Forest Management in the Sahel and Ethiopian Highlands and Impacts on Climate Change

Abstract

Forest resources provide numerous ecosystems services that contribute to building resilient socio-ecological system in the Sahel. They are important natural capital used as safety net during times of drought, which is a common phenomenon in the Sahel region including Ethiopian highlands. The objective of this paper is to indicate the significance of the forests and vegetation of the Sahel region and Ethiopian highland for climate change adaptation and mitigation. There is high amount of carbon stored in the soil and above ground biomass of the forests and vegetation in both the Sahel and the Ethiopian highlands. Both vegetation resources are important for climate change adaptation and mitigation purposes. Despite all these and many other important roles of these forests, they are facing degradation and deforestation problems, in which efforts has to be made for the sustainable management of the forest ecosystems.