Spatio-temporal analysis of forest cover dynamics and associated ecosystem services of gedo forest, west shewa zone, centeral Ethiopia

Abstract

Forests regulate local and global climate, ameliorate weather events, regulate the hydrological cycle, protect watersheds and their vegetation, water flows and soils, and provide a vast store of genetic information much of which has yet to be uncovered. The deforestation rate and its related consequences have been felt in Gedo forest. This study aimed at analyzing the spatiotemporal aspects, from its forest cover change and its associated ecosystem services of the study area. The forest landscape is located in the; Cheliya; Elu Gelan and Bako Tibe woredas of west shewa zone. The research design used in collecting and analyzing the measures of variables in the research problems for this study were Casual, crosssectional, and longitudinal designs which are coincided with quantitative and qualitative research designs. By using remote sensing and geographic information system supported with field verifications, the information were extracted from Satellite images to detect the level and rate of forest cover dynamics and the ecosystem services values were quantified over the last 45 years.The land use land cover differences of 45 years of the two marginal years /1973 and 2018/ indicates the decline of forest land, shrub land and grass land. The forest covers of the study area decreased by 71% and the shrub land declined by 55% while the grass land was diminished by 59%. The agriculture land and settlement showed a little increment. The total status of the ecosystem service deliverance of the biome in the study area is observed and turned on between 1973 and 2018, it was decreased from 35.71 million to 21.16 Million US$. Creating awareness ,build up a local communities’ power in managing and protecting forest resources, Sustainable land management, Afforestation and reforestation of trees and further studies are recommended to restore the loss in forest and ecosystem services