Environmental Impacts of Eucalypt Plantations in the Western Gurage Watersheds, Central-South Ethiopia

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Abstract BackgroundEthiopia has the largest area of eucalypt plantations in East Africa and is one of the ten pioneer countries that introduced the eucalyptus (hereafter eucalypt for singular and eucalypts for plural). In Ethiopia eucalypt plantations constitute 58% of the total plantation cover followed by Cupressus (29%), Juniperus procera (4%) and pines (2%). According to various studies establishing exotic forest plantations like eucalypts species has been under big debate over the last three decades regarding the advantages and disadvantages of growing eucalypts. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to assess the environmental impact of eucalypt plantations in Western Gurage Watersheds, which is located in Central-South Ethiopia. The specific objectives of this study were: to describe farmers’ land use practices in eucalypt plantations; to assess farmers’ perception on environmental impacts (negative and positive) of eucalypt plantations on environment; and to explore empirical literatures on the environmental cons and pos of eucalypt plantations and policy options. MethodsSamples from three Woredas (Districts) namely Cheha, Enemorna Ener, and Eza located in the Watersheds were used. Systematic purposive sampling method was employed by selecting households with eucalypt woodlots from the list of each Woreda’s Kebeles (sub districts). Close- and open- ended questionnaires were distributed to every fifth households possessing eucalypt plantations. To supplement the information; critical observation, discussions with focus groups and interviews with key informant were employed. The survey data were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative techniques. To describe data acquired from critical observations, focus group discussions and key informant interviews; critical and logical qualitative data analysis technique were used. Data acquired from questionnaires were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Descriptive and dispersive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, variance, standard deviation, p- value and correlation were employed. Empirical critical review on discussion was employed to investigate the reality on environmental aspect of the species in the country and elsewhere. ResultsThe result showed that households in the study area have enough knowledge on environmental aspects of eucalypts such as competition with other land uses, soil erosion, soil fertility, stream volume, microclimate change, and wildlife conflict after having experienced in using the species for many decades. From multiple responses given with regard to expected eucalypts driven farmland constraints; all (100%) of the households believed that shortage of grazing land shall become more serious, there will be reduction of cattle number, productivity of enset and other crops will be decreased, and the strong traditional attachment Gurages have with enset shall get loose. About 89% of the households believed that farming transformation may take place from enset based farming system to other form. ConclusionsHouseholds have given more emphasis on socioeconomic importance of the species and its environmental externalities gained less attention particularly in using multidimensional management options in its optimum planting practices such as site selections and tinning. Hence farmland and grazing land sizes were reduced as a result of their conversion to eucalypt plantations. Thus strict land use management and policy should be practiced to reduce environmental adverse impacts, to save these diminutive land uses from eucalypts plantation conversion and to sustain the livelihood and cultural settings of the Gurage Community.

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