Australian acacias are fast-growing pioneer species which have been highly prized in Australia and overseas for their tannin, timber, fuelwood and paper-making properties. They are also valued for their ability to fix nitrogen in the soil through a symbiotic association with rhizobia.

China and Vietnam have large areas of eroded wasteland which have resulted from inappropriate land use and deforestation over the last 40 years. This land needs to be reclaimed for agricultural production, and to provide fuelwood and other wood products for the expanding populations.

In Australia also, there is considerable concern about land degradation due to the removal of trees for agricultural and urban development. In southern Australia, where salinisation and erosion of soils are serious problems, tree planting is being pursued as part of the solution.