Reproduced, with permission, from:In Costa Rica, 95% of the farmers fence with living trees instead of dead posts (Lagemann and Heuveldop 1983:109).Sauer (1979) surveyed the flora of Costa Rican fencerows. Besides numerous weedy herbs and vines, pioneer shrubs and epiphytes, he encountered 57 regularly planted species, of which he describes 26. According to Budowski (1987:171), 92 species have been identified in living fences in Costa Rica. All of these species have at least one use in addition to fencing, including nitrogen fixation, fuelwood, food and fodder.
Farmers establish living fences by planting large cuttings about 2.5 m long and 8-20 cm in diameter, attaching several strands of barbed wire to them (Budowski 1987:169). Lozano Jimenez (1962) studied the rooting ability of Erythrina costaricensis, E. poeppigiana and Gliricidia sepium. Erythrina costaricensis rooted better than the other two species. The time of planting influenced the rooting ability.
Living fences are usually pruned once a year to keep them in good shape and to avoid damage to the wire. Pruning techniques vary with the purpose, the use of the pruned material, and personal preferences and experience of the pruner. Pruning can be done to obtain new fence posts, fill in old fences, or harvest fuelwood or fodder (Budowski 1987:171, 174-175).
Budowski (1983, 1987) compares living fences and dead fence posts. Living fences are comparatively cost-effective, need careful establishment and regular maintenance, are long-lived, provide numerous products and benefits besides fencing, are difficult to remove, and are very popular among poor farmers. Dead fences, by contrast, are expensive, require much labor to establish, need some maintenance, are of limited durability, are easy to remove, provide no other products, but are more prestigious than living fences.