Local Communities’ and Parishioners’ Perceptions on Monasteries’ Forest Patch Plant Biodiversity Conservation in Northern Wollo Ethiopia

Abstract

Both anthropogenic and climate change threaten Ethiopia’s forest regions. Sacred and religious sites maintain most indigenous and native plant species. Northern Ethiopia farmed and settled for thousands of years, causing environmental damage and deforestation. This study examines biodiversity conservation perceptions and biodiversity preferences by local communities and churchgoers. Among the five monasteries in the area, two were selected based on the stated chriteria. The selection criteria for monasteries were a historical antiquity of more than 50 years and a thick forest cover of more than 10 hectares. Multistage sampling was utilized to choose sample residences. Respondents were chosen using simple random sampling and proportion to population size. Among the total population, 310 survey participants were selected. It was found that the commitment to biodiversity conservation of local people and parishioners is directly explained by age, education, the number of years in a status region, and income. It is highlighted that a higher level of education, age above 51 years, and middle-income socioeconomic status most significantly affect respondents’ biodiversity engagement.