SUITABLE TREES FOR URBAN ECOSYSTEM WITH

SPECIAL FOCUS ON ORNAMENTAL TREES:

THE CASE OF BAHIR DAR CITY, NORTH WEST
ETHIOPIA
(M.Sc. THESIS)
Abraham Demekristos
Advisors: Gessesse Dessie (PhD),assistant professor
Zerihun Mohammed (PhD)
November, 2011
Adet, Ethiopia
12- November-11

MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVE

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

INTRODUCTION
Background and Justification

Urbanization impact on urban ecosystem (UNEP,

2002)

Small pockets of urban forests challenges by

settlement

(Woldegabriel, 2002)

Fuel wood plantation in towns (Demel, 2000)

Even though, practices long experience in Ethiopia,

favorite trees are not on the list & limited
information as reported by Horst (2006).

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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

INTRODUCTION ..
As times & fashions change, new spp. emerge, old
are

rediscovered & others lose favor & disappear

(Saebo et al, 2003).

B/c invasive exotics displacing natives, disrupting
ecosytms
Proper sitting are also necessary (Harris, 1992).
listing trees encourages prodn, their widespread
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distribution
& use

MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

INTRODUCTION ..
Wrong trees for wrong place, in towns (Costello,
1993; Bradshaw et al., 1995; Harris et al., 1999).
This

problem is observable in all towns of

Ethiopia, especially the study city (Solomon,

2009).
Hence, before favorite trees lost forever, in cities.

this study look at appropriateness based on people interest,

experience & scientific standards
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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

To identify, evaluate and present the value/function

of the most common trees growing in Bahir Dar

To investigate the preference of the residents on

species, criteria & recommend best species based on
their merits

To understand potential problems of growing trees in

B/Dar

Objectives
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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

Description of study area

B/dar is one of the fastest cities, & comprises 9 sub-cities

Location: latitude 11 o33'- 11o38N & longitude 37o20- 37 o25E.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

It is at a distance of 565 Km north of the capital, Addis Ababa

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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

Methods

Tree inventory and observations

Sampling procedures and species identification

Sample was stratified, plots distributed randomly

Clark & Swanson (1990).

Plot distribution among strata following Flook (1996)
Within each plot, parameters: DBH, height, crown,

tree condition & niches were measured

Sample plots located using GPS coordinates &

Plot distribution on map
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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

Fig. 3: Distribution of plots in the study city

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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

The species were identified with: Key informants

Using field guide books (Azene et al., 1993),& (Fichtl &

Admasu, 1994), Fentahun & Hager (2008).

Data

The

type

most widely method: developed worldwide by

International Society of Arboriculture (Hoeven, 1998).

Tree

value = Cross Sectional Area Current Value

per sq. m (Species Condition Location )Class

Eq-1 Where,

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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

Cross

sectional

area:

Is

the

diameter

squared

&

multiplied by a constant (0.7854)

Current value: value for each sq. meter of stem based

on the city work norm standards

Species(%): A preference values based on xics of the tree

Condition class(%): Assessed the tree & categorized as

an excellent, good, fair, poor, based on guidelines checklist

Location

class(%):

Average location ratings scored,

Identical trees located on different sites may have d/t

values

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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

Sampling procedure for interviewee

Simple

random

sampling

(sample

110,

comprises 5% )

Data collection
Secondary data: reviewed first
Primary

data:

(survey,

Key

interviews, Field observation)

Data analysis

Descriptive(qualitative /quantitative)

Analysis using SPSS version 16

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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

informant

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Socioeconomic status of respondents
A total 110 respondents grouped into 4 age

classes (15 65)

Most at the age class of 15-30 years

56% men, while 44% were women

Gardeners preferred exotics, purchased & currently

in prodn., income for youngsters on roadsides

Migrants unlikely to plant but benefited from exists

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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

Results and Disc.

Species distribution
A total 336 trees, 39 spp., under 31 families
Among 13 of them (33%) were edible fruit, 22 (56%)
ornamental trees, & others.

Result showed that indigenous(19) spp. , but

Many exotics (20)evoke positive response in recent
decades

Most agreed on fruit & shade trees commonly grown by

individuals(elders) as a custom & tradition (Thaman,
1987).
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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

Results
Results.
and Disc.

Diameter distribution of city trees

Total 62 plots, having DBH 10 cm & a height 1.37m

A relatively highest frequency by small diameter

(66.4% woody spp).

shows younger plantings
recently (positive )

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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

Results and Disc.

