Community management of

Afroalpine highlands in Ethiopia

Zelealem Tefera As with any restricted system, it required regulation and
enforcement. The local people developed an indigenous institution,
Environmental conservation has often been characterized by a known as “Qero”. This entailed each of the two user communities
top-down approach that includes the establishment of protected in the area democratically electing an elder as a headman, called
areas, enforcement of legislation and the assumption of the Abba Qera. The Abba Qera was then responsible for protecting
ownership of biodiversity by the State. This approach reflects and regulating the use of the Guassa area.
the suspicion of governments that local communities are
incapable of managing their own resources. Thus, while these The Qero system could entail the closure of the Guassa area
approaches have ensured the survival of a few populations of from any type of use by the community for as long as three to
certain species and ecosystems and contributed to foreign five consecutive years. The length of closure depended largely
exchange earnings, they have been slow to integrate local people upon the growth of the Guassa grass. When both of the Abba
into resource management and decision-making activities. Local Qeras felt that the grass was ready for harvest, they would
communities who live near protected areas and whose announce the date of the opening to the community. This usually
populations have invariably grown, are instead faced with a took place at public gatherings such as church ceremonies,
rapidly diminishing natural resource base, often resulting in market places, or burial ceremonies.
conflicts between local communities and environmental
conservation authorities. The area was usually only open for use at the height of the dry
season – around February or March each year. There was also a
There are exceptions, however – including ancient examples of sequence to its use: only once the grass cutting was over were
local communities establishing natural resource management livestock allowed to graze the Guassa area. When the wet season
systems that are essential to the people’s livelihoods and also to started the use of the area was once again prohibited, giving the
the persistence of biodiversity. These examples not only need to resources time to regenerate. The traditional date of closing each
be closely examined to reveal how they work, but they also year was the 12th of July, the date for breaking the second most
deserve our full support in a changing and threatened natural important fasting season of the Coptic Church.
world. Following is an experience from Ethiopia, a country which
has suffered untold environmental disasters and biodiversity loss. While the area was closed, the prohibition of its use was strictly
enforced by the users themselves. Under the leadership of the
Community-based natural resource management Abba Qera, household heads regularly patrolled the area. Every
In the Central Highlands of Ethiopia, there is a small (111 km2) able male household head was obliged to take part. Failure to
patch of land which has persisted in its current, relatively pristine participate would result in severe punishment – in some
state for the past four hundred years. The area, called Guassa by instances, punishment could even result in the burning of the
the local Menzi people, ranges from 3200 to 3700 metres above absentee’s house.
sea level. It is part of the Amhara Regional State of North Shoa,
265 km northeast of the national capital Addis Ababa. Drastic changes
In 1974 a popular uprising, a revolution, swept the country.
The natural resource management system of the Guassa area On March 4th 1975, the new revolutionary government
dates back to the 17th Century. Given that it still persists, this proclaimed the nationalization of all rural land. Over large parts
makes it one of the oldest conservation areas in sub-Saharan of Ethiopia, the relationship between tenant and landlord was
Africa. The area was set aside as a resource for the community, dissolved. The proclamation abolished private and community
who use it for harvesting the “Guassa” grass (Festuca sp.) for ownership of land and gave all farmers the same right to
thatch, for grazing livestock, and for harvesting shrubs for cultivate land within the framework of state ownership. It also
fuelwood. In essence, the use of these resources was restricted to established peasant associations to distribute and regulate the
a limited number of users during a limited period of time. The use of land. As a result, the Qero system was abolished, together
right to use the resources of the Guassa area depended on the with its mechanisms of natural resource management. The
prevailing land rights and tenure system, which was based on changes also gave people who had earlier been excluded from
ancestry and controlled by the Ethiopian Coptic Church. resource use, uncontrolled access to the Guassa area.
LEISA MAGAZINE . DECEMBER 2004

An Ethiopian wolf seeking rats among giant lobelias in the Afroalpine

Photo: Stuart Williams

ecosystem of Guassa-Menz.

