July 29, 2025 Thesis Open Access

Yoseph Maru

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    <subfield code="a">Indigenous ecological Knowledge systems, sacred forest, carbon stocks, biomass, songo  institutions, baabboo systems, laaggoo systems, Gedeo community</subfield>
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    <subfield code="a">Indigenous Ecological Knowledge Systems as a Tool  for Enhancing Biodiversity, Carbon Stocks, and  Cultural Values: Experience from Gedeo  community, Southern Ethiopia</subfield>
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    <subfield code="a">&lt;p&gt;Indigenous knowledge (IK) plays a significant role in protecting biophysical environments, cultural values and maintain health of ecosystems. It has form the basis for community level decision making in the areas of biodiversity conservation, climate change and more important to harnesses farming sustainability. The objectives of the study were to determine and evaluate the relevance of indigenous ecological knowledge systems in enhancing biodiversity, carbon stocks, and cultural values in Gedeo community, Southern Ethiopia. The research applied a multi-method approaches. This approach facilitated the collection of both quantitative and qualitative types of ecological and anthropological data. Six major data collection methods (including participant observation, interviews, transact walk, FDG, HHS and woody species inventories were used). Data obtained from interviews were analyzed using thematic or content analysis, while the quantitative data gathered from biodiversity inventories were assessed and computed using (SPSS). Above and below ground of living biomass was calculated by using non-destructive allometric equations developed for application in pantropical forests. The results are presented and discussed in five key thematic areas based on the specific focusing objectives. The main findings are summarized as follows: 1. Indigenous knowledge (IK) practices have been playing a significant role in conservation of environments, enhancing soil fertility and improving rural livelihoods in the study area. The use of totemic beliefs, protection of sacred places, and conservation of indigenous trees by prohibition systems are well practiced and informal increasing environmental protections.Baabboo and laaggoo systems are locally adapted and environmentally friendly indigenous mechanism of tree conservation.&amp;rdquo;Baabboo&amp;rdquo; is traditionally well entrenched approaches of retaining and preserving native trees in the farms for various ecological as well as economic purposes. It is traditionally representing in-situ conservation by integrating multipurpose trees with perennial crops (enset and coffee). Whereas, laaggo is indigenous mechanism of tree preservation for ritual purposes in traditionally protected sites (such as graveyards, riverside, roadside, sacred forests and song sites). Traditional taboos, seera, norms, worldviews and ethics&amp;#39;s have prohibiting cutting trees from ritual sites and injuring the sacred sites by local people. 2. Traditional beliefs, taboos and norms (seera) associated with protection of sacred forests for cultural purposes exist in Gedeo community and they have an extraordinarily contribution in conservation of remnant forests, and native trees in sacred sites. Indigenous institutions, like &amp;ldquo;songo&amp;rdquo; plays a significant role in maintaining social co-existences with environments by enforcing local rules &amp;ldquo;seera&amp;rdquo; for sustainable environmental conservation and climate change mitigation. The concept of &amp;ldquo;sacred&amp;rdquo; natural sites in Gedeo involves traditionally protected areas (such as sacred forests, songo ritual sites, totemic trees, graveyards, sacred grove [qarra], and spiritual dedicated places [bitta hunabba]. Cutting trees from graveyard, sacred forests, or felling totemic or songo trees &amp;ldquo;Dhadacha&amp;rdquo;&amp;nbsp;are maintained by prohibition systems of spiritual dedication and highly frightened areas due to the sacredness. 3. Conservation of sacred forests is common practices and well entrenched culture in Gedeo community. Due to the social taboos, sacred forest or ritual sites have highest species diversity and well protected than non-sacred habitats. Sacred forests are locally called &amp;ldquo;Woyyicha raqqa&amp;rdquo; or small pocket of forests setting aside for religious purposes. The ecological comparison was conducted between sacred forest and nonsacred habitats of adjacent farming habitat and natural forest. For instance, the highest woody species richness (72) was recorded in amba sacred forest (ASF) followed by Hedene natural forest (HNF) (57) and adjacent farming habitat (42) (AFH). A total of 106 woody species belonging to 68 genera and 44 families were identified across the three habitats. The minimal disturbance index was measured for ASF due to the prohibition systems, social taboos and indigenous belief systems. With regards to conservation, current work shows that many rare and threatened woody species in adjacent non-sacred habitats found abundantly recorded or enumerated in sacred forest. 4. An ecological analysis and comparison also made across the three sacred sacred forests. Honestly speaking, apart from spiritual and cultural significance&amp;#39;s, sacred forests were statistical deemed highest woody species biomass and carbon stocks than other compared non-sacred habitats. A total of 4216 woody species DBH &amp;ge; 5 cm were recorded across the three sacred forests of Amba SF (ASF), Bolocho SF (BSF), and Ejjerissa SF (ESF). Statistically the highest stem density was recorded for BSF 1877 ha-1 (187&amp;plusmn;5) followed by ASF 1237 ha-1 (123&amp;plusmn;2.59) and ESF 1102 ha-1 (110&amp;plusmn;1.9). The an average DBH value for ASF, ESF, and BSF was 173 cm, 149 cm and 55 cm, respectively. Total woody species biomass (AGB+BGB) significantly higher for ASF (677Mg ha-1 ) followed by ESF (358 Mg ha-1 ) and BSF (270 Mg ha-1 ).The estimated biomass carbon (C) was 318.5 Mg C ha-1 for ASF, 168 Mg C ha-1 for ESF and 127 Mg C ha-1 for BSF. Total basal area of the stands significantly higher for ASF (104.9 m2 ha-1 ) followed by ESF (68.57 m2 ha-1 ) and BSF (51.61 m2 ha-1 ). 5. For centuries, farmers have sustainable indigenous farming systems and conserving natural resources by adopting IK. Particularly, indigenous farming practices guided by traditional farming calendar is characterized by organic productions with no chemical inputs, &amp;#39;traditional cut and carry system&amp;#39;, and inter-cropping practices which optimize the use of limited farm lands and enhancing biophysical environments without putting local environment into adverse and helping individual person to harnesses the unpleasant environments. Most commonly the farmers were used indigenous farming calendar guided by biological indicators like birds, sprouting of plants, seed maturation and annual cultural events to understand onset of cropping season, harvesting calendar and crop sowing season. Therefore, it is very clear that there is a need for protection of indigenous knowledge system to promote sustainable natural resource management to combat an adverse of climate change effects and to tackling forest degradation&amp;#39;s. The custodians of indigenous knowledge should reward with&amp;nbsp;incentive for sustainable conservation and protection of natural resources. Hence, it needs urge calls for an immediate attention for protections and documentation of indigenous knowledge systems and local practices.&lt;/p&gt;</subfield>
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