Available shrub species tend to be indigenous and better adapted than introduced grasses and legumes. Some species will fix nitrogen even in areas where legume success is unlikely. Shrubs may serve as nurse trees to a conifer crop, providing a source of browse to draw animals away from seedlings and protecting seedlings from frost. Shrubs improve soil and forest floors by drying them out, adding organic matter, and some fix nitrogen. Compared to grasses and legumes, these objectives may be achieved with fewer negative effects on conifers.
Shrubs provide a good source of food and protective cover for wildlife.
In forested areas, shrubs may improve visual quality by screening disturbed areas from view, and by softening the harsh lines of disturbed areas. Disadvantages of planting shrubs for rehabilitation Ground cover is discontinuous and it may take many years to develop a forest floor and continuous root mat. Planting shrubs is not the best choice for short-term erosion control. There is no direct return on the cost of planting, though there may be indirect returns. Shrubs will compete with conifers, but in well-designed plantings there may actually be a net growth benefit to conifers.