ASSESSING PERCEIVED IMPACTS AND CAUSES OF HUMAN ENCROACHMENT INTO PROTECTED FOREST ECOSYSTEMS: THE CASE OF AMARO WOREDA SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA.

Abstract

Protected areas are a cornerstone of forest conservation in developing countries like Ethiopia. Yet little is known about the impacts of forest cover change on the socio-economic as well as environmental issue on local communities, and even less pay attention about the relationship between these effects. Forest reserve in Amaro Woreda has undergone drastic changes over the year due to encroachment and deforestation by human activities. But the effect of forest depletion on socio-economic as well as environment of local people demands attention. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of human encroachment into the protected forest ecosystem. One kebele was selected using purposive sampling from out of 17 kebeles in the Woreda in which the protected forest is located. The data were collected from primary and secondary sources from government institution and development agencies. Survey questionnaire, individual interview and observation were employed to collect primary data and unpublished socio-economic reports were used. The collected data were analyzed by using of descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage and graphs. In order to clarify, the satellite image maps were aided by using Arc GIS. The result of this study reveal that expansion of farmland and settlement of the community, low conservation management and decision making process in the government side were viewed as hindering factor to affect forest protection in the studied area. The research recommends that land resource management officials and policy implementer’s should enhance people’s awareness through educating and training to increase conservation practices on the ground in reasonable way to preserve and protect forest resources to compromising of the future uses.