Walia Special Edition on the Bale Mountains (2011) - Zoologische ...

accruing to households. Although non-significant, the differences in the direct consumptive use value
of livestock observed between kebeles is hypothesised to result from differences in grazing quality
between survey sites rather than differing economic incentives for livestock rearing. The implications
of this livestock valuation are particularly important within the National Park where the long period
of unrestricted access has resulted in livestock grazing within its boundaries. With new management
plans to exclude livestock grazing in core National Park areas, this value estimation can inform
management with respect to minimum private welfare values that may be lost through exclusion.
All households engage in the harvesting of forest products with goods gathered
opportunistically dependent on local environmental conditions. Forest coffee is only able to grow
in the lower altitude, warmer forests surrounding Chiri and extensive honey production is found
in Rira. The annual direct consumptive use value derived from marketed and non-marketed forest
products was US$ 407 ± 24 per household. This value is exclusive of medicinal plants and with
annual Ethiopian household expenditure reportedly over US$50 (Mander et al. 2006) their inclusion
may have considerably increased this value. A significant difference is found in direct consumptive
use value of forest products between kebeles. Chiri derives a much greater value from forest products
than other kebeles as a result of high forest coffee market value. Rira and Fassil also have higher
forest product values than Hora Soba which is surrounded by grassland rather than forested land.
These findings imply that proximity to forested areas and the local availability of products affect
forest product dependency. They also draw attention to the high values of forest coffee and honey
production and potential to add value to these forest products. Forest coffee and honey already have
established markets in the Bale Mountains Eco-region so the improvement of these markets is not
unfeasible; even small changes in post harvest handling could add value. This could reduce human
pressure on natural areas by lowering resource extraction and increase the income that households
receive. If community-based organisations could be successfully established for forest products
there may also be potential for organic and fair-trade certification, creating a price premium to
incentivise forest conservation.
Aggregate household direct consumptive use value
The aggregate direct consumptive use value provided by ecosystem goods and services annually
is estimated to be US$1791 ± 81 per household. Over two-thirds of this value derives from crop
production (64%), 13% from livestock production and 23% from forest product harvesting. This study
reinforces the need for valuation within the local environment and management context. Comparison
of relative values show that the Bale communities derive more value from crop production and less
from livestock than Dovie et al. (2005) found in South Africa (27% and 40% respectively), but are
consistent with a meta-analysis revealing household income from forest products at 22% of total
income (Vedeld et al. 2004). The direct consumptive use value is also found to correlate positively
with the number of people living within a household suggesting the availability of labour may factor
in production, but this conclusion is drawn tentatively as the exploration of household production
dynamics was not the research aim of this study. Environmental valuation studies undertaken in rural
areas will complement livelihood assessments and can highlight potential distributional impacts
<strong>Walia</strong>-<strong>Special</strong> <strong>Edition</strong> on the Bale Mountains 193