Recent resettlement programs, as drivers for Afromontane forest loss in the Hawa-Galan district of Ethiopia

Spatial modeling of soil loss as a response to land use-land cover change in Didessa sub-basin, the agricultural watershed of Ethiopia

“…This high level of deforestation and overgrazing for cropland and construction expansions was most likely due to the implementation of the nationwide resettlement policy, which triggered significant spatial downsizing in forest and grassland areas in the western and southwestern areas of Ethiopia [ 39 , 57 , 58 ]. The campaign was conducted in the early 1990s and again in early 2002 in response to land degradation due to deadly famine in the northern and eastern areas of the country.…”

“…The campaign was conducted in the early 1990s and again in early 2002 in response to land degradation due to deadly famine in the northern and eastern areas of the country. Although the natives had been practicing traditional agricultural practices, such as hunting, gathering, and shifting cultivation for a lifetime, inch-by-inch, the influx of migrants (resettlers) became acquainted with advanced farming practices (using oxen) and houses [ 39 ]. As a result, the revolution of forest clearances for cropland expansion, construction materials, lumber, and domestic energy has been rapidly intensified.…”

“…The highest soil erosion rates have occurred in the western areas of the country due to the combination of the high amount of rainfall and poor traditional farming practices in the steeper topographic position and poor vegetation cover [ 33 ]. However, studies confirmed natural vegetation cover cleared for farming intensification was acknowledged as a trigger of soil erosion problems which finally resulted in the collapsed natural economy [ 9 , [34] , [35] , [36] , [37] , [38] , [39] ]. In line with this, soil erosion assessment studies have been anticipated to charge the country nearly two billion US$ over the past decades [ 40 ].…”

Seasonal land use/land cover change and the drivers in Kafta Sheraro national park, Tigray, Ethiopia

“…Due to the program, new settlement communities, namely, Tekeze, Maytemen, Maykeyh, Fre-Selam, Wuhedet, and Mayweyni, were established near KSNP. Similar studies in Ethiopia showed that resettlement programs have brought significant LULC and massive clearance of forests and depletion of much natural vegetation cover in Hawa Galan and Chewaka districts, Oromia ( Yadeta et al., 2022 ; Abera et al., 2020 ), Gelda district, Amhara ( Esa and Assen, 2017 ), and Esira district of the South region ( Mamude et al., 2021 ).…”

“…Similarly, in semiarid areas of Ethiopia, the expansion of croplands and overharvesting of woodlands were major drivers of change ( Zewdie and Csaplovics, 2016 ). The government-led resettlement program in Ethiopia was another core driver of LULC change because the program was undertaken without due consideration of natural resources and lacked a clear management plan for the sustainable utilization of resources ( Yadeta et al., 2022 ; Mamude et al., 2021 ; Abera et al., 2020 ; Esa and Assen, 2017 ). Thus, the livelihood of resettled communities depends on the production of agricultural crops at the expense of woodland vegetation.…”