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Abstract
Trees are vital to earth’s ecosystem. In many places, loss of trees is faster than their replacement. With
particular reference to sub-Saharan Africa, this paper seeks to review in outline the value of trees in order
to encourage better understanding, appreciation and practical management response. A treasury is a store
of wealth, a treasurer its custodian, and the act of treasuring is a positive response to the value of that
wealth. Trees are a multi-faceted source of wealth. Not just foresters and forest communities but
especially farmers, and also civil societies, families and individuals at large need to care about and for trees.
The paper briefly indicates the global status of forests, their ecological and economic significance, and
proposes tree-treasuring strategies and practices together with their integration in agro-ecological systems
for global food security. While recognising the excellent work that is being done in some places, it is a
wider call for deeper appreciation and fresh endeavours concerning trees and their integral management
within farming systems. The paper also reports responses to practical field workshops on trees held in
Malawi in 2012. In short, integration of trees is deemed essential for sustainable agriculture within
ecosystem security.