Population decline of boswellia papyrifera and associated species in dry forests of northern Ethiopia and rehabilitation efforts
2004
Kindeya Gebrehiwot | Bart Muys | Mitiku Haile | Ralph Mitloehner
Boswellia papyrifera is an important multipurpose tree species in Ethiopia best known for its non-timber forest product, frankincense. Nowadays, the species is declining at an alarming rate due to agricultural expansion, overgrazing, fire, poor incense harvesting practices, shifting cultivation termite and other infestations. Recently, closed areas have been established to facilitate the rehabilitation of degraded sites and regeneration of important species such as B. papyrifera. Such efforts appear successful, but have not been quantified so fat. This study attempted to analyse the population trend of B. papyrifera and associated dominant species in the dry forests of northern Ethiopia. Efforts were also made to assess the impacts of recently closed areas on the vegetation composition in general and the dominant species in particular. It was found that, though there is significant rehabilitation of degraded sites due to recent closures, the regeneration of dominant species and importantly B. papyrifera was not satisfactory. Hence, more concerted efforts are needed to revive the genetic resources that provide non-timber forest products in dry forests of Ethiopia.
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