LAND USE LAND COVER CHANGE AND PARTICIPATORY FOREST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AT CHILIMO-GAJI FOREST; THE CASE OFDENDI WOREDA,WEST SHOA ZONE, OROMIA NATIONAL REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA.

Abstract

The study attempted to examine land cover change, impacts of deforestation and major methods of participatory forest management practices traditional and modern method, major causing factors of deforestation in Chilimo-Gaji forest threekebeles were selected by purposive sampling method from thirty twokebeles.A total of 344 sample size was selected from 2439 households by using stratified sampling technique. In this study both primary and secondary sources of data were used .The primarily data was collected using questionnaire, interview, focus group discussion and field observation. The secondary data was collected secondary sources like, documents, journal, papers, articles, and applications of remote sensing and GIS, Land sat image of 1984 TM, 2000TM and 2016 OLI were used. Descriptive survey research design was used. Statistics such as frequency and percentage was used to analyze quantitative data, the qualitative data obtained from interviewed, focus group discussion, and field observation were analyzed quantitatively by describing and interpreting. The findings of the study indicated that the trend forest conservation relating increasing of crop productivity, livestock productivity, to balance the climatic conditions and to increase household’s income in the study area. However, population pressure, creating awareness community participation, local government and NGOs are the major determinant factor in implementing forest conservation in effective way. Despite, the existing problems there are some measures taken to improve the situation include area closure patrolling, penalties, consultation with local communities and strengthening partnership between local government and NGOs in forest conservation practices to be given due attention. The findings of the study strongly recommended that community participation, awareness creation, alternative source of energy, policy implementation, planting selected indigenous tree and fast growing tree seeds actively practices in the study area.