Entoto Natural Park

 

When the Park area was given to the Trust in 1995 it was covered by eucalyptus – a non-native tree – as a monoculture. Biodiversity did not exist. Additionally, water erosion was taking place on a large scale, there being no grass or shrub cover to hold the water. Springs had dried up.

 

The goal is to cover the Park with indigenous trees and bring back the native flowers and shrubs, birds and mammals which used to abound in the area.

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Over 600,000 indigenous trees have been planted.

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To control water flow and prevent erosion 200 kilometres of terracing and 15 kilometres of check dams have been built.

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As a result, 13 springs have developed.

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115 species of bird have been recorded, including 5 of Ethiopia’s endemic species.

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With the growing maturity of the trees native shrubs and herbaceous plants can be seen, such as bulleia polystachya, bidens pachyloma, and geranium arabicum.

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The number of indigenous tree seedling planted in the Park over the last 3 years has been:

2020 9,400
2021 24,000
2022 24,000

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This momentum has to be maintained to complete the long-term vision of a green haven; at least a further 10 years effort will be required.