Monitoring of Forest Resources in Ethiopia

Abstract

Historical sources indicate that, based on the potential climatic climax vegetation, about 42 million ha or the equivalent of some 35 percent of Ethiopia’s land area might once have been covered by Natural High Forests ( E f a p , 1994). Between 1955 and 1979, Ethiopia lost 77 % of the forested area it had in the year 1955 ( M in is t r y o f A g r ic u lt u r e , 1982). Although some rough figures about the deforestation and degradation of the Natural High Forest are available, there is no reliable information on the extend and the location of the past, or indeed present, natural forest cover in Ethiopia. In scope of the report, detailed analysis were performed to assess the depletion of Ethiopia’s High Forests within the last 25 years. Based on classifications of remote sensing data, the design of a National Forest Information System (FIS) was initialised, to perform change detection analysis of the forest resources of Ethiopia The first part of the report lists the input data and describes the development and management of the forest database of Ethiopia Afterwards the Forest Monitoring results of Ethiopia and Southwest Ethiopia are described and discussed. They are alarming and show, that even in such a short time period, vast areas of the country's Natural High Forests have been degraded or deforested. Satellite images of 1973 to 1976 indicate, that in the seventies 4.75 % of the country was covered by Natural High Forests. Apart from few minor stands in the north of Ethiopia, the forests were limited mainly to the more inaccessible areas in the south-western and southern parts of the country. Around 10 to 15 years later, less than 3.93 % - including slightly and heavily disturbed High Forests - respectively 45055 km2 of forest stands were remaining. Looking at the density classes, it is significant, that most of the once Closed High Forests degraded to Slightly and Heavily Disturbed High Forest, so that in the eighties, only around 0.20 % of the country was covered by undisturbed natural forests. Apparently in only around 11 % of the Natural High Forests, which were observed, no change of the forest cover was registered. Totally, 45 % of the High Forests, which were still existing between 1973 and 1976, had been deforested. The annual deforestation rate of 163,600 ha means, that every year, a High Forest area of more than half the size of Lake Tana is destroyed in Ethiopia. The generated maps clearly indicate, that deforestation grows in most cases like a tumour from the edge of the forest to its inner parts, which is caused by severe human pressure. Today, one can only find remarkable stands of Natural High Forests within Oromia, Southern and Gambela Region. In an effort to cope with the rapid depletion of forests in recent years, the Government has classified 58 of the most important High Forest areas as National Forest Priority Areas (NFPA) (E f a p , 1 9 9 4 ). Nevertheless, the analysis clearly shows, that in some NFPAs no Natural High Forests are remaining at all, whereas in most of them, the forest stands have been either partly deforested or at least severely degraded. In scope of a Forest Monitoring for SW Ethiopia, based on more detailed input data, an area of around 30,000 km2 was analysed. The area of investigation is located in the heart of an area, which was once completely covered by Natural High Forest. Till the seventies, already 60 % of the natural forests got victim of human expansion. Afterwards, the trend of degradation and deforestation continued thanks to human migrations, based on an adventurous resettlement policy of the Mengistu-Regime and an increasing natural population growth. Compared with the data of the seventies, the aerial photographs of 1996/97 give clear evidence, that Closed High Forest seriously diminished from many parts of the area. At present, they are restncted to mountain ridges, inaccessible and less fertile areas. Furthermore, it seems that Closed High Forests are concentrated within the boundaries of the NFPAs, whereas outside only small patches are remaining. Altogether, around 50 % of the once Closed High Forests got lost or degraded to Slightly Disturbed and Heavily Disturbed High Forests within the observed area in SW Ethiopia. The results of the report prove. that the natural forest resources of Ethiopia are under a very severe human pressure. In long-term, the unique Natural High Forests of Ethiopia can only be conserved, if Management Plans are developed in co-operation with the local communities and implemented within the next years In this context, it is indispensable, that the Agricultural Bureaus of the Administrative Regions defme strategies for conservation and take responsibility for a sustainable management of the natural resources.