The sacred forests of Ethiopia

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) is the largest of the Oriental Orthodox churches and one of the most influential institutions in Ethiopia with more than 45 million followers, half a million clergy and more than 75,000 churches and 3000 monasteries.

More than 35,000 of these churches are surrounded by sacred forests, ranging in size from half a hectare to thousands of hectares. These sacred forests are often the last remaining fragments of natural vegetation in regions that have otherwise been degraded by extensive land use. They serve as refuges for native plant and animal species and preserve a biodiversity that would be endangered without them.

Many local farmers remember that their landscapes were once forested in their childhood – a sign of the dramatic environmental changes of recent decades. The degradation of soils is largely due to rapid population growth and the expansion of agriculture to meet food needs in areas that are often characterised by food insecurity. In addition, there is little awareness of sustainable land and forest management.

The church forests have survived mainly because of the spiritual values that the EOTC and its followers attach to them. Believers regard all elements in a church forest – trees, shrubs, grass, water, animals – as sacred. This reverence has also fostered the way of life of the monastic communities that live in many of these forests and use sustainable practices rooted in religious teachings. Although these communities rely on the forest for their basic needs, they use its resources with restraint and respect, committing themselves to living in harmony with the environment.

This approach is a unique model for nature conservation and a complement to conventional forest management, interweaving ecological sustainability with spiritual and cultural practices.

Employment, timber, biodiversity

In cooperation with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission (EOC-DICAC) and Bread for the World, a project has been developed to support communities in the restoration and conservation of such forest landscapes. The joint project is called the “Sustainable Church Forest Management Program” (SCFMP).

The restored forests will provide employment, timber and firewood and improve biodiversity and soil fertility in the long term. The trees also bind carbon dioxide and reduce the effects of climate change. Due to EOC-DICAC’s close relationships with local communities and their administrations at village and district level, the programme has already extended its approaches to the surrounding landscapes. EOC-DICAC also collaborates with research institutions and relevant government agencies.

However, some church forests are not clearly demarcated, which can lead to a conflict of interest between the monasteries and the surrounding communities over church resources. To mitigate this risk, the EOC-DICAC will continue the dialogue between the different stakeholders by involving church and community leaders from the beginning to achieve a common understanding of the importance of protecting church forests.

Reforestation measures

At the heart of the programme are reforestation measures, especially for those who depend on the natural resources extracted from the church forests. It takes two main approaches:

1. Green Corridors – connecting nature and people:

To protect church forests, EOC-­DICAC’s green corridors concept supports communities living outside the forests to establish a sustainable connection with monastic communities living in the forests. Isolated patches of forest or natural habitats are connected to extensions of land of different sizes and shapes to enable the migration and dispersal of plant and animal species. Green corridors can be planned in different sizes and lengths. They can be established at regional, sub-regional and local levels. The concept provides an evaluation system for planning the corridor structures that are most suitable in terms of conservation and connectivity. These corridors play a crucial role in the restoration and upscaling of landscapes.

2. Agroforestry – a key to sustainable food security:

Various combinations of trees, crops and vegetables can be grown in the tree plantations and on the farmland between the villages and the church forests. Within the plantations, the trees can add several positive ecosystem services to this integrated agricultural concept:

• high food and nutrient diversity that is available longer into the year,
• lower risks compared to monocultures in terms of negative effects of weather and pests,
• raising the water table and reducing overland or surface runoff by creating drainage through roots,
• providing shade and reducing the evaporation of groundwater,
• fertilisation through nitrogen fixation and mulch formation through falling leaves,
• reducing soil erosion.

With these approaches, the SCFMP aims to fundamentally improve food security in the respective regions. It has reduced the number of days of hunger, increased crop yields and improved dietary diversity through the cultivation of fruit and vegetables.

It also helps to increase income by promoting sustainable agricultural practices and teaching entrepreneurial skills. It has further promoted a culture of saving. The programme focuses on women and youth by involving local women’s groups and young people who have no prospect of owning their own land in all economic activities and in the establishment of the green corridors.

In addition, the corridors and other activities are restoring and preserving ecosystems and degraded areas. They also increase the density and biodiversity of church forests. Other benefits include the reduction of water-borne diseases and the improvement of local communities’ knowledge, awareness and skills in forestry and conservation.

Preserved through religious reverence

Ethiopia’s church forests are an exceptional part of both Ethiopia’s spiritual heritage and the national Green Legacy Initiative, which is part of the country’s multi-layered response to the impacts of climate change. What makes these forests special is that they are protected not only by ecological intentions but also by a deep-rooted religious reverence, giving them a unique conservation status and framework rarely found in other conservation efforts.

Awareness and a sense of shared responsibility are crucial for the sustainable management and protection of these vital natural resources. The EOTC plays a critical role here, taking an eco-theological approach that combines traditional conservation knowledge with insights from ongoing ecological and sustainability programmes. To strengthen this stewardship, the programme partners are committed to ensuring that the EOTC obtains full ownership of the church forests so that it can effectively continue its sustainable management and conservation practices.

With the SCFMP, Bread for the World is also tapping into important indigenous knowledge about the use of natural resources. This is the basis for the programme’s enormous potential to protect as many of Ethiopia’s church forests as possible. Strong institutional partnerships with church organisations such as EOC-DICAC and local and international partners help to promote environmental protection throughout the country and beyond. This comprehensive approach not only improves environmental protection, but also promotes peaceful coexistence and a shared commitment to Ethiopia’s natural heritage. The church forests are an example of how spiritual values and sustainability efforts can be aligned to protect ecosystems and provide a model for community-centred, eco-theological conservation efforts.

Christoph Schneider-Yattara is the Regional Representative of Bread for the World in the Horn of Africa, based in Ethiopia.
csyattara@padd-africa.org 

Peter M. Borchardt is a freelance restoration consultant and works as a senior researcher and project manager for Bread for the World, Plant-for-the-Planet and the Norwegian Church Aid, among others.
pbo1@gmx.de