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The Murulle Foundation
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Updated: December 11, 2007

Tree Planting in Odo Bulu
(August 2001)

In August 2001, the local Goba Forestry Department, with funds supplied by The Murulle Foundation, in cooperation with local farmers and authorities, planted 44,000 Eucalyptus globulus, 700 Pinus patula, 100 Grevillea robusta, 100 Acacia melanoxylon and 100 Hagenia abyssinica tree seedlings. The seedlings were planted in an effort to reduce harvesting pressure on the adjacent old-growth forest. Without access to electricity, the villagers in the area rely heavily on wood from the forest for all their cooking and thermal needs. By supplying local villagers with an alternative source of fuelwood the impacts of harvesting will ultimately be reduced.

Most of the selected tree species are fast growing and are widely used throughout Africa in established treeplantations. The Kosso tree (Hagenia abyssinica) is indigenous to Ethiopia and was planted in Odo Bulu to reforest an area of the forest that was recently cleared to satisfy fuelwood demands. The remaining species, none of which are native to Africa, were distributed to areas already in use for agricultural production. Silky oak (Grevillea robusta), Australian blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon), and the Tasmanian Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus) are all introduced from Australia while the Patula pine is native to Mexico.

After successfully working with farmers and local and regional authorities to initiate and oversee the planting of the seedlings, The Murulle Foundation's next and most crucial step is to promote good husbandry and silvicultural practices that will maximize wood production and socioeconomic benefits while having a minimal impact on soil fertility, soil erosion, agricultural crop production, water, and native plant and wildlife species. In order to achieve this, a thorough educational and monitoring scheme must be implemented in the area.

Specific objectives for education and monitoring include the organization of training sessions and workshops that bring together scientists, farmers, and local and regional authorities to develop techniques and management guidelines that will achieve the optimal desired results for the plantations and communities while conserving the natural resources and the remarkable biodiversity found in the area. In addition, preliminary baseline scientific data, such as soil characteristics and climate data, will be acquired, essential for long-term monitoring projects.