Addis Ababa University School of Graduate Studies ~~----' -'.--- ~,8fudy~orrthe Ecology and Management of the Dess'a Forest in the North Eastern Escarpment of Ethiopia. /" ~..,..,/ A Thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment for the Degree of Master of Science in Dryland Biodiversity. Addis Ababa University Abstract This study aims to investigate the potentials and limitations of involving local communities in biodiversity conservation and to propose appropriate development strategies for harnessing such potentials in the Dess'a Forest, Eastern Tigray, North Eastern escarpment of Ethiopia. The Dessa Forest has a high degree of species diversity and endemism that is threatened by increasing human pressure. Conceptually, the research was based on the appreciation of the existence of varying value systems of the local communities in relation to the forest resources. The study further examine the regeneration, and forest structure to obtain information on forest status and to see factors governing the ecology of the forest. Data on the vegetation structure were collected from 59 randomly selected sample plots located at 50 meters altitudinal intervals, ranging from 1500 to 2850 meters above sea level. In the sample plots of the study area 82 species belonging to 33 families were identified. Relative density, Relative frequency, Relative basal area and importance value Index were calculated for each species which showed the overall forest situation. The Importance Value Index (lVI) was analyzed along altitudinal gradient of which five dominant species were identified. These dominant species were Olea europaea, Juniperus procera, Rhus nata/ensis, May tenus arbutifolia and Tarconanthus camphoratus. iii / It was found that in most cases Olea europaea SU~\ m qusp!dfll9 wlVl )he highest , contributor to the relative basal area of the forest area. The general configuration of all species was found to have high density at lower Diameter at Breast Height (Dbh) classes and low density at higher Dbh classes. Shrub and less quality woody species were dominant in the smaller Dbh classes. Horizontal distribution of the species revealed that the number of species increase with the increase in altitude. iv Acknowledgements I wish to express my deepest gratitude and appreciation to my Research Advisors, Dr. Tamirat Bekele and Dr. Zemede Asfaw for the full assistance that they provide me to ensure this study to be successful. Thanks to Dr. Zemede Asfaw for his constructive ideas and inputs from the time of proposal formulation to thesis writing. Dr. Tamrat Bekele is thanked for his consistent and stimulating advise and for the comments he made on my proposal and enrichment of this thesis. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Ato Tamru Habte, Head of Natural Resources Management and Regulatory Department, MOA, who encouraged me throughout my study and who helped me in providing vehicle for the field work during data collection. I am highly indebted to my wife Aregash Yohannes, my Children, Mekidm, Mahder and Dagmawit for their constant encouragement for the success of my study. I would also like to express my appreciation to Wit Misrak Zeleke and Ato Alemayehu Mamo for their unreserved support in one way or another for the success of my study. I am very much grateful to Dr. George Kasberger and to Mr. Gunter Haasse, GTZ for their assistance. This study was conducted by financial support of the Research Program on Sustainable Use of Dryland Biodiversity (RPSUD) and the Swedish International Development Agency for Research and cooperation (SIDNSAREC). v I am also grateful to the Forest Genetic Resources conservation project (GTZ-IBCR) for which this work couldn't see the light with out the financial support. Last, but not least, I would like to extend my appreciation to my friends Patrick M.Kenyatta, Yakub Oahiye and Manoko Katambo. Finally, I wish to express my appreciation and sincere thanks to all friends who contributed morally and materially for the completion of this thesis. Above all, I thank God for helping me endure the rigorous of every day life and to overcome the challenges of graduate studies. vi Table of Contents Page ABSTRACT .........................................................................................................111 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................... V LIST OF ACRONyMS ......................................................................................... IX LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................. XI LIST OF APPENDIXES ..................................................................................... XII LIST OF PLATES ............................................................................................. XIII 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................1 1 .1. Background and statement of the problem .......................................... 1 1.2. Objectives of the study ........................................................................ 7 1.2.1. General Objective ......................................................................... 7 1.2.2. Specific Objectives ........................................................................ 7 1.3. DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA .............................................B 1.3.1. Location ....................................................................................... 8 1.3.2. Climate ........................................................................................ 8 1.3.3 Physiography ............................................................................. 10 1.3.4. Soils ........................................................................................... 10 1.3.5. Vegetation .................................................................................. 11 1.3. 6. Land-use ..................................................................................... 12 2. LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................13 2.1. Local Communities and their knowledge on Biodiversity conservation ...................................................................................... 13 2.2. Participatory community forest management. ................................... 18 2.3. Vegetation Structure .......................................................................... 24 2.3.1. Vertical structure of plant communities ....................................... 25 2.3.2. Horizontal distribution of plant communities .............................. 27 2.4. Effects of topographic factors on vegetational structure .................... 29 2.5. Factors affecting natural regeneration ............................................... 30 2.5.1. The forest environment .............................................................. 31 2.5.2 . The Light environment.. ............................................................. 32 3. MATERIAL AND METHODS ......................................................................35 3.1 Procedure for sampling Localities ............................................... 35 3.2. Methods ...................................................................................... 38 3.2.1. Traditional forest management practice ..................................... 38 3.2.1.1. Focus group interview ........................................................... 38 3.2.2. Ethnoforestry Iindigenous knowledge on trees and shrub species .............................................................................. 39 3.2.2.1. Semi - Structured interview .................................................. 39 3.2.2.2. Direct Matrix Ranking and scoring ........................................ 40 3.2.2.3. Direct Pair Wise ranking and scoring .................................... 41 3.2.3. Plant specimen collection and identification ............................... 42 vii 3.2.4. Environmental Data .................................................................... 42 3.2.5. Vegetation Sampling .................................................................. 43 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ................................................................... 46 4.1. Traditional forest management. ......................................................... 46 4.1.1. Exclusive group use-right in the rist system ............................... 46 4.1.2. Traditional rules and regulations on the rational utilization of the forestland resources ........................................................ 49 4.1.2.1. Grazing inside the forest under traditional forest management ......................................................................... 50 4.1.2.2. Beekeeping inside the forest under the traditional forest management ......................................................................... 51 4.1.2.3. Utilization of trees under the traditional forest management. 51 4.2. Current forest management practice ................................................. 52 4.2.1. Grazing inside the forest under the existing forest management 52 4.2.2. Bee keeping inside the forest under the existing management ... 54 4.2.3. Utilization of tree resources under the existing forest management ............................................................................... 54 4.3. Lessons and prospects ....................................................................