Megersa Tafesse Adugna

Head, Department of Forestry

Background

Forestry is a practice that peoples establish, manage and harvest forests and forest products so as to satisfy their need for goods and services. Forests are directly and indirectly related to the life of many of Ethiopians population. Forests provide both wood and non-wood products to the people. Almost all the rural community (85%) of the total population of the country depends on biomass energy for cooking and heating their homes. The construction of cultural houses in many parts of the country require split wood, poles and posts, bamboo, green climbers, and other forest resources. The country is also earning some amount of foreign currency from the production of non-timber forest products like gum, incense and resin, spices, and bamboo. The local community is also highly benefited from the harvesting of non-timber forest products. The role of forests in providing soil and water conservations as well as protection of wild life and other biodiversity is tremendous. The state of the forest in the country is dwindling from time to time. At the moment, the forest cover of the country is estimated to be 15% which is far below the estimated amount of forests 40 years before. Agricultural expansion, over harvesting, urbanization and settlement, overgrazing, climate change, and many other factors involved for the deterioration of the forest. The expansion of plantation forests can play a great role in fulfilling the wood demand of the community and reducing the pressure exerted on the natural forest. However, the rate of expansion of plantation forests lagging behind the problem.

Because of the growing demand for forests and forest resources in one hand and the continuing degradation of forest resources on the other hand required the training of skilled man power in higher learning institutions. To this end, Forestry Department at Salale University was launched in 20014 E.C. to meet the need for skilled man power in the field of forestry. Graduates of the department are working in various governmental and non-governmental organizations including the bureau of agriculture, environmental protection offices, educational and training institutions, research centers, biodiversity conservation sites, soil and water conservation/water shade management projects, national parks, and NGO's working in rural development projects. Some of the graduates are also investing in the forestry field which has some contribution in the development of the country.

At the moment all the higher education institutes of Ethiopia are under educational reforms. One of the reforms is new education road map. According to the new education road map, the minimum stay period in University for undergraduate students for Forestry Department was 4 years. Forestry department revised its undergraduate program curriculum in to 4 years according to new road map. Therefore, this revised curriculum is believed to address the limitations of the past educational approach by shifting towards 3 years to 4 years curriculum structure suitable for the field of forestry.

Vision

Mission

• The mission of the Forestry Department is to produce and to transmit knowledge about the function and dynamics of forests and related renewable resources to all stakeholders/customers; to encourage continual learning about forest and related renewable resources and their role in making people's lives better; and to produce graduates who will manage the forest and related resources on sustainable bases.

Objectives

The general educational objectives of the Forestry Department are to:

• Provide qualified competent forestry professionals in forestry and related fields to address the manpower needs of the Country.
• Conduct basic and applied research in forestry and related fields, paying special attention to the problem of the country.
• Disseminate research findings to users through extension departments to relevant institutions and individuals contribute to the national development goals of poverty alleviation and increased food security by increasing the opportunities for forest-based income generating activities;
• Enhance the ecosystem services of the forest through protecting soil erosion and flooding, creating the oxygen we breathe and binding the greenhouse gases that endanger our climate.
• Enhance the maximum utilization of forest products by using modern technologies ensure that forestry development contributes to national development goals and international commitments (including regional cooperation and trans-boundary issues) and is coordinated with other relevant branches of government; and
• Ensure that activities in the forestry sector are supported by sound scientific and technical principles
• Sustainable forest management – social, economic and environmental benefits are included in here

Staff profile

S.N.	Name	Academic Rank	Email
1	Yigrem Workineh Ferede	Lecturer	yigremw@gmail.com
2	Alemayehu Abera	Lecturer	alemayehuabera23@gmail.com
3	Tamiru Lemi Kebede	Lecturer	lemitam671@gmail.com
4	Ashetu Gedefa Kambata	TA	ashetugedefa@gmail.com
5	Obsuman Mideksa	TA	obsumanm@gmail.com