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The Murulle Foundation
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Updated: December 11, 2007

Fire in the Galama Mountains: A Report From TMF
(September 2001)

A research team from The Murulle Foundation journeyed into the Galama Mountains of Ethiopia in 2001 to conduct an assessment of the landscape's rare flora and fauna. The research was part of a joint venture between TMF and the Galama Mountains Conservation Fund to identify habitat conditions for future conservation and management. Of particular interest to the research team was the vegetative response to livestock grazing and burning in the ericaceous zone, which exists between the elevations of 3,000 and 3,800 m. This zone received its name as a result of the dominance of two species of heather, Erica arborea and Erica trimera. These large shrubs (classified as trees when allowed to reach maturity) play an important role in the survival of most wildlife species found at these elevations. The Ethiopian wolf and mountain nyala, endemic species of Ethiopia, rely on heather for thermal cover and protection against the unforgiving climate of Galama.

Over the last five years, barley farmers have begun to cultivate as high as 11,000 ft. in elevation due to increasing demands for land at lower elevations. As a result, herders and their livestock have been displaced into the ericaceous zone to find areas of adequate forage for grazing. Though many different species of grasses and other nutritious vegetation are found within the zone, they normally occur in sparse patches due to the denseness and height of the heather. Livestock herders have long known that the heather, a very oily plant, is extremely flammable and that burning it results in several years of lush grass for grazing. Most burning occurs from late January to early March and is followed by annual rains, thereby promoting the germination of a dense population of herbaceous plants.

Historically, only small patches were set on fire by a few herders, leaving the majority of the heather community intact. This year, our observations suggest that as much as 90 to 95 percent of the heather in the Galamas is of insufficient height to provide the necessary cover for the survival of many of the wildlife species. Our objective was to determine whether there might still be hope for rejuvenation in one of the rarest ecosystems in the world.

With the help of local villagers, our research team was able to determine the age of burns that were less than six years old. Our plan was to establish vegetation sample plots of similar aspect and elevation in five burn areas of different ages: a one year old, two year old, three year old, four year old and six year old burn. Using Modified-Whittaker sample plots, we collected vegetation measurements at scales of 1m2, 10m2, 100m2 and 1000m2. Preliminary results, using 1m2 plots, suggests little change in species composition (number of species) and high variations in structure (percent foliar cover) over time.

The average number of vegetative species found in each study site was twenty-five, with no significant differences between sites. However, the amount of cover represented by different species was greatly altered by fire. Herbaceous plants (non-woody forbs and grasses) dominate the heather community until the fourth year following burning, providing an abundant source of nutritious and palatable forage for livestock. Young heather is also browsed by livestock for two to four years after burning, before the stems become woody and unpalatable. Grazing conditions are at their best between two and four years after burning, followed by rapid decline as the heather becomes mature. Additionally, our data suggests that heather has a rapid recovery period after fire and may provide adequate cover for large species of wildlife within seven years after burning.

Our field observations suggest that regeneration of heather following fire occurs almost immediately and continues at a rapid pace. Though the leaves and stems of the heather may burn completely, the roots remain alive and intact. The root system is then quick to sprout new stems once the annual rains occur. Without this survival adaptation, the germination and re-establishment of heather by seed would most likely take an additional ten years or more. Fortunately, the heather's adaptation to fire and relatively rapid recovery allows extra time for management and conservation efforts to find solutions to increasing levels of human encroachment into the ericaceous zone. Though the regional Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) has a conservation plan in progress, the extent of burning in recent years has already had a severe impact on wildlife populations. TMF intends to continue to aid MoA's efforts to monitor land-use impacts in the Galama Mountains and keep remaining wildlife populations intact until the conservation plan is fully implemented.