Anyone who knows a bit about the unique characteristics of these trees should not find this surprising. When the leaves and branches of these trees drop off or are harvested, this nitrogen becomes available to other plants or animals in the ecosystem. These tenacious trees also grow rapidly, and produce large amounts of nitrogen-rich green foliage in some rather harsh environments. Because land-area is so scarce on atolls, it is especially important that selected trees be easily integrated into existing systems. Trees are arranged densely or planted as fence posts.
Windbreaks are single or multiple rows of trees planted on windward field boundaries.
Windbreaks slow wind, reducing physical damage to crop's and fruit trees. Placed on the windward side of atolls, they can also prevent salt-spray from reaching the interior and reduce coastal erosion. Hedgerows are dense single or multi-row plantings of trees within fields or among fruit tree plantations. Trees are arranged to minimize competition with the associated crop and pruned regularly to add compost or 'green manure' to the farming or garden system. Shade and support are attained quickly from fastgrowing nitrogen fixing trees.