Floristic Diversity, Population Structure, Regeneration Status and Socio-Economic Importance of Fach Forest, South Gondar, Northwestern Ethiopia

Abstract Background: The remaining natural forests of Ethiopia are only small patches mostly confined to inaccessible areas and sacred places. Fach forest is one of the remnant dry evergreen Afromontane forests (DAFs) in northwestern Ethiopia. There is lack of information on the vegetation ecology of the forest. Thus, the present study was conducted to investigate the floristic composition and diversity, population structure, regeneration status and socio-economic importance of Fach forest, and the anthropogenic factors affecting it.Methods: Vegetation data were collected from a total of 34 plots, measuring 20 m × 20 m (400 m2) each and established along line transects approximately at 100 m intervals. A general survey consisting of field observations, key-informant interviews and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was used to collect socio-economic data. Results: A total of 230 vascular plant species belonging to 183 genera and 76 families were recorded from the study area, of which 45 (19.57%) were trees, 62 (26.97%) trees/shrubs, 37 (16.09%) shrubs, 13 (5.65%) woody climbers, 10 (4.35%) herbaceous climbers, and 63 (27.39%) herbs. The family with the highest number of species was Fabaceae (28 species, 12.17% of all species), followed by Asteraceae (18 species, 7.83%), Poaceae (13 species, 5.65%), and Acanthaceae and Euphorbiaceae (9 species each). The Shannon-Wiener diversity and evenness values of woody species were 3.53 and 0.72, and the total density and basal area 4938.24 individuals ha-1 and 19.17 m2 ha-1, respectively. The species with the highest Importance Value Index (IVI) value was Combretum molle (25.26%), followed by Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata (21.19%), Dodonaea angustifolia (17.80%), and Calpurnia aurea (15.05%). The local communities were highly dependent on the forest for fuelwood, construction material, charcoal, timber and farm implements, as well as food (edible fruits), medicines, fodder, and bee forage. Fach forest is a protected area and contains sacred places, but at present it is dwindling mainly due to livestock grazing/browsing, tree cutting for various purposes, farmland expansion, rural settlements expansion, urbanization, fire incidences, and exotic species plantations at the expense of the natural forest, as well as soil erosion and climate change.Conclusions: Fach forest possesses high plant diversity and endemism. Woody species having low IVI values and poor regeneration status (as indicated by the Diameter at Breast Height [DBH] class distributions) need high priority for conservation. Fach forest has been maintained to the present-day through the combined indigenous (sacred grove) and modern (protected area system) conservation methods, but is now under increasing human pressure. Therefore, effective conservation and management interventions are urgently needed to ensure the long-term maintenance of the forest ecosystem, and benefit the local communities through sustainable utilization of the forest.