Review on Plant Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services of Sacred and Church Forests in Ethiopia

Abstract

Ethiopia is the richest country in biodiversity particularly by plant species. However, most forest resource aggressively damaged by anthropogenic pressure; it is very sever in highland parts of the country. As a result, numerous forest biodiversity and ecosystem service loss.  Wonderful, there is patchy left forest around Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church and sacred forest. Religious institution (EOTC) and traditional norms are the main central point for why these forests conserved. Mostly, the place and all available resources particularly plant biodiversity are highly respected by the community because they account as God's commandment and a convent for EOTC and memorabilia for culturati. Sacredness is playing an uncountable role in conserving biodiversity resource particular plant biodiversity and ecosystem service. Both forests might assists as in situ conservation for native plant species. Church with stonewall has high species number than without similar sacred forest has high species number than non-sacred forest. Their ecosystem services are multiple such as environment, social-culture, economic, and combat climate change besides spiritual and religiousness. Likely plays a central role in alleviating poverty by providing fruit and seeds for food and income. However, due to population growth, overgrazing, farmland expansion, settlement, climate change, land use change and modernization some scared and church forests have been worsening. Therefore, to ensure the ecosystem service of forest (Church and sacred) and to control from further damaged it should be safeguarded by the affiliate as well as by other stakeholders particularly the government put a target for such forest conservation.

Keywords: Biodiversity, church, ecosystem service, sacred, plant

DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/86-03

Publication date:June 30^th 2022