Abstract:
Dry forests have crucial ecosystem goods and services. However, these forests are under
heavy pressure from over utilization and they are shrinking overtime. As a counter
measure, there are many forest restoration practices with area exclosures. However, these
restoration interventions are not yet scientifically evaluated. Thus, the objective of this
study is to evaluate forest restoration with area exclosures. The method followed concept
of forest restoration based on selected indicators and comparing against best practices.
Besides, institutional factors affecting indicators were evaluated. For this purpose, three
districts Lasta, sekota and Abergele in three agro-ecologies (highland, mid-altitude and
lowland) respectively were selected in Amhara region. In each district one exclosure,
adjacent church forest and adjacent grazing land were selected. Totally 21 quadrates used
for vegetation and soil data collection. Questionnaire survey was administered on 133
respondents, which selected randomly. The vegetation data analyzed by using diversity
indices. The soil data compared with critical values. Biomass was calculated by using
allometric equation. Some selected social, economic and institutional indicators analyzed
by comparing against Ostrom’s’ design principles (ODP). Data was analyzed by using
ANOVA. There was significant difference in soil attributes and vegetation composition
across land uses and agro-ecologies (p < 0.03). Exclosures showed intermediate values
between Church forest and grazing land in soil and vegetation indicators. Local
community have good trust and participation in highland areas (63%) and mid-altitude
areas (70%), but in lowland areas the local community show low trust and participation
(85%) in restoration activities. In the highland and mid-altitude areas, local community
have the right to use exclosures for cut and carry grass, honey production, seasonal
cropping, fattening. In the highland areas, landless youths have no right to use and
became a member of area exclosure, user group. While, in midd altitude areas, the users
and members are landless youths. In lowland areas the use right is very restricted for
local communities. Exclosures in the highland is at medium compliance with the ODP,
strong and very good compliance with the ODP was observed in the mid-altitude areas.
The governance structure in the lowlands showed very poor compliance with the ODP.
This was triangulated when 79% of the respondents in highland, 82% in mid-altitude
argued area exclosure is successful, compared to the lowland where 82% of respondent
argued that area exclosure is not successful. Therefore, forest restoration with area
exclosures is the better tool for degraded forest restoration with the strong intuitional,
economic and social setup. Generally, for successful and sustainable forest restoration
practice with area exclosure, the approach should started at the bottom that the activity
should require full participation of local community in all stages
