የደን እና ብዝኀ ሕይወት ጥበቃ በኢትዮጵያ ኦርቶዶክስ ተዋሕዶ ቤተክርስቲያን

Abstract

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (EOTC) has a long history of conservation of forest resources, which usually surround churches. Although the main purpose of churches is as places for worship, burials, meditation and, religious festivals, they also provide valuable, often unique, and secured habitats for plants and animals, and green spaces for people. In the northern highlands of Ethiopia, patchy remnants of age-old Afromontane forests are found mainly around EOTC churches and monasteries. Forests in other areas have been completely destroyed and converted into farms and grazing lands over the centuries. Hence, when a traveler sees a patch of indigenous age-old trees in the northern highlands of Ethiopia, he/she can be sure that there is an Orthodox Church in the middle. They are visible from a great distance, with a majestic appearance, usually situated on small hills “overlooking” the surrounding villages. The local people call these churches with their surrounding trees:s: “debr” or “geddam”. “Debr” or “Geddam” are designations for holy places, and constitute religiously as well as socially respected powerful institutions. These church forests did not survive by mere chance, rather it was by the patriotic conservation efforts of church members, with their strong theological and biblical justification. Pilot studies suggest that church forests are relics of ancient and largely lost forest
eco-systems, which constitute hotspots of biodiversity for indigenous species and therefore could serve as priority areas for in-situ conservation while being maintained as prestigious religious sites. Despite their potential role for conservation and restoration, these forests are currently facing a number of ecological and social challenges which ultimately threaten their survival.