Ornamental trees

Based on character & informants consensus, 11 trees lies on10

C.equisetifo
lia

Dominant family Bignoniaceae, Cupressaceae & Moraceae

C.citrinu
s

C.lusitani
ca

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S.nilotica

T.catap
a

A.exels
a

M.azedara
ch

families, representing 29% of tree population in study area

M.indic
a
P.reclina
ta

MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

H.rosasinesis

J.mimo
sifolia

Tree value
Table 4: Values of 11 trees, analyzed using the formula
method
components

Scientific Name

Phoenix reclinata

CSA
(m2)
0.068

CV
SC
(birr /m2) (%)
4.563
1

CC LC
(%) (%)
0.8 1

Melia azedarach

0.070

4.677

0.8 0.8

Spathodea nilotica

0.080

5.380

0.8 0.6

Hibiscus rosa-sinesis
Terminalia catappa
Jacaranda mimosifolia
Casuarina
equisetifolia
Araucaria excelsa
Cupressus lusitanica
Mangifera indica
Callistemon citrinus

0.049
0.028
0.071
0.032

3.290
1.903
4.777
2.144

0.6
0.8
0.6
0.7

0.8
0.8
0.6
0.8

0.6
0.7
0.2
0.4

TV
(birr)
0.24
8
0.21
0
0.20
7
0.046
0.024
0.024
0.015

0.017
0.020
0.017
0.020

1.106
1.327
1.139
1.347

0.8
0.7
0.6
0.4

0.9
0.7
0.7
0.6

0.9
0.8
0.6
0.6

0.012
0.010
0.005
0.004

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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

Results and Disc.

Those trees ranked on their values in line with
reports judged by Griffin & Davis (2005) from
experiences of western.
Familiar spp.: P.reclinata

M.azedarch, & S.nilotica

high value
C. citrinus has lower value than others b/c 40% rate,
60%

location

&

60%

state

of

health

undervalued(0.004)
All multiple factor values of tree differences were
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MSc Thesis
Forestry
significant
in .....Urban
the city
landscape

Results and Disc.

Tree preference
The eight selected respondents from d/t disciplines
Appreciation of one spp. over the other for its
aesthetics:
M.azedarach 61 respondents (96%)
P.reclinata the second highest, with 59 (93%),

followed by
Spathodea nilotica, (58%)
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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

Results and Disc.

Tab. 5: Informant preference ranking of trees used for
orn.tal purposes

Species

Respondents (R1-R8)
R R2 R3 R4 R5 R6
1
Melia azedarach
8 7 7
7
8 8
Phoenix reclinata 8 8 7
7
6 8
Spathodea nilotica 6 7 7
7
8 8
Araucaria excelsa 5 6 7
5
3 2
Terminalia
6 5 7
6
5 6
catappa
Cupressus
6 5 4
6
4 5
lusitanica
Casuarina
5 4 5
5
4 5
equisetifolia
Hibiscus rosa4 5 2
4
5 5
sinesis
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Jacaranda
2MSc Thesis
3 .....Urban
3
3Forestry
4 5

To Ra
R7 R8 tal nk
8
8
7
7
6

8
7
8
3
5

61
59
58
48
46

1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th

40 6th

37 7th

34 8th

29 9th

Results and Disc.

Widely used Criteria in the locality:
Majority of the participants agreed:
Aesthetics

(82.5%),

shade

(81.5%),

fencing

(71.8%), fruit (64.5%), & envtal. Control (36.4 %)

top scored

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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

Results and Disc.

Correlation test showed higher no of

ornamental perceived, & interested by higher
educated experts
Sidewalks edged with M.azedarach, especially
shade to shoppers similar to Wolf (2004)
Fruit (M.indica, P.gujava, C.papaya) in resident
areas
However, poorly suited on roads, in agreement with
Burns (2005) risk of dropping fruits, attraction of
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pedestrian

MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

Results and Disc.

Eucalyptus have a negative impact on roads, &
other buildings
Urban forest/tree constraints
lack of public involvement
Space limitation , professional, policy &other mgt
problems
However, municipality conducts some mgt on
power lines
Lack of institution
Inadequate financial
sources
MSc Thesis
.....Urban Forestry

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Tab.8: Urban tree problems and number of

respondents
Major
Problems cited
No of
% problems
responden mentioned by
ts
respondents
76
69.7
67
60.9
57
53.3

Lack of awareness
Lack of space
Poor silviculture
management
Shortage of seed/seedlings
35
Lack of skilled manpower
35
Conflict with infrastructure
34
Free grazing
33
Uniformity of the species
21
Wrong tree selection
18
Policy issue
16
Lack of budget
14
Lack of responsible
13
person/org.
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MSc Thesis .....Urban10
Forestry
Maximum

32.1
32.1
31.8
30.3
19.3
16.5
14.5
12.7
11.8
9.3

Conclusion

In 2.48 ha of size plots, a total of 39 spp. 11 orntal

identified

Proper trees with their respective niches identified

Species rating, condition & location were most dominant

contributors for tree value

The dominant selection criterion were shade, & aesthetics

as well as fence, hedge and environmental benefits

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Low level of community awareness and active participation

Lack of resource constraints,periodical inventory

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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

Recommendation

Formulation of policy through analysis

Arborists should be aware the latest favorite spp. &
proper sitting & Mgt.

Public awareness needs to be enhanced at all levels

Encouraging

participation

private

sectors

&

community in planning, inventory for long-term

beauty and success

Further research is needed

in mitigating climate

change by reducing CO2

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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry

Thanks a lot for your kind attentions

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MSc Thesis .....Urban Forestry