published in Mountain Research and Development 27(3), 224-231 (International Mountain Society)
openalex publication_date 2007/08/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Australian bipinnate acacias, known locally as mimosa, are widespread on the plateaus and mountains of Madagascar. Rarely, however, do these trees attain their full size, leading to a surprising landscape of ‘scrubby’ wattles. We review the introduction of the wattles, survey their multiple uses in rural livelihoods and environmental management, and analyze the forestry policies, tenure rules, and ecological factors that maintain the trees' scrubby state. This well-adapted plant is an important resource for farmers and serves to green treeless hills, but it may become a conundrum to conservation managers due to its non-native, invasive status.