No abstract

Scientific studies harmonizing biodiversity conservation, ecotourism development, and local livelihoods in areas of natural endowments have significant importance in the welfare of society. The objective of this study was to investigate the local community's perception of the impacts of the Wanchi Ecotourism Association (WETA) and test the relationship between these perceptions and some socio-demographic predictor variables. Data was collected using household surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, field observations, and document analysis. Simple statistical analysis, such as descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, multiple response sets, and chi-square tests were used to analyze the socio-demographic characteristics and opinions on ecotourism development. Multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze the local community's perceptions towards the impacts of ecotourism using socio-demographic variables as predictors of the community responsiveness. The non-quantifiable information was analyzed using qualitative descriptions. There was enough evidence for the high resident's support for ecotourism development and perceptions of its positive impacts, while there was limited community participation, less economic benefit, and inequitable sharing of the revenues generated from WETA. The examination in the distribution of observed and expected perception responses on the impacts of ecotourism showed statistically significant differences (x 2 ¼ 110.833, df ¼ 3, P ¼ 0.000). The multinomial logistic regression revealed that the variables of educational level, duration of stay in the study landscape, ecotourism benefit, and place of residence from the ecotourism attraction center have a significant association with respondents' perception toward impacts of ecotourism. The study supported the social exchange theory, in that those who benefited from ecotourism viewed it as a development preference, and so are more likely to have positive attitudes concerning ecotourism.

Knowledge of vegetation dynamics associated with human land-use change and environmental variables is crucial for sustainable watershed management. The objective of this study was to analyse woody plant diversity in response to the effects of anthropogenic disturbances, and topographic variables in different land-cover types. Woody plants ≥5 cm diameter at breast height (DBH) were recorded from 20-by-20 m plots, those <5 cm DBH were recorded from 10-by-10 m plots, and tree seedlings were recorded in 3-by-3 m plots. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling with Bray-Curtis distance was employed to analyse woody species composition. Woody species richness was analysed using generalised linear modelling. Tree diameterclass distributions were examined for population structure. The study identified 104 woody plants belonging to 52 families, where 74.5% were indigenous and 16.7% were endemic to Ethiopia. Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Rosaceae were the most species-rich families. There was evidence for the effect of anthropogenic disturbance and elevation on woody species composition. Wetlands contained the highest woody species richness, while woody species richness declined with increasing elevation and disturbance. Evidence of good regeneration was observed in wetlands. To sustain the ecological functions and services provided by the watershed, rehabilitation of the forest and shrub-cover should be a high priority for local management authorities.

The aim of this study was to suggest suitable sites for community-based ecotourism (CBET) experiences and integrated management zone planning based on the potential of the site at the social-ecological Lake Wanchi watershed (LWW) and its adjacent landscapes. Comprehensive survey was made to obtain both the theoretical and conceptual insights before instigating the actual data collection. Data were collected using GIS and remote sensing supplemented with various biophysical and socio-economic field data, such as key informants interview, ground control points, and document analysis. The GIS-based multiple criteria decision analysis and the analytical hierarchy process were used for the identification of potential CBET sites, where visibility, vegetation-cover, elevation and slope were used as indicators for potential ecotourism attractions. Quantitative data captured through GIS and remote sensing application was analyzed using ArcGIS 10.3, while the non-quantifiable data were analyzed using context analysis and qualitative descriptions. Site suitability analysis resulted with four potential degrees of suitability classes: highly suitable, moderately suitable, marginally suitable and less suitable for ecotourism. Four potential eco-lodges and nine eco-camp sites were also identified. Subsequently, CBET potential suitability map for ecotourism experiences was generated, based on the linear combination of the criteria and indicators with their respective weights. Five key management zones, namely, protected zone (11.5%), multiple use zones (33%), sustainable use zone (13%), specific use zone (35.75%), and rehabilitation zone (6.7%) were identified. To maintain the sustainability of the local environment and the living conditions of residents any ecotourism enterprise must be planned based on the potential of the site.