The study was conducted in Kafta Sheraro National Park (KSNP) dry woodland natural forest located in Kafta Humera and Tahitay Adiyabo weredas (districts), Western and Northwestern Zones of Tigray regional governmental state, North Ethiopia. The objective of the study was to explore the floristic composition, structure, and regeneration of woody species in the home ofLoxodonta africanaL.,Hippotragus equinus,Anthropoides virgo,Ourebia ourebi,Crocuta crocuta,Tragelaphus strepsiceros,Phacochoerus africanus, and unidentified crocodile and fish species. In the park, the vegetation ecology has not been studied up to date which is necessary for conservation. The systematic sampling technique was used to collect vegetation and human disturbance (presence and absence) data from August to December 2018. The vegetation data were collected from 161 plots each with a size of 400 m²(20 m × 20 m) for tree/shrub while subplots of size 100 m²(10 m × 10 m) and 25 m²(5 m × 5 m) for sapling and seedling, respectively, were established in the main plots. Individual tree and shrub diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥2.5 cm and height ≥ 2 m were measured using tape meter and clinometer, respectively. Diameter at breast height (DBH), frequency, density, basal area, and importance value index (IVI) were used for vegetation structure description while the density of mature trees, sapling, and seedling was used for regeneration. A total of 70 woody species (46 (65.7%) trees, 18 (25.7%) shrubs, and 6 (8.6%) tree/shrub) were identified. The total basal area and density of 79.3 ± 4.6 m²·ha⁻¹and 466 ± 12.8 stems·ha⁻¹, respectively, were calculated for 64 woody species. Fabaceae was the most dominant family with 16 species (22.9%) followed by Combretaceae with 8 species (11.4%). The most dominant and frequent species throughout the park wereAcacia mellifera,Combretum hartmannianum,Terminalia brownii,Balanites aegyptiaca,Dichrostachys cinerea,Acacia senegal,Acacia oerfota,Boswellia papyrifera, Ziziphus spina-christi, andAnogeissus leiocarpus. Abnormal patterns of selected woody species were dominantly identified. The regenerating status of all the woody plant species was categorized as “fair” (18.75%), “poor” (7.81%), and “none” (73.44%). There was a significant correlation between altitude, anthropogenic disturbance (grazing and fire frequency), and density of seedling, sapling, and mature trees. But there was no correlation between gold mining and regeneration population. However, there is a good initiation for the conservation of the park; still, the vegetation of the park was threatened by human-induced fire following intensive farming, gold mining, and overgrazing. Therefore, the study area was the habitat for the population of the African elephant; species with low importance value indices and lack or having few seedling and sapling stage should be prioritized for conservation, and their soil seed banks should be studied further.

Background: Ethiopia is rich in woodland natural forest although of increasingly subjected to deforestation and forest degradation with extensive expansion of settlement and agricultural practices. In developing countries like Ethiopia forest is one of the vital resources that determine the livelihood of the local communities. Consequently, woodlands’ of the country’s are under heavy pressure by shifting cultivation and charcoal production. Kafta-sheraro national park is newly established woodland area which lacks documented vegetation diversity and human disturbance on the forest. The study was conducted to quantify plant species richness and diversity along altitude; and identify anthropogenic disturbance on vegetation composition and community diversity of the park. Methods: a Systematic sampling method was used to determine species composition, abundance, and diversity. 161 quadrats each (400 m²) lying 200 m far apart for trees and shrubs while sub-plots (1 m²) for herbs and grasses along transects were established over an altitudinal gradient of 539-1111 m.a.s.l. All vascular plant species were collected and brought to National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University for identification.The degree of disturbance data as (low, moderate and heavy) were visually estimated for each plot. Result: a total of 182 plant species: 63 (34.6%) herbs,46 (25.3%) trees, 38 (20.9%) grasses, 18(9.89%) shrubs, 11 climbers (6.04%), and 6 (3.3%) tree ̸ shrub), belonging to 142 genera and 53 families, were identified. Fabaceae was represented by the highest number of species (37 species; 20.3%) followed by Poaceae (36 species; 19.8%) and Asteraceae, 10 species (5.49%). Three plant communities’ types were identified: Acacia mellifera-Balanites aegyptiaca (1); Hyphaene thebaica-Ziziphus spina-christi (2); Combretum hartmannianum-Terminalia brownii-Boswellia papyrifera (3). Species richness was highest in community 1 (mid-altitude: 607-640 m.a.s.l.).The highest Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H`=2.82) for the forest was in community 2 (low altitude: 539-610 m.a.s.l.) while evenness (J=0.72) was highest in community 3 (high altitude: 674-1111 m.a.s.l.) There was a significant correlation between species richness (p=0.024) and altitude per plot while species diversity was non significant (p>0.05) over altitude. Human activities also strongly correlated with species richness and diversity of specific community type. Conclusion: the site has pronounced floristic composition and diversity. Altitudinal difference and the degree of human disturbance determine variation in species composition and richness among communities. Altitude is significantly correlated with species richness of all community types while it is more strongly correlated with community type1.Crop cultivation, illegal fire, and overpopulation of livestock grazing are the main threats in community types 2 and 3. However, this document is a baseline to vegetation information of the park. detailed study on conservation challenges (anthropogenic disturbance) of the park vegetation and prioritize their mitigation measures should be arranged.

