International Journal of Environmental Sciences Anteneh et. al., Vol. 2 No.1 ISSN: 2277-1948 International Journal of Environmental Sciences Vol. 2 No. 1. 2013. Pp. 29-39 ©Copyright by CRDEEP. All Rights Reserved. Full Length Research Paper Recurrent and extensive forest fire incidence in the Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP), Ethiopia: Extent, Cause and Consequences *Anteneh Belayneh1, Temesgen Yohannes2 and Adefires Worku3 1.Haramaya University, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, P. O. Box 282, Ethiopia. 2.Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), Forestry Research Center (FRC), P. O. Box 30708. Ethiopia. Email: [email protected] 3. Technical University of Dresden, Faculty of Environmental Science, Institute of International Forestry and Forest Products, Pienner Str. 7 D-01737 Tharandt, Germany. *Corresponding Author: Anteneh Belayneh Abstract Bale Mountains of Ethiopia are part of the Eastern Afromontane and Afroalpine Biodiversity Hotspot, one of the 34 Conservation International Biodiversity Hotspots. These Mountains are the source of 40 rivers and streams contributing to five major rivers where about 12 million people are downstream users. For long time, Bale Mountain massifs are designated as Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP). Recurrent and extended forest fire however is becoming a tragic challenge for sustainable management of the biodiversity and endemism it harbours. We investigated the scope, causes and consequences of the 2008 forest fire in the BMNP in particular, and history of fire incidences in the whole Bale Mountains massifs in general. Data was gathered using literature review, transect walk, semi- structured interviews, group discussions, GPS and accusation of pictures. Fifty systematically and randomly selected informants were participated in the study. Soft wares like SPSS and arch GIS were employed in data analysis. Results showed that forest fire in the Bale Mountains is likely a common phenomenon during the last few decades, but with increasing severity in recent years. According to the last 30 years data, the scope of fires increased from 210 ha to 12,825 ha. About 84% of the recent fires were happened within the BMNP, burnt 60% of the “Ericaceous belt”, the major water catchment area of the Bale Mountains massif. Most fires were human induced. A declining water percolation, increasing runoff, rivers pollution, death and migration of wild life, burnt soil up to 15 cm depth, shrinking forest size were mentioned as major consequences. A continued forest fire may lead to the devastation of the entire hot spot, signifying the urgent need to design an integrated forest fire management plan which seems non-existent in the country. Keywords: Afro-alpine, Bale Mountains, biodiversity hotspot, endemic species, forest fire Introduction The natural resources of Ethiopia and forests in particular are under severe pressure arising from a combination of factors related to ecological, socio-economic and politico-institutional issues (Teketay, 1992; Lemessa, 2001; Yemishaw et al., 2009). Although the cycle of events that leads to the destruction of forest resources involves many varying factors, those initiated by humans using fire to access and remove forest resources is the most severe (Tesfaye et al., 2004). Forest fires in Ethiopia are becoming serious problems due to many factors including climatic and socio-economic issues (Tesfaye et al., 2004; Teketay, 2000; Goldammer and Abberger, 2000). The potential occurrence, extent, behaviour and causes of forest fire vary among different areas across the world (Goldammer, 1991; Goldammer, 1992; Goldammer, 1993). Similarly, the underlying root causes of fires induced by people in Ethiopia have been reported to differ in the lowland and highland areas (Abebe, 1993). People induce fires deliberately in the natural vegetations for various reasons like, to clear the land for crop cultivation, encourage new growth of grass for their domestic stock, get rid of insect pests and wild animals, etc (Teketay, 2000). The Bale Mountains of Ethiopia, located within the National Regional State of Oromia in south-eastern Ethiopia, are among the most important conservation area in the Ethiopian highlands that have also a very high international significance (Assefa, 2001; INCU, 2010). The Bale Mountains are part of the Eastern Afromontane and Afroalpine Biodiversity Hotspot, which is one of the 34 Conservation International Biodiversity Hotspots and qualify for World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve Listing. The Bale Online version available at: www.crdeep.com 29 International Journal of Environmental Sciences Anteneh et. al., Vol. 2 No.1 ISSN: 2277-1948 Mountains encompass the largest Afroalpine area in Africa (UNESCO, 2011). However, fire is a recurrent phenomenon in the Bale Mountains massif. During the past couple of decades, strong influence of recurrent fires was noticed in the area (Miehe and Miehe, 1994). The authors further stated that, the shrubs were only grown to 0.5 to 1 m. height, may be due to the influence of the recurrent fire. The more affected part of the Bale Mountains massif