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Reusing, Matthias 
In scope of a detailed spatial analysis, a forest monitoring was performed in a representative area in SW Ethiopia. In 
total, 30,600 sqkm was analyzed based on black & white aerial photographs of the years 1971-1975 and 1996-1997. 
The methodology and all spatial analysis steps are comparable to those, which were performed during the inventory of 
the whole country. 
According to this the aerial photographs of 1971 to 1975 only 38.4 96 of the once completely forested research area in 
SW Ethiopia were still covered by closed high forests (Chaffey, 1978). In 1996/97, only 18.4 % closed high forests 
were remaining (JICA, 1997). Nevertheless, 48.4 96 of the area were still forested when considering also slightly and 
heavily disturbed high forests (Reusing, 1998). Today, undisturbed high forests can only be found in remote areas like 
on isolated mountain ridges or on unfertile soil substrates. 
The human impact map of SW Ethiopia shows the whole dimension of the forest destruction in SW Ethiopia between 
1971 and 1997. Obviously, major forest degradations occur around settlements like Bonga, Mizan Teferi, Tepi and 
Gore. Throughout the area one can register that the front of destruction continuously moves towards the inner parts of 
the forest stands. 
Severe to very severe degradation and deforestation could be monitored on 27.4 %, respectively 494,100 ha. No change 
could be registered on 61.2 % of the area. Nevertheless, the spatial distribution of these forest relicts is already 
characterized by a very high fragmentation. 
4 THE FOREST DEGRADATION PROCESS 
The forest degradation in Ethiopia is closely linked to the ongoing population growth. More people generally lead to an 
increasing demand on land for living and for agricultural production. 
The situation got more severe in the eightieth when large numbers of people moved to SW Ethiopia in scope of 
organized resettlement programs. Consequently the pressure on the forest resources themselves increased due to a 
higher demand on fuelwood and construction timber. Finally, uncontrolled logging and the illegal export of wood stems 
to urban centers like Addis Ababa is a threat for the natural high forest of the country. 
The natural regeneration of the forest resources is difficult due to high populations of grazing and browsing livestock 
within the forests. 
5 CONCLUSIONS AND OUTLOOK 
By aggregating analogue and digital data from various projects that are active in the field of natural resource 
management and environmental protection, it was possible to perform a monitoring of the deforestation and degradation 
of Ethiopia's natural high forests. 
The results of the forest monitoring prove that Ethiopia's natural high forests are under a very severe pressure. In long- 
term, this unique ecosystem with its large numbers of indigenous species can only be saved if all involved actors are 
willing to contribute to its conservation. 
In order to preserve the remaining forest stands, already in the eightieth, so-called *National Forest Priority Areas 
(NFPA)' were demarcated that should guarantee a better protection of the forest. Instead, experience shows that the 
degradation generally does not stop at the borders of those NFPAs. Therefore, it is indispensable to introduce more 
sustainable management systems, which consider the demands of both, the nature and the local population. In this 
context, the results of the presented paper should contribute to a selection of primary intervention areas for first 
activities. 
Immediate action is necessary from the responsible administrative bodies and the beneficiaries within the villages. 
Otherwise, it can be expected that within a few decades, one of its most remarkable forest ecosystems of the world will 
be lost from the planet forever. With the destruction of the forests a rich flora and fauna element of the afro-montane 
zone would disappear before it was even understood and studied by the scientific society. 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 
The presented results were achieved in scope of a consulting mission for the project *Advisory Assistance to the Forest 
Administration" of the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ). This is why I would like to thank Dr. Georg Kasberger, 
the project team leader and the Natural Resources Development and Regulatory Department (NRM&RD) under the 
Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) for their support of my research activities. From the local department staff, I 
would like to acknowledge the assistance of Wzo. Birikt Wolde-Medin, who performed all digitizing work. 
Finally, I would like to take the occasion to express my gratefulness to all projects that provided me with analogue and 
digital data of the respective land cover classifications in different parts of Ethiopia. 
  
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXIII, Part B7. Amsterdam 2000. 1257