Recreational Ecosystem Service of Cemeteries In Addis Ababa Under Different Management

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Date

2014-04

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Addis Ababauniversity

Abstract

The cemeteries of Addis Ababa which are under different management give different kind of ecosystem services. Among these services recreation ecosystem provision is a possibility for the cemeteries. But there are problems that they face such as absence of proper management and appreciation for recreational ecosystem service value, lack of specific regulations and knowledge for cemetery tree plantation and species diversification and recreational usage, seeing burials as the only income generator or profits by the management for sub-cities rather than considering the benefits of recreational ecosystem services and being under budgeted for the management of cemeteries. So this study specifically provides an assessment of recreational ecosystem service of nine cemeteries under different management which are the Municipality , Catholic Church, Italian Catholic Church, Italian & British Embassy, the Holy Trinity Church, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Ethiopia and the Municipality & the Muslim Administration. In order to currently some of the cemeteries that are found in the city of Addis Ababa have already commenced giving recreation ecosystem service. This recreational ecosystem service data was collected by questioners that are semi structured and unstructured ones. Those the first semi structures were used for two cemeteries only namely the Millennium and Holy Trinity. The study also describes the diversity of tree species in the cemetery. Field studies of tree diversity in these cemeteries were carried out between January and April 2013. Within a cemetery, of 20 m by 20 m square shaped sample plots were used to record information on tree diversity. A total of 756 stems were recorded in 18 plots. The composition is overwhelmingly dominated by exotic species. Of the 23 species encountered 12 were indigenous and only 11 were introduced species. In terms of abundance, 44 % of the trees belonged to exotic species, while only 56% of the trees belong to indigenous species. In addition the study gives solutions for exploiting recreational potential and makes cemeteries relevant. And taking these into consideration the study formulates on how both the living and the dead could exist in the same space harmoniously. Keywords: Cemetery, recreational ecosystem service, management, tree and diversity

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Keywords

Cemetery; recreational ecosystem service; management; tree and diversity

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