Saving the Forests of Ethiopia – One Church at a Time
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
Wonberoch Church Forest (Est. 1740 A.D.)
Forest Health Indicators for Wonberoch Church Forest
of Forest
Remaining
Species
Remaining
Cattle Trails
In the Forest
Cut Trees
In the Forest
Wall
Completed
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% | |
Bata-Bahirdar | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
West Gojam Diocese office Yard forest | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Abune Aregawi Mitsily | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Debresan Arbaytu Ensisa | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Debresina Maryam | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Dibeso Abune G-kidus | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Ema Shenkor Kidus Giorigis | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Enbossa Maseriya bata | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Fisash Be'ata | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Fissa Michael | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Gedame Eyesus | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Geregera Michael | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Gibstawit Maryam | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Gindatemem Michael | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Goha Silase | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Goha Tsion | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Kedemit Michael | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Marwuha Bata | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
M'erafe Maryam | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Qola Kirkos | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Qulala Meseqel | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Remma Yohannes | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Sene Maryam | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Tebabari Michael | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Wagira Maryam | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Wanzaye Chirqos | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Wegdame Kidanemihret | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Wendiye Tsion | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Weybilla Kidanemihiret | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Wonchet Michael | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Zajor Michael | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Zhara Michael | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Chebre Michael | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Selamye Meskel | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
ZegboTsion | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Debresena Maryam | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Hiruy Giworgis | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Abunayob Gebriel | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Asaba Gebriel | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Atsede Mariam | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Denguasat Medihanialem | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Dereba merkoriors | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Egiziaber Ab | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Emejir Gebriel | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Genete Mariam | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Genta Gebriel | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Gimb Giorgis | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Gishena Teklehaymanot | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Mehaligie Mariam | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Merge Balegiziaber | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Mezebit mariam | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Miirafe mariam-Lideta | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Misirkana Mariam | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Mosha Mariam | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Mukech Hana | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Qota Gebriel | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Sebeta Giorgis | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Shime Giorgis | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Shime Kidist Arsema | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Simet Giorgis | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Weleke Mikael | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Weybeyign mariam | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Wofhchame Giorgis | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Zata-Guaza-Kidanemihiret | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% | |
Zeboye Mikael | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 100% |
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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