Perception of Local Community Towards Deforestation: The Case of Edigetber And Selamber Kebele Around Wolkite Town, Gurage Zone, Snnprs
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Date
2011-07
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Addis Ababauniversity
Abstract
The ever increasing demand of farmland, demand for fuel wood and charcoal coupled with
population growth has accelerated the rate of forest reduction in recent years in Ethiopia.
Deforestation in Ethiopia was increasing at alarming rate and the rate of afforestation was velY
negligible in light of the very high rate of clearing for fuel, expanding agricultural land, for
construction, urban development purposes, and also lack of awareness creation for the
communities have contribution for deforestation. This study aims to explore local community
perception towards deforestation in the edigetber and selamber kebele around wolkite town.
Both qualitative and quantitative research design were employed in the study. Qualitative
research design was used to explore the perception of local community towards the major
drivers, causes and consequences of deforestation. Quantitative research design was used to
quantifY some numerical data which was collected in the study area and also likert scale was
employed in order to gather information concerning perception of local community mainly on
deforestation. Purposive sampling technique was applied to select the participants for in-depth
interview, and focus group discussion. A total of 104 households were used for household
survey. The study findings indicated that according to the local community perception the major
causes of deforestation in the study area includes: agricultural expansion, urbanization, fuel
wood consumption, and others drivers like population growth, land scarcity problem, informal
settlement, lack of awareness creation and accident fires on forests resource. These resulted in
gullies formation and soil erosion, loss of productivity, loss of biodiversity especially plants,
animals, interruption of water flows, and also climate changes. To alleviate such problems,
governments should create job opportunities for the communities in order to reduce their
dependency on forests, there should be a promotion of environmental education and awareness,
and the expansion of alternative energy sources, training, fuel saving technology diffusion
should be facilitated in order to reduce their dependency on fuel wood.
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Edigetber And Selamber Kebele Around Wolkite Town, Gurage Zone, Snnprs