摘要
有几位作者突出报道了埃塞俄比亚的森林减少现象,但在其原因及后果方面并未达成一致。本研究的目的是从社会政治和地理学角度出发,以100年跨度调查阿瓦萨(Awassa)集水区森林减少趋势与社会、经济和政治格局变化之间的联系。采用了野外观察、卫星图像与地图分析、访谈及文献研究的方式,并分析了自然指标。结果表明,森林面积自19世纪结束之际的占大约40%下降到2000年的不足3%。所选择的时期内,研究区域的森林减少是生物物理条件与社会条件相结合的结果。重要的原因是:地理特性;社会政治变化;人口增长;不稳定的土地使用权原则;农业发展;以及交通能力的改进。主要结论是:20世纪初,森林减少已经愈演愈烈,森林被划入不重要的经济类别。在政治转换期,作为政治真空的一个后果,大面积森林遭到砍伐,对资源(包括森林)进行保护的兴趣很缺乏。每一政治阶段,土地使用权原则都会变化、带来的不确定性阻碍了管理森林的长期规划努力。由于研究区与远处市场之间道路通行状况的改善,残存的稀疏林地作为潜在的可耕作农地正变得越来越有吸引力。
Forest decline in Ethiopia is highlighted by several authors but there is no consensus on its causes and consequences.The objective of this study is to investigate,from sociopolitical and geographical perspectives,the linkage between the trend of forest decline and changes in the social,economic,and political pattern in the Awassa watershed over a 100-year perspective.Field observations,satellite image and map analyses,interviews,and literature studies were employed,and natural indicators were analyzed.The findings indicate that the forest area declined from about 40% at the turn of the 19th century to less than 3% in the year 2000.Forest decline in the study area during the elected time period is the result of the combination of biophysical and social conditions. Important causes are geographic properties,sociopolitical changes,population growth,unstable land tenure principles,agricultural development,and the improvement of transport capacity.The main conclusions are as follows:Already in the early 20th century forest decline was in progress and forests were attributed an insignificant economic classification.Large areas of forest were cut down during periods of political transition when as a result of the political vacuum, interest in the protection of resources including forests was lacking.Long-term planning efforts to manage forests were obstructed by uncertainty resulting from land tenure principle change during each political period.The sparse area of forest land that remains is becoming increasingly attractive as potential land for arable agriculture because of improved road access between the study area and distant markets.
