December 2007 Bale Eco-Region Sustainable Oromia State Forest Management Programme (BERSMP) Enterprises Supervising Agency BERSMP Policy Brief No.1 The Significance of the Bale Mountains, South Central Ethiopia The Significance of the Bale Mountains, South Central Ethiopia Summary The Bale Mountians is among the 34 world biodiversity hotspots. It is one of the areas in Ethiopia where lack of proper natural resources management is threatening unique resources. The Bale Mountains cover areas ranging from 1500 – 4377masl. The area harbors different ecological zones including moist tropical forest, afroalpine habitats, woodlands, grasslands, wetlands and a large percentage of Ethiopia’s endemic plants and animals. The importance of the ecological processes of the area is significant both locally and globally. About 12 million people are estimated to be dependent on the water resources originating from the Bale Mountains. However, the rate of agricultural expansion and land degradation is highly threatening the economic and ecological potentials of this unique area. Government willingness to jointly manage natural resources with local communities, and the communities enthusiasm and capacity to work towards sustianable development are the opportunites the Bale Eco-Region Sustainable Management Programme is using to mutually enhance the unique biodiverstiy and vital ecological processes of the Bale Mountians Ecosystem. Introduction terms of fauna and flora in Ethiopia. The The wide variations of geo-climatic economic, biodiversity and ecological features in Ethiopia have resulted in large significance attached to this unique area is biological diversity. The country hosts the immense. The establishment of the Bale fifth largest floral diversity in tropical Mountains National Park more than 30 Africa, is the richest in avifauna in years ago and the delineation of a mainland Africa and one of the eight number of High Priority Forest Areas is a Vavilov’s centres of crop diversity clear demonstration of its importance. (BERSMP, 2005). In addition to being an important regional centre for biological However, the area did not get the diversity, Ethiopia is one of the most attention in terms of natural resources important countries in Africa with management. Unsustainable exploitation respect to endemism of plant and animal and degradation throughout the Bale species (EFAP, 1994). massif increasingly threaten not only the livelihoods of the many millions of people The Bale Mountains in the Oromia region directly dependent on the natural is among such areas of great diversity in resources, but also the survival of a 2 The Significance of the Bale Mountains, South Central Ethiopia unique fauna and flora whose economic (Juniperus procera) and Hagenia (Hagenia potential as a basis for tourism remains abyssinica) along with woodlands, unfulfilled. Further, the ecological grasslands and wetlands. processes, particularly the watershed The resource base value of the Bale Mountains, are highly The area harbours a unique and diverse threatened. fauna and flora which include a large percentage of Ethiopia’s endemics, some species of which are only found in Bale. The key resource features include: X The largest area of Afroalpine habitat (c. 1,000 km2 and 17% of the total) on the continent; X The Harenna Forest and adjacent Mena-Angetu forest which form the Fig.1. the location of the Bale second largest stand of moist tropical Mountains Eco-region(s) in Ethiopia forest remaining in Ethiopia; Characteristic Features X Over half the global population of The main central area of the Bale Ethiopian Wolf (Canis simensis), the Mountains is a high plateau, much of rarest canid in the world which is which is over 4000m with several peaks found only in suitable Afroalpine rising from it. The highest of these peaks habitats of Ethiopia. is Tullu Dimtu (4377m), the second highest point in Ethiopia. South of the plateau, the land falls steeply to the moist tropical Harenna Forest, starting at approximately 3700m and extending down to 1500m. To the north are high ridges and broad valleys mainly lying at altitudes of 3000-3500m and comprising high forest vegetation such as Juniper 3 The Significance of the Bale Mountains, South Central Ethiopia X The largest population of the are dependent on its ecological endemic Mountain Nyala (Tragelaphus processes, primarily water. The Bale buxtoni), estimated to be massif plays a crucial role in climate approximately two-thirds of the control in the region, attracting large global population; amounts of orographic rainfall. Four X The entire global population of the major rivers arise from the massif – the Giant mole rat (Trachyoryctes Wabe Shebelle, Web, Wemel and Dumal; macrocephalus); and the water for numerous