Diversity, Population Status and Socio-Economic Importance of Gum and Resin Bearing Woody Species at Lare and Itang District of Gambella Regional State, Southwest Ethiopia

Ethiopia has a large coverage of gum and resin bearing species widely distributed throughout its arid and semi-arid agro-ecological zones. Different studies show that, about 420,000 ha of gum and resin producing vegetation distributed along Gambella lowland region. But there is scarce data on their population structure, density, dominancy and regeneration status as well as the diversity of species available in the region. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the specie composition diversity, Population status and socio-economic importance of gum and resin bearing woody species in two districts, Lare and Itang Gembella Region, southwest Ethiopia., A total of 74 quadrates (38 at Lare and 36 at Itang) with an area of 20m x20m were established at 200 m interval along transect line to collect vegetation data. In each quadrant, vegetation data such as identity, abundance, DBH, height, and counting of seedlings and saplings were collected. To assess the socio-economic importance of the study species, 120 households were randomly selected from four kebeles (two from each district) who’s surrounding the selected study vegetation areas. A semis structured questionnaire was used to interview the household respondents. In addition 9 key informants, 5 from Lare and 4 from Itang were invited for group discussion. Based on the analyses of the vegetation data, a total of 52 woody species (30 at Lare and 22 at Itang) distributed in 25 families and 38 genera. A total of 9 woody species, were belonging to the genus Acacia, Boswellia and Sterculia were identified as sources of gum and resins bearing species. Gum and resin bearing species were found to be the dominant species comprising 76% and 81% of the species composition, 58.5% and 61.4% of density ha-1 and 56% and 63% of the IVI of the study sites at Lare and Itang, respectively. The Shannon-Wiener diversity and Shannon evenness values (H’=3.09 and 1.69) at Lare and (H’= 2.80 and 1.56) at Itang respectively showed the most diverse and even distribution of the population of gum and resin bearing species in the area. The socio-economic survey analysis also indicate that agro pastoral activity is the major livelihoods occupation in the study area; while wood land products such as fuel wood collection, charcoal production, wild fruit collection, construction materials and grazing wood land products are playing a significant role in the overall socio-economic conditions of the community and identified as the second predominant occupation. On the other hand, collection and sell of other non-timber forest product in the form of gums and resins rarely practiced and insignificant role in the livelihoods’ of the community in the area; unlike other agro pastoralist gum and resin bearing woody vegetation species areas of the country.