As a general rule, cattle ranging and wood harvesting are not allowed. The grasses are harvested once a year and taken to the homesteads of the village to feed livestock. Field observations showed that some illegal grazing occurred in the enclosure in 2018.
Benefits for the community
Setting aside such areas fits with the long-term vision of the communities, where hiza’iti lands are set aside for use by future generations. It also has direct benefits for the community:
The sequestered carbon (in total, 34 meter per hour, predominantly sequestered in the soil and additionally in the woody vegetation) is certified using the Plan Vivo voluntary carbon standard, after which carbon credits are sold.
The revenues are then reinvested in the villages, according to the priorities of the communities; it may be for an additional class in the village school, a water pond, conservation in the exclosures, or a store for incense.
Regeneration of vegetation at Ziban Dake
Biodiversity
With vegetation growth, biodiversity in this enclosure has strongly improved; there is more varied vegetation and wildlife.
References
^ De Deyn, Jonathan (2019). Benefits of reforestation on Carbon storage and water infiltration in the context of climate mitigation in North Ethiopia. Master thesis, Ghent University.
