Abstract
Ethiopia has the largest forest land resource in the horn of Africa with a total of 12.5 million hectares (ha).The livelihoods of most the peoples in the country are highly interlinked directly or indirectly with forest resources. It plays enormous environmental, socio-economic significance and thereby contributes a great role in the sustainable development of the country as well. However, most of the forest resources of Ethiopia are highly exposed to degradation at an alarming rate. A century ago, forests covered about 40 % of the total landmass of the country. The spatial pattern of the forest has been shown a rapid decrement from 40% in 1900 to 16% in 1954, 8% in 1961, 4% in 1975, 3.2% in 1980 and now it is estimated to be less than 3%. The spatiotemporal forest cover change in Ethiopia has been attributed to natural and more importantly manmade factors. The major drivers of forest cover decline can be grouped as proximate driving factors and underlying driving factors in Ethiopia. Proximate driving factors of include; expansion of resettlement, expansion of agricultural practices and charcoal burning and cutting trees for fuel whereas, underlying driving factors include; economic, institutional, technological, cultural, demographic and biophysical factors. The alarming rates of forest degradation have been posing environmental, social and economic problems. The environmental implications of forest degradation are climate change, siltation of water bodies, and degradation of wetlands, soil erosion, and reduction in agricultural production. Therefore so as to reverse the current situation of forest degradation and maintain ecological balance, there has to be an inclusive responsibility by all levels of communities. The governmental and non-governmental organizations, farmers as well as the private sectors should play their own role in protecting the forest resources. Keywords : forest cover decline, driving factors, management strategies DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/67-01 Publication date: July 31 st 2020
Highlights
The livelihood, as well as the living of we human beings, are highly dependent on forest and forest derived resources
The forest cover of Ethiopia has been shown a rapid decrement from 40% in 1900 to 16% in 1954, 8% in 1961, 4% in 1975, 3.2% in 1980 and it is estimated to be less than 3% (Amogne 2014)
In this paper mainly we described the forest resource classification in Ethiopia based on their eco-regions by Workie and Debella (2018)
Summary
The livelihood, as well as the living of we human beings, are highly dependent on forest and forest derived resources. Underlying driving factors of forest cover change in Ethiopia includes economic factors (challenges to forest management and investment), institutional factors (poor governance, and land tenure system), technological factor, cultural factors (ecoculture transformation) demographic factors (rapid population growth with high rate of natural increase), biophysical factors including slope of land, climate variability, and droughts (Moges et al 2010; Kaimowitz 2012). Demographic characteristics mainly population density and rate of natural increase are indirect factors for forest cover conversion through the growing needs for additional lands for farming and grazing as well as demands for tree products (Gessesse & Bewket 2014). Among the main activities that have been implemented were the establishment of enclosures, formulation of bylaws, enrichment plantation and soil and water conservation structures. enclosures' are areas closed from human and animal interference to promote natural regeneration of plants on formerly degraded communal grazing lands
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