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Threats and management options of the green belt natural forest, northwest lowlands of Ethiopia

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Relation http://oar.icrisat.org/12034/
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tfp.2022.100305
 
Title Threats and management options of the green belt natural forest, northwest lowlands of Ethiopia
 
Creator Yeshineh, G
Mekonnen, M
Zeleke, G
Desta, G
 
Subject Ethiopia
 
Description The natural forest located across central Africa from Gambia (West Africa) to Ethiopia (East Africa) is believed to
break the expansion of the great Sahara Desert towards the southern and south eastern Africa, as a green belt.
However, natural and anthropogenic factors are challenging the existence of the forest. Thus, this study was
conducted to investigate the spatio-temporal dynamics, threats and sustainable management options of the green
belt forest (GBF) located in Ethiopia. Satellite imagery was used to assess the GBF cover dynamics between the
year 1980 and 2020 using ERDAS IMAGINE software. ArcGIS software was used for spatial analysis and mapping.
Field observation, focus group discussions, and questionnaire based interview were used to collect the
required data and SPSS software was used for analysis. The result showed that farmland increased from 32% (in
1980) to 52% (in 2020), whereas, the GBF cover decreased from 58% (in 1980) to 39% (in 2020), with the
overall classification accuracy and kappa coefficient of 86% and 81%, respectively. Re-settlement, large-scale
agricultural investment, charcoal production, fuel wood, and road construction were among the important
threats causing the GBF reduction. Investors, settlers, migrants, residents and day-workers are agents of the GBF
cover reduction. To minimize deforestation and sustainably use the GBF local bylaws, delineating and keeping
the GBF from human interferences, building awareness, enrichment plantation, and alternative firewood sources
were identified as management options. Therefore, to maintain the GBF and break the expansion of the Sahara
Desert, governmental and non-governmental organization and the local community ought to apply the recommended
GBF management options.
 
Publisher ELSEVIER
 
Date 2022-07-17
 
Type Article
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
Identifier http://oar.icrisat.org/12034/1/Threats%20and%20management%20options%20of%20the%20green%20belt%20natural%20forest%20northwest%20lowlands%20of%20Ethiopia.pdf
Yeshineh, G and Mekonnen, M and Zeleke, G and Desta, G (2022) Threats and management options of the green belt natural forest, northwest lowlands of Ethiopia. Trees Forests and People (TSI), 9 (100305). pp. 1-10. ISSN 2666-7193