English version - Convention on Biological Diversity

• Uncontrolled fire devastates a lot of woodland,
• Excessive pollarding of multipurpose trees, such as Balanites aegyptiaca,
Faidherbia albida, for dry season fodder, and
• Recurrent droughts.
1.3.1.3 Bush Land/Grassland Ecosystem
The bush land, grassland and wooded grassland habitats are found in most parts of the
western lowland, and in some areas of the eastern coastal plains and foot of the
escarpments of Eritrea. The total area of the grassland and wooded grassland is estimated
at 25,577 km 2 while that of the bush land is about 53, 824 km 2 . These habitats cover 63 %
of the total land area of the country (FAO, 1997).
Status and Trend
Most parts of the northwestern lowlands grassland/wooded grassland habitat consists of
Acacia nubica, Capparis decidua, Balanites aegyptiaca, Boscia senegalensis and a range
of other arid and semi-arid species. Calotropis procera is usually present where the water
table is near the surface. Pastoralists who followed traditional migration routes use this
area. There is very little rain fed agricultural cultivation, as rainfall is too low and
irregular. Groundwater has also high salinity. Fuel wood reserves could be extensive, but
remote from potential markets. Therefore, the status of biological resources is relatively
stable. However, new irrigation development project is under construction in the Kerkebet
area, where this land use change could negatively affect the biodiversity of the area unless
careful environmental assessment is conducted and management plan developed
accordingly.
The vegetation of the coastal plains is, in general, sparse and forms only a thin, partial
cover to the land. Much of the vegetation is similar in species composition and is
dominated by species tolerant to drought, grazing pressure and salinity. There are however
significant differences in plant community composition in response to local variations.
Although no recent complete floristic inventory has been undertaken in this habitat, the
biodiversity stock taking assessment (DoE, 1999) showed that plant species, mostly of
weedy species, such as Echinochloa colona, Datura metel, Solanum sp., Aerva javonica
and Heliotropium pterocarpum found sparsely. Nearer to the shoreline, saline areas not
used for cultivation are covered by patchy Suaeda monoica, with a ground layer of
Cenchrus ciliaris grass and occasional Trianthema crystallina. Cenchrus setigerus,
Dactyloctenium scindicum plus very occasional stunted Acacia tortilis trees, and is still
under considerable grazing pressure. In the areas around Zula, Buri Peninsula and
Wongobo, some of the natural vegetation have been cleared for agriculture and the
uncultivated areas are also mostly degraded and heavily grazed.
The Buri peninsula is one of the proposed protected areas. The flora of this area is not
exhaustively studied. However, there are 18 species of woody perennials so far identified
clustered under 11 families, out of which 2 are endangered (Bein et al, 2006), Table-7.
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