Saving the Forests of Ethiopia – One Church at a Time
TREE Foundation’s efforts to save the “church forests” of Ethiopia were highlighted in the above short film published by The New York Times as part of its award-winning Op-Docs (opinion documentary) series. The work of independent filmmaker Jeremy Seifert, the film was published on the Times’ website on Dec. 3, 2019. The film was narrated by Dr. Alemayehu Wassie Eshete of Ethiopia, an active board member of TREE Foundation.
TREE Foundation is a global force in the conservation of the last remaining forests of northern Ethiopia.
Because these church forests of Ethiopia house water supplies, biodiversity (including pollinators of local crops), conserve soil, store carbon, as well as the local churches which represent important spiritual centers, these forests are an important legacy to the health of the Ethiopian people. TREE’s Ethiopia project represents a win/win/win in the world of conservation biology:
- Construction of stone walls encourage removal of stones from agricultural fields and raise the crop yield
- The stone walls conserve the remaining forest patches and the native biodiversity of northern Ethiopia
- The walls prevent cattle from eating the seedlings and plows from damaging the edge vegetation
- The walls provide labor for some of the rural sector
To help TREE Foundation’s efforts to save these critical church forests, consider supporting us with a contribution:
Featured Church Forest
Goha Mariam Church Forest (Est. A.D.)
Regional View of Deforestation | See Map of All Forests
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Olea grows slowly but has high survival success once established even under environmental stress. Its seeds are easily dispersed by birds from one habitat to another and so Olea appear widely in the Church forests.
-- Photo by Trees ForTheFuture -
Dung beetles provide an important service by both removing human and animal waste from the forest floor and by spreading seeds through out the forest.
-- Photo by Heather and Mike -
Small islands of forests around the churches are almost all that is left of the once vast forests of N. Ethiopia. The church forest communities protect the forests for spirituality and ecosystem services.
-- Photo by Tree Foundation -
There are approximately 30,000 Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Churches with 40 million followers. The Church perceives nature to include people, trees, animals, water, land features and the nation as a whole.
-- Photo by Tree Foundation
Forest Health Indicators for Goha Mariam Church Forest
Hectares
of Forest
Remaining
of Forest
Remaining
3.5
Woody
Species
Remaining
Species
Remaining
30
Number of
Cattle Trails
In the Forest
Cattle Trails
In the Forest
0.0
Number of
Cut Trees
In the Forest
Cut Trees
In the Forest
0
Percentage of
Wall
Completed
Wall
Completed
60%
Church Forests of Ethiopia
| Forest | Year Established | Remaining Hectares | Remaining Woody Species | Cattle Trails | Cut Trees | Wall Completed (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abegeldi | 1735 | 14.0 | 19 | 4.1 | 91 | 0% |
| Alember | 1702 | 14.5 | 37 | 2.3 | 141 | 0% |
| Amstya | 1260 | 22.8 | 57 | 1.3 | 53 | 0% |
| Ascha | 1940 | 1.6 | 22 | 3.2 | 128 | 0% |
| Asolit | 1984 | 7.7 | 36 | 1.3 | 14 | 0% |
| Debresena | 1570 | 11.5 | 40 | 1.3 | 119 | 100% |
| Deder | 1690 | 14.4 | 22 | 3.4 | 88 | 0% |
| Dengolt | 1300 | 25.0 | 50 | 3.3 | 41 | 0% |
| Emashenkor | 1659 | 3.4 | 28 | 0.0 | 13 | 100% |
| Enshet Kuskuam | 1410 | 6.3 | 26 | 1.2 | 52 | 0% |
| Gedamselase | 1011 | 15.0 | 99 | 2.4 | 74 | 0% |
| Gibstawit | 1620 | 8.7 | 52 | 2.3 | 130 | 0% |
| Gunaguna | 1260 | 6.9 | 34 | 1.1 | 138 | 0% |
| Hiruy | 360 | 4.0 | 32 | 0.2 | 29 | 100% |
| Mantogera | 1275 | 5.0 | 59 | 4.4 | 149 | 0% |
| Mekedesemariam | 1430 | 4.7 | 33 | 0.9 | 33 | 100% |
| Mosha | 1320 | 13.0 | 53 | 0.0 | 42 | 100% |
| Quar | 1480 | 3.0 | 34 | 3.3 | 69 | 0% |
| Shamo | 1270 | 10.0 | 58 | 3.7 | 129 | 0% |
| Woji | 1695 | 22.5 | 46 | 4.2 | 144 | 70% |
| Wonberoch | 1740 | 35.0 | 15 | 3.2 | 117 | 0% |
| Wuahir | 1360 | 8.4 | 62 | 2.4 | 86 | 0% |
| Zagua | 1450 | 6.8 | 33 | 1.1 | 94 | 0% |
| Zhara | 1550 | 8.0 | 46 | 2.2 | 41 | 100% |
| Geregera | 5.0 | 35 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
| Wonchet | 6.5 | 27 | 0.0 | 0 | 70% | |
| Zegura Mehanialem | 12.0 | 38 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
| Goha Mariam | 3.5 | 30 | 0.0 | 0 | 60% | |
| Bata Mariam | 7.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
| Giorgis | 6.1 | 36 | 0.0 | 0 | 90% | |
| Robit Bata | 5.0 | 34 | 0.0 | 0 | 60% | |
| Gombat | 8.0 | 48 | 0.0 | 0 | 0% | |
| Kulala | 3.0 | 32 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
| Mesi | 32.0 | 44 | 0.0 | 0 | 70% | |
| Simet | 13.0 | 53 | 0.0 | 0 | 0% | |
| West Gojam Diocese | 1.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
| Zajor | 8.0 | 42 | 0.0 | 0 | 90% |
Data from Dr. Alemayehu Wassie Eshete (2007)
Wall Construction at Zhara Church Forest, Ethiopia
Video by Greg Vander Veer
Dr. Meg Lowman and Dr. Alemayehu Wassie Eshete discuss the environmental and social value of the stone wall constructed around the Zhara church forest, Ethiopia.
Please support these church forest communities and help save the remaining biodiversity by donating today. Thank you.
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