Ziqualla Monastery

Priority species for conservation

1. National and international conservation priority species

Three national and international priority conservation species are found in the monastery and all of them are highly valued by the community. It is recommended that all of them be given priority for conservation. These include Juniperus procera, Olea europea and Hagenia abyssinica.

2 Indigenous species with high utility values identified by the local community

Nine species are identified as having very high utility value by the monastery. These are now rare as a result of perhaps intensive use. These also need to be given priority for conservation to meet the monastery and local community multiple wood product needs. These include Rhus glutinosa, Olinaea rochetiana, Mimusops kummel, Acacia gerrardii, Protea gaguedi, Grewia biclor, Brucea antidysenterica, Premna resinosa and Euclea schimperi.

3 Indigenous tree species with no local utility value but having high value elsewhere and well represented at the site

Qsyris lanceolata - African sandalwood, santalol (sandalwood oil) extracted from wood and root, easily propagated from seeds and cuttings. This is recommended to be conserved to increase the biodiversity of the site and to provide income generating tree resources to the monastery and the surrounding communities.

Conflict resolution

The monastery forest currently seems to be under threat by encroachment, excessive cutting, fire and overgrazing. Tension between the communities and the clergy is already rising. Currently, around 10 armed monks are guarding the monastery forest against members of the 8 Peasant Associations surrounding it. This is, however, not sustainable without the participation of the local communities. It is, therefore, recommended that the clergy considers restoring its relationship with the surrounding communities and reinforcing the liturgical methods of the monastery forest preservation. The clergy must teach the faithful the usefulness of preserving the monastery forests by placing more emphasis on the sacred and aesthetic values of the monastery forests that are found in Chichisa, Tsebel-meda, Arb-erob and Medhanealem and convince the surrounding communities to feel responsible to care for these forests. These could be achieved by forming a joint committee of monastery forest conservation and management consisting of representatives of the monastery and the surrounding 8 PAs. Local bylaws and fines may need to be introduced to reinforce the liturgical sanction to protect these remnant monastery forests. The committee is also made responsible for restoring and creating a communal forest resource on the degraded areas surrounding the above monastery forests. This is where the local administration and the office of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church could play significant role by calling meetings where these could be discussed, the above committee is formed and local rules and bylaws and fines are introduced. The committee is then empowered with the authority to implement the actions and enforce the bylaws and fines.

Conservation options

1 Accelerated natural regeneration and enrichment planting

For woody species highly valued and represented in the monastery forest by potential seed sources but with few or no regeneration including Juniperus procera, Olea europea, Hagenia abyssinica, Rhus glutinosa, Podocarpus, Osyris quadripartita and Olinia rochetiana conditions for natural regeneration and persistence need to be provided on site. Since overgrazing and trampling is a major problem at the site, exclusion of cattle and people is needed. This could be done by providing live fence by planting cuttings of Euphorbia spp or erecting wooden fence in degraded patches of land or gaps within the monastery forests and cultivating the land to reduce compaction to promote seed germination and facilitate the establishment of these species by natural regeneration. For tree species that are regenerating well, such as, Juniperus procera and Olea europea wildings could be collected and planted within these gaps and patches. These could be carried out entirely by the clergy. Planting of shade tolerant species under established trees should also be practised.

2 Restoration of degraded forests surrounding the monastery forest

Three areas are identified for resoration. (1) Areas where horticulture is practiced, (2) middle and lower slope areas and (3) buffer zone around the mountain. For the horticultural areas soil and water conservation measures are priority. Terraces, soil bunds, etc. should be considered for adoption. Resoration of middle and lower areas should be carried out by government who should should enter into discussions about management with surrounding PAs and the monastery. For the buffer zone areas surrounding the monastery forests, tt is recommended that the degraded areas be restored by planting nursery raised seedlings or cuttings of Juniperus procera, Olea europea, Hagenia abyssinica, Rhus glutinosa, Osyris quadripartita and Olinia rochetiana and other very useful bur rare species including Mimusops kummel, Acacia gerrardii, Protea, Grewia biclor, Brucea, Premna resinosa and Euclea schimperi to create a communal forest resource to meet the multiple tree product needs of the monastery and the surrounding communities. In addition to the indigenous trees a mixture of high yielding and fast growing and drought tolerant fuelwood species be considered. These forests are to be managed by the above committee and utilised by both the clergy and the surrounding communities. Three nurseries are recommended to be established in three locations with permanent water supply. One nursery for upland areas and two nurseries for lower areas are recommended. Seeds, cuttings and wildings are to be collected from the monastery forest in order to preserve the unique biodiversity present. If planting material cannot be obtained from local trees (e.g. if the trees are not setting seeds), it is recommended that planting material be obtained from the nearest available population (e.g. local area of natural forest, or the nearest other monastery/church forest). Clump planting is recommended.  Each clump consisting of at least 26 mixed seedlings/cuttings/wildings of the above 13 species (two per species) live fenced by planting cuttings of Euphorbia spp or erecting wooden fence to protect the young seedlings from grazing is recommended. Two plants per species per clump are recommended as some of the species are dioecious (separate male and female plants).

3 On farm plantations

It is recommended that each member of the surrounding PAs is encouraged to incorporate the above twelve tree species using seedlings raised in the above nursery as components of their farming systems in order to increase tree resources on their farms and relieve pressure on the monastery and surrounding natural forests.

4. Additional recommendations

Rainwater harvesting from roofs should be implemented, monastery ponds should be built to store water and sinking wells to tap freshwater should be implemented to increase availability of water in the area.

Wildlife conservation should also be given thought.