Benefits of Wetlands and Attitudes of Local Communities towards Wetland Conservation in Southwest Ethiopia Peoples' Region

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Abstract This study was conducted in the Sheyebench and South Bench Woredas of the Bench-Sheko zone and Masha Woreda of the Sheka zone in southwest Ethiopia. In this study Chega-Gawussi wetland from Masha, Chonkie-Shinkie wetland from Sheybench and Lake Dembi South Bench Woredas were selected. In this both primary and secondary data were used. Primary data were collected from randomly interviewed households living in the vicinity of the selected wetlands. The main objective of interview highly revolves around benefits and attitudes of local communities towards conservation of wetlands. Collected data were analyzed using 5-point Likert scale to analyze benefits and attitudes respondents towards wetland conservation. SPSS© and Microsoft excel©. The result of study revealed that wetlands in the study area provide wide range of uses for local communities, such as livestock grazing, irrigation, recreation, grass and forage harvesting, water sources for livestock and domestic uses, fish harvesting, and firewood collection. Majority of respondents agreed that wetlands are important and offer various services. Despite the studied wetlands offer numerous benefits to the local communities, they were under human pressure due to farmland expansion, deforestation, expansion of eucalyptus plantation, silting from adjacent farmlands, and overgrazing. Local community has positive attitude towards wetland conservation, and therefore the office of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Forestry and Environmental Protection, and Biodiversity Conservation should work collaboratively to initiate and mobilize local communities to conserve wetlands and to reduce pressures on wetland resources,

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