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One of the strengths of community-based institutions is their These include the most endangered canid in the world, the
resilience – their capacity to cope with change. When the Qero Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis), also known as the Simien fox.
system was abolished, the community adapted to the condition With an estimated 530 individuals in the world, Guassa - Menz
set by the new regime. They brought their case to the new local protects one of the major populations. The Afroalpine ecosystem
administration, and a new “Guassa Committee” was formed also harbours astonishing densities of rodents, on which the wolf
through the eight peasant associations. To some extent this preys. The other important species of the area is the endemic
replaced the former Abba Qeras, with the aim of overseeing the gelada baboon (Theropithecus gelada). It is the only surviving
activities of the peasant associations for the protection of the member of a once widespread genus Theropithecus. These
Guassa area. The main function of the Guassa Committee was to magnificent animals with their lion-like manes are the only
enforce agreed by-laws, particularly to control illegal uses of the grazing primates in the world. They aggregate into huge herds of
Guassa area during the closed season. The system was enforced up to 400 animals. They too deserve the protection afforded to
by local militia from the peasant associations. Illegal users were them by the Guassa area. Bird species have also benefited from
prosecuted in the local courts, while repeated offenders were the Qero system and 111 species have been recorded in the area.
taken to the woreda (district) court. One striking feature of the birdlife in the Guassa area is the
abundance of birds of prey that feast, with the wolves, on
Despite the apparent adaptability and resilience of the system to abundant rats.
the new regime, it was less efficient than before and the area
started to show signs of overuse and degradation. Indeed, by the Rain that falls in the Guassa area starts a long journey to the
mid-1990s, the system was collapsing under the strain. Mediterranean through the Nile river. Indeed, 26 rivers, springs
However, the Guassa area was not brought under crop and streams have their origin in the area. The ecological service
cultivation despite the general craving for land. Its saving provided by the protection of the vegetation by the local
feature was the altitude: the Guassa area is above the tree line, community is invaluable to all the downstream users all the way
which makes cultivation very difficult, and there is therefore no to Cairo! Finally, among the local communities, the area is
permanent human settlement in the area. The area continues to renowned for medicinal plants for human and livestock uses.
play an important role in the livelihoods of the Guassa
communities and it is therefore not surprising that they have a Now, through the partnership with the Ethiopian Wolf
vested interest in safeguarding the area. Conservation Programme, the communities are seeking to
broaden the benefits accrued from the protection of the area and
The Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme (EWCP) had been its unique fauna and flora. Tourists are welcome to enjoy the
concerned with the conservation of the area because of the area, and the people wish to accrue benefits from the visitors.
important population of Ethiopian wolves that lives there. Thus,
in November 2003, the EWCP facilitated a discussion among Conclusion
community leaders, elders and concerned individuals in all the The contribution made by the Qero system to the conservation
eight peasant associations about the future of the area. This of highland biodiversity in Ethiopia is comparable with areas
resulted in the formation of a new committee and new by-laws. protected under the more formal conservation system of the
Today the Guassa area is managed by a committee comprising country. However, unlike other protected areas, the Guassa area
of five elected elders from each of the eight peasant community-based natural resource management system also
associations. They form the Guassa committee, which oversees provides the community with valuable resources in times of
the use of the area, guards it and prosecutes illegal users. stress.

The first meeting of the Guassa committee, in view of the In general, indigenous communities have developed ways of life
decline of the area in recent years, resulted in the closure of the remarkably tuned to their local environment. Their long
area for three years starting from June 2003. It will be open association with their territories has resulted in developing
again for a few months (March - June) in 2006. The EWCP strong ties to their lands, expressed in customary laws, complex
continues to be involved by monitoring the effectiveness of the religious ceremonies, symbolic activities and extremely detailed
community management and assisting in bringing together all knowledge of their resources. Such knowledge may be deeply
stakeholders for workshops and conferences. coded within traditional lore, handed down and refined from
generation to generation.
On top of this, the people decided there was a need for a
management plan which would be recognized by the regional The long association with their environment and commitment to
government. In effect, this would mean the classification of the remaining there in the future equips indigenous communities for
area as a community-based and managed protected area – the prudent management of natural resources – even by present day
first of its kind in Ethiopia. Such a classification would secure standards. Indigenous communities have held resource
LEISA MAGAZINE . DECEMBER 2004

the traditional form of land-use and the livelihoods of the local management systems under complex, often overlapping tenure
community. Recently, a draft management plan was reviewed by rights, which share benefits across their community and exclude
all stakeholders. It is anticipated that the management plan will non community members. Traditional systems are in effect a
be approved by the regional Environmental Protection and Land partnership between individuals and their community, where
Use Authority, thereby giving an ownership certificate of the rules and regulations enshrined within the traditions of the
Guassa area to the communities. society ensure the smooth functioning of the system. Indigenous
systems of communal land use may therefore offer greater
Biodiversity benefits promise for sustainable conservation than Western systems.
By regulating the exploitation of the area, the ancient system However, indigenous resource management systems are
has also protected the unique and diverse fauna and flora of the undergoing rapid change and it is not clear to what extent they
area. The Guassa area harbours many of the endemic species can be maintained during changing circumstances.
of fauna and flora associated with the Afroalpine ecosystem. ■
For example, there are 22 mammal species found in the area, Zelealem Tefera. EWCP, P.O. Box 101426, Addis Ababa. Ethiopia.
27% of which are endemic to Ethiopia. Email: kykebero@[Link]

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