Human-wildlife conflict (HWC), particularly elephant crop raiding, has been increasing over the past decade in Kafta Sheraro National Park (KSNP). The objectives of this study were to assess the degree of KSNP natural resources utilization by the local community, the existing human-elephant conflict (HEC), trends of the conflict, methods used to minimize their negative impacts, and community attitudes and socio-demographic influencing factors regarding the conservation of African elephant in rather than and KSNP. The survey was carried out from November 2018 to September 2020. A total of 395 household heads were selected systematically from seven kebeles (the lowest governmental administrative units of Ethiopia). Direct field observations, household-based questionnaire surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews (i.e., administrators, professional experts, and park management staffs) were applied. The majority (74.51%) of the local communities utilized the park resources as grazing for livestock followed by fuel wood sources (46.04%), water sources (39.57%), and house construction materials (30.38%). More than 72% of the respondents suggested that crop raiding by elephants is a serious problem in the study area and increased in the past ten years. About 60.9% and 60.51% of the respondents mentioned that elephant-induced crop damage was during the wet season and at night, respectively. Crop damage was relatively high as cropland found inside and at the periphery of the park. Majorities of the respondents recommended that gun sounds/banging noisy materials (81.99%) and lighting fire/flashlight (44.95%) were the most common traditional protection methods from elephant crop damage. More than 56% of the respondents had positive attitudes toward the conservation of KSNP and elephant. About 54.18% of respondents were aware of park conservation and their awareness varied with age, education level, gender, settlement condition, and distance between settlement and park. The probability that males tended to respond to awareness was 3.5 times higher than that of female respondents. Males were more likely to have awareness about the aims of KSNP conservation and related issues. Factors influencing the attitude of the local community toward KSNP and elephant conservation in the area were age, education level, the distance between settlement and park, and their awareness status. Trends and levels of crop damage by elephants negatively influenced communities’ attitudes toward elephant conservation. Significant variation (P < 0.05) of respondents was observed on HEC, trends of crop damage, mitigation measures, awareness, and their attitudes toward protected area (PA) and elephant conservation. Therefore, the smooth coexistence of KSNP and wildlife/elephants with the local communities could be maintained by establishing buffer zones in the area to ensure conservation sustainability and community livelihoods.

The natural vegetation study was conducted in Kafta-sheraro national park (KSNP) North, Ethiopia to explore floristic composition, structure and regeneration of woody species in the home of African elephant. In the park, the above information is not well documented which is necessary for conservation. Data were collected From August to December 2018. The vegetation data were collected from 161 quadrats of size 20m×20m, 5mx5m for shrub ̸ tree, sapling and seedling respectively. Individual trees and shrubs DBH >=2.5cm and height >=2m were measured using Tape meter and Clinometer respectively. DBH, frequency, density, basal area, and IVI were used for vegetation structure. A total of 70 woody species 46 (65.7%) trees, 18 (25.7%) shrubs and 6 (8.6%) tree ̸ shrub) were identified. The total basal area and density of 79.3 m2 ha-1, and 466 ±12.8 (S.E.) individuals ha-1 were calculated for 64 woody species. Fabaceae was the most dominant family occupied 16 species (23.0%) followed by Combretaceae 8 species (11.4%). Acacia mellifera and Combretum hartmannianum were the most dominant and frequent species. Abnormal patterns of selected woody species were dominantly identified. Regenerating status all the woody plant species was categorized as “Fair” (18.75%), “Poor” (7.81 %) and “None” (73.44%). However, there is good initiation for conservation of the park; still the vegetation of the park was threatened by firewood collection, charcoal production, fire, intensive farming, mining and over grazing. Therefore, the study area as the habitat for the population of the African elephant; the KSNP should be recommended the highest conservation priority and studied the soil seed bank of species having poor regeneration condition.

Kafta-sheraro national park (KSNP) is one of the homes of the African elephant has experienced extensive destruction of woodland following regular land use & land cover change in the past three decades, however, up to date, data and documentation detailing for these changes are not addressed. This study aims to evaluate the land use land cover change and drivers of change that occurred between 1988 and 2018. Landsat 5(TM), Landsat7 (ETM ⁺ ), and Landsat 8 (OLI/TIRs) imagery sensors, field observation, and socio-economic survey data were used. The temporal and spatial Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was calculated and tested the correlation between NDVI and precipitation/temperature. The study computed a kappa coefficient of the dry season (0.90) and wet season (0.845). Continuous decline of woodland (29.38%) and riparian vegetation (47.11%) whereas an increasing trend of shrub-bushland (35.28%), grassland (43.47%), bareland (27.52%), and cultivated land (118.36 km ² ) were showed over thirty years. More results showed bare land was expanded from wet to drier months, while, cultivated land and grazing land increased from dry to wet months. Based on the NDVI result high-moderate vegetation was decreased by 21.47% while sparse & non-vegetation was expanded by 19.8% & 1.7% (36.5 km ² ) respectively. Settlement & agricultural expansion, human-induced fire, firewood collection, gold mining, and charcoal production were the major proximate drivers that negatively affected the park resources. Around KSNP, the local community livelihood depends on farming, expansion of agricultural land is the main driver for woodland dynamics/depletion and this leads to increase resources competition and challenges for the survival of wildlife. Therefore, urgent sustainable conservation of park biodiversity via encouraging community participation in conservation practices and preparing awareness creation programs should be mandatory.