Impacts of Resettlement on Woodland Resource Utilization in Abobo Wereda, Gambella, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the impacts of resettlement programme on woodland resource utilization in Abobo wereda. Data collected from 292 sampled households, focus group discussion, key informant interview and field observation were used to identify the underlying causes woodland degradation , use of woodland product by the resettlers and the conservation efforts made by resettlers to minimize woodland  degradation in the study area. Due to the effects of resettlers population existing in the study area the natural vegetation covers particularly the forest, woodland and grassland is dwindling in alarming rate in the past three decades. The resettlers use the woodland product for firewood and charcoal, for construction and for preparing their farming tools. The major cause of woodland degradation was rapid expansion of farmland following resettlement, investors, excessive cutting of trees for firewood and construction, forest fire and conversation of woodland to open up crop field. The major conservation effort used by resettlers in the study area was planting trees. But, it is not comparable with the fast rate of deforestation and also the major suggested solutions that used to minimize woodland degradation in the study area were planting trees, providing environmental education, searching other alternative source of energy and setting of strong laws and follow up.

Keywords: Resettlement, Environmental impacts, Woodland utilization,