Yekura an amazing church forest!

By Wondie Engida
Translated & edited by Esubalew Dires

Yekura Eyesus is found in South Gondar Zone East- Estie district 5 kms far away from Mekane Eyesus- capital of the district. People in the area witness that some 30 and 40 years ago, the surrounding was covered by dense forest.

Olive trees, that are dispersedly seen, are witnesses for the area that was full of jungles. However, due to a steady deforestation, the soil is degraded and desertification expanded. Farmers in the village used this degraded land to harvest crops but with low productivity. Degradation and drought had also a negative impact on livestock production. There was not enough feed and drink which caused a challenge for the improvement of livestock production.
Ato Astale woreta, aged-73 was born and grown up in Yekura Eyesus kebele. Now, he is living in Debre Tabor and he is a successful businessman. 

He witnessed just retrieving his childhood back that Yekura Eyesus church and its surrounding was a home of indigenous trees and wild animals. However, because of rapid population growth, this forest was being cleared by human activity. Hence, climate change has occurred. Autumn rain that falls in February and March stopped. In general, occurrences of drought, desertification and unpredicted rainfall which comes late and goes off early in the main summer (rainy) season are becoming common phenomena. 

Rivers that we knew during our early childhood like Sholla, Senbetie, Minche,Das, Dagezo and Marie Wonz are dried up 30 years ago due to climate change.

Ato Astale, remembering his former farming life said, “We cleared out many species of trees at Yekura and its surrounding to expand farm land. Thus, we harvest teff, sorghum, barley, maize, chick pea, faba bean. At that time, the land was so productive that we earned plenty production.”

Lately, he recognized those mess ups of climate change, low production, expansion of desertification are caused by the residents’ themselves. He felt sad and regression for his past actions. Consequently, he was insisted to plant and restore with varied indigenous and exotic tree seedlings. At this very moment, Ato Astale heard about ORDA’s biodiversity project that is working in the area to restore and conserve forest cover. Ato Astale, then, appealed ORDA to take seedlings for free and with great appreciation, ORDA delivered him seedlings since 2010.

Ato Astale informed us ORDA offered him various tree seedlings including Cordia africana, Susbania, Eucalyptus Globlus, Hygnia Abyssinica, Acacia Saligna, Gravillea Robusta, Olea Africana and others. Before he planted seedlings, he persuaded residents of the surrounding to make them responsible in protecting a tree cut.

Ato Astale with the community first planted around Yekura Eyesus church. He employed a guard paying 300 birr monthly salary from his own pocket for two consecutive years. Since then, the land has started to regenerate grass and trees. Surprisingly, the church earns 30 thousand birr annually from grass selling. Ato Astale exclaimed, “We pay the guard’s salary from the income we get by selling the grass while the rest income is given to the church.” 

As we have visited, this church forest will hopefully be returned back to its former/previous image soon. Ato Astale and farmers in the area have got a good lesson on how to carryout soil conservation and natural resource management techniques.

While visiting survival of the seedlings,  they were very much amazed by the regeneration of the lost indigenous trees like kitkita (candle wood), agam  (thorny bush), limich, aballo, kosso, olive tree.
Ato Astale realized wild animals which migrated due to desertification have come back to this forest cover. The lost indigenous tree varieties started to regenerate. This made him happy and satisfied. For this reason, a feeling of happiness he developed for forest cover is more meaningful than a property he owns.

He also noted farmers used to quarrel with him in the early days. But they asked him excuse when they benefit from the planted seedlings. The soil of neighboring farm lands next to church forests were exposed to erosion. This erosion has come to an end due to the presence of tree cover. Ato Astale confirmed the planted seedlings that ORDA gave them are survived. 
Yekura Eyesus church is now being covered by the dense forest due to natural regeneration and plantation. The nearby farm lands are protected from erosion through forest cover and terracing.
ORDA’s biodiversity program is carrying out encouraging natural resource management activities by establishing PFM groups including conservation of school and church forests. 
It is to be noted that ORDA’s effort in delivering and planting seedlings has continued with stamina to make the environment of the region looking green ever and to be conducive to human and animal living.