Drivers of Forest cover change, Causes and Impacts: The case of Guagusa Shikudad Woreda, Awi Zone, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

In past decades, Guagusa Shikudad Woreda was characterized by dense vegetation cover. After two decades, these different land cover types are dramatically changing due to drivers of forest cover change. The objective of this study is to assess Drivers of Forest cover change, Causes and Impacts in Guagusa Shikudad Woreda. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Simple random sampling technique was used to select two rural kebele administrations for the study. A total of 187 households were sampled. Primary and secondary data sources were employed to collect the necessary data. The researcher was used Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing. Four sets of remotely sensed data, Land sat-5TM (1988), Land sat-5 TM (1998) and Land sat-7 ETM+ (2008) and Land sat-8 ETM –OLI (2018) with a time of 30 years. As a result, three land use land covers were; namely forest, shrub and other land use identified in the study area. It was found that other land use alarmingly increased from time to time while both the forest and shrub land use types showed decreased trends. In addition, factors that were supposed to be the causes of changes existed in the study area and these factors were justified by the use of focus group discussion and interviews. The factors that accelerated these changes mainly were the proclamation of 1975 national land reforms, the land redistribution of 1997 and population pressure. Generally, the study result may create an insight into the devastating of the forest cover in the study area. . The study recommended that, policies should be implemented by government to provide financial assistance to farmers in order to prevent forests from damage. It also recommends that, program designers, administrative and funding agents should give attention to forests. Thus, the respective bodies should emphasize the forest to regenerate back in its past coverage.