Soil conservation and aforrestation
The banyan is a fast-growing tree that has been used for soil conservation and as an afforestation species (Rojas-Sandoval, 2015).
Methane emission mitigation
When fed to ruminants, banyan foliage was found to reduce enteric methane emissions by 20% (Bhatta et al., 2014) (see the Ruminants section)
Invasiveness
The banyan is a pioneering and potential invasive species outside its native range. For instance, the plant is illegal to sell or plant in the Miami-Dade County of Florida (USA). If left uncontrolled, Ficus benghalensis can become a threat to infrastructures and buildings, as it may devour the host if it germinates in fence posts, bridges, walls or buildings (US Forest Service, 2014).