Abstract:
The objective of this study is to assess the impact of participatory forest management on
composition and regeneration of some selected woody species at Chilimo forest. Systematic
sampling method, following transect lines established along the altitudinal gradient in the forest
sites was used for vegetation inventory from eighty (i.e. forty quadrats at each forest site)
quadrats. From the study finding, the major family of the study woody species identified was
Rosaceae,represented by two species with 18.18% family coverage.The relative number of
individuals of Podocarpus falcatus, Prunus africana, Olea europaea, Hagenia abyssinica,
Apodytes dimidiata, Ficus sur, Erythrina brucei, Croton macrostachyus and Maytenus
arbutifolia species registered were comparatively higher in the PFM. Whereas, the number of
individuals of J. procera and M. africana species occurring in Non-PFM exceeded that of the
PFM forest site.The two forest sites regarded as independent but comparable forest matrices,
consisting of vegetation community has 0.268 Sorensen’s similarity coefficient, indicating that
the two forest sites are low in their similarity.Most of the species occurrence frequency in the
height size classes have shown distribution mode of increment towards sapling classes from
seedling but showed decreasing trend towards mature vegetation from sapling for both NonPFM and PFM forest sites.The study result consistently indicated that, there is 14.94% more
species individuals’record with comparatively higher vegetation regeneration status at the PFM
forest site but, with comparatively lower seedlings to saplings ratio at PFM forest site.63.64% of
the woody species in DBH size classes have exhibited distributional structural profile of the
general pattern of normal population structure where the majority of the study woody species
have the highest number of individuals at lower DBH size classes showing gradual decrease
towards higher DBH classes.Vegetation density is greater for PFM than for the Non-PFM forest
site with a total density values of (338.75 individuals/ha) and (288.125 individuals/ha)
respectively.The total basal area coverage for the overall woody species of the PFM was
assessed to be (481.97m2
) whereas, for the Non-PFM forest site was (128.03m2
).But separately
considering, species with the highest basal area was recorded in the PFM forest by J. procera
with (392.46m2
) followed by J. procera of Non-PFM with (91.70m2
) density value. But, bigger
IVI value was registered in Non-PFM by J. procera with (45.38) followed by J. procera of PFM
forest site with IVI value of (40.25), which is ecologically important species at both forest sites.
Therefore, on the basis of the finding, PFM needs actual and strict follow-up for effective and
sustainable forest management with sound and enforcing forest policies to further improve forest
condition and regeneration status.
