Diversity And Conservation Status Of Non-Timber Forest Resources, In The Case Of Sera Forest, In Amigna District, East Arsi Zone Oromia Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was focused on the diversity and conservation status of Non-Timber Forest Resources (NTFRs) in Sera forest with the objective of identifying and documenting diversity of plant species used as NTFRs and their conservation status. The study applied a combination of plant ecological and ethno botanical methods. A preferential systematic sampling method was used to collect vegetation data from 50 plots of 20m x20m for all woody species and 2x2m sub-plots inside the large plot for recording of sapling and seedling. Diameter at breast height were measured using tapemeter for woody species of>2cm while height and cover/abundance values were visually estimated. Ethno botanical data were gathered through semi-structured interviews which involved 230(206 randomly sampled general and 24 purposively selected key informants) group discussion, guided field walk and market surveys were employed during data collection. Hierarchical cluster analysis, with R version 3.3.2, was used to identify plant communities. Shannon-Wiener and Simson‘s diversity indices were used to calculate species diversity, richness and eveness. Jacchard‘s and Soresen‘s similarity ratio were also used to measure similarity between the plant communities. Data were analyzed using R statistical software and analytical methods of ethno botany. A total of 134 plant species belonging to 45 families used as a source of NTFRs were documented from the study area. Four plant community types were identified and named by after two dominant species (usually a tree and shrub) that selected by their higher synoptic value. Overall Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index of the species was found to be 4.285 with the species evenness of 0.917. The distribution of plant species among the communities showed significant similarity. Both Diversity and evenness was highest in community four. Community two is the least in species diversity and the second in evenness. Eleven major use categories of the NTFRs were identified. Out of these, medicine, firewood and charcoal making and construction materials were the most dominant uses requiring large volume of NTFRs in the area. The findings also showed that illegal timber extraction, grazing, over harvesting NTFRs, farm expansion and fire hazards were the major threats of the forest resources in the study area. Therefore special attention towards the conservation and sustainable use of plant resources of the area is needed