Assessment of Forest Degradation and Conservation Practices: The Case of Gog District, Gambella Regional State, Ethiopia

Deforestation and land degradation in Ethiopia however are impairing the capacity of forests and the land?s contribution to food security and provide other benefits such as fuel wood and food. This study was conducted to assess the forest degradation and conservation practices: in the case of Gog district, Ethiopia. In this study, both qualitative and quantitative approaches were employed. A total of four villages were selected for this study from 22 villages of the district. A descriptive survey research design was used. Accordingly, 100 households were selected as sample respondents for this study. The data was collected from both primary and secondary sources. Due to the effects of resettles population existing in the study area the natural vegetation covers particularly the forest, woodland and grassland are dwindling at an alarming rate over the past three decades. The resettles use the woodland product for firewood and charcoal, for construction, and for preparing their farming tools. The major cause of forest degradation was a rapid expansion of farmland following resettlement, investors, excessive cutting of trees for firewood and construction, forest fire, and conversation of woodland to open up crop fields. The major conservation effort used by resettles in the study area was planting trees. But, it is not comparable with the fast rate of deforestation, and also the major suggested solutions that were used to minimize forest degradation in the study area were planting trees, providing environmental education, searching for another alternative source of energy, and setting strong laws and follow up.