25.06.2013 Views

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

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

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

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

The Distributi<strong>on</strong>, Properties and Uses of Mineral Springs in <strong>the</strong> Harenna Forest<br />

Giovanni Chiodi and Michelle Pinard*<br />

Institute of Biological and Envir<strong>on</strong>mental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Cruickshank Building,<br />

23 St Machar Drive, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, UK<br />

*Email: m.a.pinard@abdn.ac.uk<br />

Abstract<br />

The <strong>Bale</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> Nati<strong>on</strong>al Park (BMNP) is inhabited by Oromo pastoralists, farmers<br />

and bee keepers, who use <strong>the</strong> mineral springs (horas) extensively in relati<strong>on</strong> to livestock husbandry.<br />

A survey was c<strong>on</strong>ducted in Nov-Dec 2007 to provide a preliminary account of <strong>the</strong> distributi<strong>on</strong>,<br />

properties and use of horas and hot-springs (tabalas) in <strong>the</strong> Harenna forest. A total of 47 horas and 3<br />

tabalas were identified. Tabalas are used occasi<strong>on</strong>ally for healing skin and stomach illnesses and for<br />

thanksgiving celebrati<strong>on</strong>s. Six horas were found to be particularly important for livestock. Horas are<br />

used as a salt supplement for livestock and, in combinati<strong>on</strong> with availability of grazing, are linked to<br />

<strong>the</strong> seas<strong>on</strong>al movement of people in <strong>the</strong> forest. The results of this survey indicate <strong>the</strong> importance of<br />

<strong>the</strong> historical dimensi<strong>on</strong> to current resource use patterns and <strong>the</strong> importance of engaging with local<br />

people to document and design relevant management initiatives.<br />

Introducti<strong>on</strong><br />

Mineral springs and hot-springs are comm<strong>on</strong> in <strong>the</strong> East African landscape, where <strong>the</strong>y are associated<br />

with tect<strong>on</strong>ic activity in <strong>the</strong> Great Rift Valley. In Ethiopia <strong>the</strong>ir waters are generally rich in sodium<br />

(Hillman 1988; Teklemariam et al. 1996; Demlie et al. 2007) and local pastoralists traditi<strong>on</strong>ally use<br />

<strong>the</strong>m to provide mineral nutrients to <strong>the</strong>ir livestock (Hillman 1988; Kabaija 1989). This practice<br />

occurs in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Bale</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> Nati<strong>on</strong>al Park (BMNP), <strong>on</strong>e of <strong>the</strong> most important protected areas<br />

in Ethiopia. The BMNP is inhabited by Oromo pastoralists, farmers and bee keepers, who, in <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

livestock husbandry, make extensive use of <strong>the</strong> mineral springs (“horas” in <strong>the</strong> Oromo language)<br />

found within <strong>the</strong> park. Good quality horas, for example hora Worg<strong>on</strong>a <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sanetti plateau in<br />

BMNP, are extremely valuable to traditi<strong>on</strong>al Oromo livelihoods and attract a large number of users<br />

every year. The horas have a large influence <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> seas<strong>on</strong>al movement of people and livestock<br />

within <strong>the</strong> park and <strong>the</strong> sustainability of <strong>the</strong> practice has been questi<strong>on</strong>ed and remains a central issue<br />

for c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong>.<br />

The park c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> strategy currently aims to achieve sustainable use of <strong>the</strong> natural<br />

resources through participative processes, without neglecting <strong>the</strong> cultural value of <strong>the</strong> landscape<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>Walia</str<strong>on</strong>g>-<str<strong>on</strong>g>Special</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Editi<strong>on</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Bale</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> 225

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!