Introduction: Indigenous people of different ethnic groups in Ethiopia are noticeably reliant on traditional medicinal plants for their healthcare due to their effective medicinal values. The study was aimed to document different herbal medicinal plants used and the associated knowledge of herbal medicine in the communities of the Artuma Fursi district. Methodology: Ethnobotanical data were collected through semi-structured interviews, field observations, focused group discussions with the informants selected from the study area. Key informants were selected by purposive sampling technique, while the rest, were selected by random sampling techniques. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics; paired comparison, preference ranking, and informant consensus factor. Results: A total of 86 informants participated in the collection of the ethnobotanical data. A total of 92 medicinal plants were collected and identified. Fabaceae was the highest family cited (11.9%). The study revealed that leaves (31.1%), seeds (19.8%), and roots (12.26%) were the most cited plant parts used for the preparation of herbal medicine by the respondents. The most common method of preparation of herbal medicines was pounding (21.6%) and the most common route of administration was oral route (53.7%). The majority of the medications (60.3%) were prepared without the additive. Charcoal production was the major threat to medicinal plants in the study area. Conclusion: Artuma Fursi district is rich in medicinal plant and the associated indigenous knowledge. The documented knowledge will be helpful for further research in the drug development process.

Land degradation in the form of soil erosion and fertility depletion is the major environmental problem in Ethiopia. However, to curb this problem, soil and water conservation (SWC) structures are commonly practiced in many rural parts of Ethiopia. This study was conducted to assess the effects of SWC structures on selected soil physicochemical properties in Ejersa Lafo district. For this study, two kebeles (peasant associations) were selected purposively from the district based on the severity of soil erosion and information on SWC practices. The research design employed in this study was systematic, randomized, complete block design. A total of 12 composite soil samples were collected from the depth of 0 to 20 cm at two subwatersheds, namely, Jamjam laga batu and Koriso Odo guba with SWC and without SWC structures at three landscape positions. All the soil samples were analyzed following the standard and recommended procedures. The effect of independent variables (SWC practices and landscape positions) on the dependent variables (soil properties) was statistically tested using the SPSS computer program 21. In this study, most of the selected soil physicochemical properties were affected by watershed management intervention (SWC) structures. Soil moisture content (SMC), clay, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total N (TN), available (AP), available K (AK), and organic carbon (OC) were higher in the subwatershed treated with SWC structures (conserved), whereas bulk density, silt, and sand were higher in the subwatershed without SWC structures (nonconserved). Most of the selected soil chemical properties were significantly varied ( ) between conserved and nonconserved farm land except EC. All the selected soil physicochemical properties did not show any significant variation ( ) at landscape positions except sandy soil. The physicochemical soil properties of selected parameters were in good conditions in the conserved areas with higher N and OM and lower BD, indicating fertility of the soil compared with the nonconserved land. The implementation of SWC structures improved some of the physicochemical properties of soil, such as SMC, clay particle, pH, EC, total N, AP, AK, and OC in the study area. Furthermore, efforts are required to enhance community adoption towards soil and water conservation. Additionally, further research has to be carried out on socioeconomic aspects and impacts of the intervention on crop productivity for better understanding of the sustainable use of the land.

Land use and land cover (LULC) change represents a critical environmental challenge that significantly impacts the Earth’s systems and ecosystem services and leads to environmental degradation and economic loss. The main objective of this study was to investigate the trend of LULC change, drivers, and its impacts on ecosystem services in the Burayu sub-city, Shager City, Ethiopia. The study used satellite images from four time periods, Landsat Series sensors’ 4, 5, and 8, at 10-year intervals to understand the spatial and temporal dynamics of LULC by using the integration of GIS and RS techniques under a supervised classification system. Respondent interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs), and field observations were employed. In addition, to address the drivers of LULC changes in the study area, a multifaceted method was followed using field observations. A modified benefit transfer method was used to evaluate ecosystem service value (ESV) changes in response to LULC change. The study revealed that population growth, urbanization, agricultural expansion, and infrastructure development were driving the change in the LULC composition of the study area over the past 30 years. Croplands have decreased from 51.2% to 30.3%, forest cover has dropped from 32.9% to 15%, and grassland has fallen from 12.7% to 6.1%. On the other hand, settlement areas have expanded from 2.5% to 46.9%, and the total natural capital value has decreased from $368.7million to $227.0 million per year. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that a significant change in LULC and declining ecosystem service values has occurred in the study area. The local government should develop a comprehensive land use plan, balance urban development with ecosystem service preservation, strengthen law enforcement, and increase public awareness to minimize the significant impacts of urbanization on ecosystem services.