To improve the conservation status of the afroalpine ecosystem of Amhara National Regional State of Ethiopia through the active participation of adjacent communities.

Status: No formal recognition at present in any area, but the Guassa Area in North Shoa is managed by a community association, with formal by-laws.
Geographical Location: North of rift valley in Ethiopia, covering all land over 3,500 m asl
Area: ~1,500 sqrt km afroalpine habitat i.e. 10% of global habitat

FZS has supported conservation activities in Ethiopia intermittently for over 30 years, but was reinstated in 2002, through this project. Initially the project, run through the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme, focused on keystone species monitoring and threat mitigation, including that from canid diseases, for direct protection of the endangered Ethiopian wolf. However, habitat protection gradually took on a larger portion of the work. Building on efforts to reinstate an indigenous system of common property resource management in the Guassa area of Menz, FZS took over and managed the team directly in 2005, and changed the emphasis of the project towards supporting community based natural resource use.

The area encompasses afroalpine grasslands (Ethiopian montane moorlands ecoregion), including Giant Erica forests, alpine meadows and montane escarpments. Steep sided valleys and plateau areas predominate. All areas are important watersheds and water catchment areas for major river systems, including the Blue Nile and Awash Rivers.

• Development of a legal framework and legislation for the protection of afroalpine areas
• Conduct public awareness activities including environmental education programmes
• Support for community based natural resrouce management
• Development of strategic ecosystem monitoring plans
• Support tourism development
• Capacity building of local people

Zelealem Tefera

Amhara Regional Authorities
Simien National Park Authority
Guassa User Committee
Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme