Although the act of deforestation plagues just about every area of the world, the country of Ethiopia has decided to take a strong stand against it. In the past, the Ethiopian government has placed bans on deforestation, but that did nothing to stop people from illegally cutting down trees. Today, they have a new plan of action that involves teaming up with forest communities across the country.
Ethiopia is one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to deforestation. Reports indicate that only about 4.6% of the country is covered in trees. This is quite a drastic number considering about 40% of the county was covered just a few hundred years ago. In addition to the ever growing population, the agriculture and livestock based communities around the country contribute to the widespread deforestation.
Now, the government is putting in place several participatory forest management (PFM) schemes. These involve working directly with communities across the country to show them the effects of deforestation, while at the same time bringing experts in to manage the problem. They are working hard to bring PFM projects all over the country, protecting forests and even outright banning people from entering certain areas. While it is too early to tell, the government has seen some positive results.
At Cold Stream Farm, we are committed to keeping forests throughout the world both safe and healthy. If you are interested in growing and caring for your own trees, we have the supplies needed to help. Contact us today for more information!
*Image courtesy of Andro96