springs in X 26% of Ethiopia’s endemic species (1 the lowlands originates from the Bale primate, 1 bovid, 1 hare and 8 Mountains. species of rodent). Of the area’s recorded birds, 6.1% are Ethiopian endemics. There are also several rare and endemic amphibian species; X Stocks of valuable genetic material, including wild coffee (Coffea arabica), the value of which is estimated at USD 1.5 billion. X Rainbow and brown trout that were introduced into rivers on the north These rivers are the only sources of of the massif and provide another perennial water for the arid lowlands of potential tourism opportunity if the east and southeast of Ethiopia, sustainably managed. including the Ogaden and Somali All these and more have made the Bale agricultural belt. The livelihoods and food Mountains one of the 34 world security of the people in these lowland Biodiversity hotspots. areas, particularly during the dry season, are therefore highly dependent on good Importance environmental management in the Over and above its biodiversity values, highland areas. the area is of significant value to approximately twelve million people that 4 The Significance of the Bale Mountains, South Central Ethiopia Hydroelectric Power places like the Bale Mountains need to be Currently, two of the rivers have given due attention. hydroelectric schemes: the Melka Wakana scheme on the Wabe Shebelle Challenges and Threats and the Yato mini-scheme on the Yadot According to WBISPP 2001, in 1995 River. The produced hydro-electricity alone 32,000 ha of forestland was supplies the towns of Dodola, Adaba, converted to agricultural land in the Dinsho, Robe, Agarfa, Ali, and Goba, and Oromia region. The current loss Dola Mena respectively via a central grid. (between 2000 and 2010) is estimated to be more than 8.7%. It is further estimated All the people living in the area are that between 1990 and 2020, the region inextricably dependent on the local could lose 27% of its high forest natural resources for their livelihoods, resources from agricultural expansion which are primarily agro-pastoral in (WBISSP, 2001). nature. The situation described for the Oromia According to a recent study, under region holds true also for the Bale current open-access resource Mountains. Threats to the wider Bale management and policy structures, the eco-region are undermining the long- annual direct consumptive use value in term conservation of the area. The the Bale Eco-Region is US$ 377,777,500 problems facing the Bale Mountains could (Watson, 2007). This considerable value be summarised as follows: illustrates the economic losses that will X Local community livelihoods are be suffered as a result of declining poorly developed and dependent on environmental quality. the unsustainable use of natural resources; In addition, the contribution of this eco- X Communities and Government are region to the overall global not working together to conserve environmental stability is of immense and ensure sustainable use of importance. Especially, at a time when resources. This has resulted in the world climate is under high threat, 5 The Significance of the Bale Mountains, South Central Ethiopia natural resources being treated as result in the reduction of livestock open access resources; and wildlife, leading to degradation of X Human impacts (uncontrolled rangelands surrounding the few areas settlement, migration, land with permanent water - which in turn degradation and overgrasing) are leads to food-insecure lowland eroding the eco-region’s values and communities. exceptional resources. For example, X Negative impacts on the natural forest destruction is rising as growing resources. The fauna and flora of the number of people use increasing area are becoming vulnerable. For amounts of indigenous wood from example, the Ethiopian Wolf is listed natural forest and woodlands to as Endangered by The World supply the ever-increasing demand Conservation Union (IUCN); for fuel and building materials; Opportunities and Next Steps X The area’s tourism activities and the The Bale Mountains, endowed by unique revenues generated in that line are natural resources, have high potential for not contributing to the eco-region’s conservation as well as economic benefits management and community benefits; if properly managed. X The current management system by the government is too weak to deal Activities carried out by different with pressures threatening the development organisations in the area resources; have witnessed the capacity of local X The policy framework for natural communities to work with government resource management, landscape and development practitioners to ensure level planning and protected areas is proper natural resources management. inadequate; Further, Government programmes