The Role Of Cultural Practices In Trees Management Practices Among The Qemant Community Chilga Woreda (District) Ethiopia

The age old sacred groves are one of the first instances of indigenous environmental management in general or trees in particular in many communities of the world. Ethiopia is not exceptional having many ethnic groups have diverse cultural and heritage management practices. The case of Qemant community is not exceptional.

This study is about the role of cultural practices in tree management among the Qemant community Chilga Woreda (district),Ethiopia. In the Woreda (district), the community practices indigenous cultural trees management practices since time immemorial.

The research deals with cultural beliefs, values, and taboos of indigenous cultures in trees management practices at Chilga woreda. Accordingly, local religion, ecological knowledge, medicinal value and benefits of the trees considered as units of analysis for the study.

The main objective of the research is to investigate and reveal the indigenous knowledge of Qemant community trees management and to purpose ways for maintaining useful forest knowledge for sustainable development.

Both primary and secondary methods of data collection tools employed to gather information in the study area. Data collection tools such as focus group discussions, observations; interviews documents both published and unpublished used and reviewed.

The major findings of the research indicated that indigenous cultural practices of the community have important roles in forest management practices in general and trees in particular. It is believed forests preserved for this purpose is strictly forbidden to use it. Yet, the majority of the community knowledges have limitations on their effectiveness, functions and implementations because of the change of religion to new once, thus, decline importance showed. This called for a new strategy to transform indigenous cultural practices by creating synthesis with scientific knowledge and their application on forest management and trees in particular. As recommended, this will be done by the collaborative effort of the local communities and the government. This needs actually urgent solution. Therefore, it will open up the possibilities integrated knowledge between the government and the community for forest management practices and trees in the study sites