Undergraduate Research into the Cultural, Economic and Ecological Significance of Church Forests in South Gondar, Ethiopia

Colby College, Waterville ME

Investigators

Abstract

------------- ABSTRACT This is an international REU Site to provide eight undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds an opportunity to conduct interdisciplinary research on the cultural, economic and ecological roles of church forests in Ethiopia. Under the proposed eight-week REU students receive training at Colby College in social survey research, spatial analysis using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), ecological field methods, and written and oral communication. They then travel to South Gondar, Ethiopia where they work closely with mentors from Colby College, North Carolina State University, and local institutions to conduct and share their original research. Intellectual Merit: Church forests are patches of Afromontane forest surrounding Ethiopian Orthodox churches. Preserved by church leaders and communities as religious sanctuaries, church forests are, in many parts of Ethiopia, the only indigenous forests left. From an institutional perspective, church forests show how non-state actors such as religious institutions can play major roles in conservation. From an ecological perspective, church forests are crucial reserves for Ethiopia's vanishing biodiversity. "Outsiders" are rarely allowed into church forests, but after years of outreach efforts in Ethiopia, Dr. Meg Lowman of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences has a Memorandum of Understanding for access to the church forests and cooperation with church leaders. Working closely with faculty mentors and Ethiopian collaborator Dr. Alemayehu Wassie, students at the proposed REU Site actively contribute to the design and implementation of original research including GIS analyses and community surveys examining cultural and economic values of church forests; and ecological studies of human impacts on church forest biodiversity and ecosystem services. Broader Impacts: The leadership of the U.S. is critical to the success of global efforts to reverse environmental degradation in low-income countries. The proposed REU Site is designed to spark global interest in the conservation of tropical forests, but also to learn from and strengthen existing conservation institutions in Ethiopia. Study results will be shared within Ethiopia through meetings of academic and church community stakeholders, and internationally through a website, publication of student work in economics, ecology and interdisciplinary journals, and student attendance at conferences. In addition, the program exposes students to a unique cultural and educational experience, while providing them an opportunity to conduct cutting-edge social and ecological research in a safe and supportive REU setting. With a focus on community college students, women, low-income students and under-represented groups, this REU Site establishes the foundations for a more diverse and informed body of scholars and leaders able to think critically and compassionately about real-world problems from multiple perspectives. This project is co-funded by the International Science and Engineering (ISE) organization and also the Office of Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) at the NSF. In addition, it is designated as an RUI (Research in Undergraduate Institutions) project.