Deforestation and Land Degradation in the Ethiopian Highlands: A Strategy for Physical Recovery

Abstract

Deforestation,!accelerated!soil!erosion,!and!land!degradation!are!serious!problems!in!Ethiopia.!To!
overcome!these!problems,!efforts!have!been!made!to!launch!afforestation!and!conservation!
programs;!success!to!date,!however,!has!been!limited.!This!paper!will!discuss!agriculture!and!
forestry!practices!in!the!Ethiopian!highlands!and!try!to!identify!the!causes!ofdeforestation!and!land!
degradation!there.!Agroforestry!and!social!forestry!practices,!plantation!forestry,!and!conservation!
of!the!remaining!forests!are!proposed!as!a!strategy!for!physical!recovery.!Social!and!policy!issues!
such!as!local!participation!in!natural!resource!management!and!the!existence!of!clear!land!and!tree!
tenure!policies!are!critical!for!the!long"term!sustainability!and!expansion!of!forests!in!Ethiopia.!In!
general,!tree!planting!through!agroforestry!and!social!forestry!should!be!an!integral!part!of!rural!
development!programs!to!provide!the!community!with!food,!fuel!wood,!income,!and!
environmental!benefits.!Increasing!public!awareness!through!education!about!forestry!and!natural!
resource!conservation!is!vital!for!maintaining!Ethiopia's!remaining!natural!forests!and!biodiversity.