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Woody species diversity and coffee production in remnant semi-natural dry Afromontane Forest in Zegie Peninsula, Ethiopia

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Abstract

The forest structure and composition of Afromontane forests in Ethiopia, where Arabica coffee is originated and grown as an understorey shrub, have been deteriorating following intensive and ever-increasing management interventions for coffee production. The study conducted in Zege Peninsula Dry Afromontane forest to (1) examine the impacts of coffee production on vegetation composition and forest productivity, (2) document farmers’ forest management practices and tree species preference, and (3) understand the challenges in conserving Zege Peninsula forests. Vegetation data were collected in 67 circular sample plots, each with 10 m radius. Household survey and focus group discussion was used to gather socioeconomic data. The results indicated that forest management practices that favor coffee production influenced the diversity and evenness of woody species. The non-coffee forest displayed significantly (p = 0.001) higher woody species diversity than coffee-based forest. The Shannon diversity and evenness were 3.23 and 0.79 in non-coffee and 2.00 and 0.52 in the coffee-based forest, respectively. However, the basal area in the coffee-based forest (23.09 m2 ha−1) showed significantly (P = 0.001) higher when compared to non-coffee (13.92 m2 ha−1). The majority (81.4%) of respondents put Ehretia cymosa, Albizia schimperiana and Millettia ferruginea as their first choice in coffee production. Timber and fuelwood extraction for the market is the main factor currently threatening Zege forest. Coffee yield reduction, mentioned by 84.5% of the respondents, owing to seasonal rainfall variability aggravated timber and fuelwood extraction for the market.

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(data source: Ethiopian Meteorological station from 1996 to 2010)

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Acknowledgements

The research was carried out under Volkswagen Foundation Funded Research Project and funded by Environment and Coffee Forest Form (ECFF). We are grateful to Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute (ARARI) in facilitating the study. We are also very happy to acknowledge Zegie Peninsula farmers, who allowed us to work in their forest, and the district administrators and Monastery Monks for their unreserved help during our fieldwork.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Silviculture, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Peter-Jordan Straße 82, 1190, Vienna, Austria

    Beyene Belay

  2. National REDD+ Secretariat, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Solomon Zewdie

  3. International Water Management Institute (IWMI), P. O. Box 5689, Addis Abeba, Ethiopia

    Wolde Mekuria

  4. Amhara Agricultural Research Institute, P. O. Box 527, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

    Beyene Belay, Abrham Abiyu & Dagninet Amare

  5. Environment and Coffee Forest Forum (ECFF), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Tadesse Woldemariam

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  1. Beyene Belay
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Correspondence to Beyene Belay.

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Belay, B., Zewdie, S., Mekuria, W. et al. Woody species diversity and coffee production in remnant semi-natural dry Afromontane Forest in Zegie Peninsula, Ethiopia. Agroforest Syst 93, 1793–1806 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-018-0285-8

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