is the ericaceous belt, which was noted that the ericaceous vegetation regenerate from resprouting at the base due to the recurrent fire. However, Hillman (1986) mentioned that, the ericaceous vegetation created by such recurrent fires has poor ground cover with low species diversity. Among the recurrent fires in the Bale Mountains massif the one that occurred between February and April 2000 was the most severe. Historical data show that this was the worst fire of the last one hundred years, and destroyed more than 90 thousand hectares of the country’s moist evergreen forest in the Bale Zone alone. The loss of biomass was estimated at 18 million tons worth of an estimated 331 million Eth Birr (19.4 million USD) that resulted a direct and indirect loss of local and national economy (Wolde-Selassie, 2004). Most recently, in 2008 forest fire occurred in about nine weredas of Bale Zone, and recorded as the second severe fire next to the 2000 forest fire. The Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP) lies within the Bale Zone and it was this park which was severely affected in both forest fire incidences. The loss of these ecological zones (vegetation communities) can have far reaching severe impacts. As it is indicated in Fig (1), Bale Mountains are sources of c. 40 small and large rivers contributing to five major rivers i. e., the Web, Wabi Shebelle, Welmel, Dumal and Genale and mainly flowing to the lowlands of the eastern part of Ethiopia and the neighbouring Somalia where an estimated more than 12 million people are downstream users (BMNP GMP, 2007). Figure 1. Major rivers (Wabe Shebelle, Web, Welmel, and Dumal), small rivers, streams and watersheds in and around the Bale Mountains National Park. The Bale Mountains massif has five distinguished ecological zones with peculiar vegetation formations (Tesfaye et al., 2005). The hydrological system conservation in Bale Mountain hence strongly linked to the conservation of the various vegetation zones. Wolde- Selassie (2004) also emphasised that conservation of these ecological zones is a prerequisite to attain sustainable management of the hydrological cycle in the Bale Mountains massifs. However, due to deforestation and forest degradation these ecological zones become immense. The forest fire that occurred in 2008 and only extinguished naturally were among the major threats that undermine the perpetuity of this versatile ecosystem. The most affected part among the five ecological zones was the “Ericaceous belt”, which mediates between the Harenna Forest (the only montane forest belt in the area) and “Afro-alpine belt”. This ericaceous belt (due to the dominance of Erica species) covers the broad vertical belt of the Bale Mountains between 3000 to 4000 m. a.s.l. extending over 1000 m vertically (Miehe and Miehe, 1994). Therefore, it is an essential water catchments area in this maximum rainfall zone. The hydrological buffer function accomplished by Erica vegetation not only benefits the water catchments of the mountains ecosystem itself, but also it has of regional (Somalia and Kenya) importance in regulating the water flow critical for agriculture productively in the surrounding lowlands (Pocs, 1980). Despite the observed increasing forest incidence in the area, there are limitation of empirical research on the scope, causes and extent of damages of the different forest fire in the Bale Mountains massif. This research therefore was conducted to investigate the scope, Online version available at: www.crdeep.com 30 International Journal of Environmental Sciences Anteneh et. al., Vol. 2 No.1 ISSN: 2277-1948 causes and consequences of the 2008 forest fire in the BMNP in particular, and history of fire incidences in the whole Bale Mountains massifs in order to provide applicable policy and development recommendations that will contribute to the strategic planning and integration of forest fire management system in the area and the country at large. Materials and Methods Study area The Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP) is located 400 km southeast of Addis Ababa, in Oromia National Regional State in south- eastern Ethiopia. The local boundary of BMNP lies within five weredas (districts): Adaba (west), Dinsho (north), Goba (northeast), Dalo Mana (southeast) and Harenna Buluk (southwest) and encompasses approximately 2,200 km2 of Mountains and forest. The park area lies within geographical coordinates of 6º29' – 7º10' N and 39º28' – 39º57' E and covers the largest area above 3000 meters a.s.l. in Africa. Tullu Dimtu, altitude 4377 meters a.s.l., is the highest peak in the park and the second highest in Ethiopia. It was established with the primary objective of conserving endemic species like the Mountain Nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni) and the Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) and other valuable natural resources in the area. The Bale Mountains National Park encompasses a broad range of habitats between 1,500 and 4377 m altitude. It contains five ecological zones i. e., grassland, Hagenia/Juniperus woodland, Afroalpine vegetation, Erica forest/scrub (Ericaceous belt) and Bamboo forest and Harenna forest belt (Fig 2).