State of Africa’s Birds
RESPONSE: Conserving biodiversity Rangeland management benefits livestock, pastoralists and Critically Endangered lark
Poverty and drought has led to the fragmentation and degradation of the Liben Plain. It is part of the South Ethiopian Highlands Endemic Bird Area (EBA), and one of the few fragments of open grassland surviving in East Africa; only 7,500 ha of degraded grassland remains. This is driven by overgrazing, soil erosion, scrub encroachment, and the conversion of grasslands to crops. Using Participatory Rangeland Management techniques deployed by project partners (Ethiopian Wildlife Natural History Society; SOS Sahel; BirdLife International; Coventry University; Manchester Metropolitan University), local people are supported to create communally managed grassland reserves known as “Kallos” across the plain to improve the quality and extent of native grasslands. Identified Kallo Management Committees manage these grasslands under a set of agreed customary pastoralist bylaws. By December 2016, approximately 300ha of Kallos had been established and approximately 650-670 ha of scrub cleared to increase the area of grassland. Sustainable rangeland management in the Liben Plains is already proving to benefit livestock, the local pastoralist community, the Liben Lark Heteromirafra archeri and other grassland biodiversity. This is thanks to lessons gained and trials made from previous (2011-2015) projects funded by the British Birdwatching Fair and other supporters, and the current (2016-2018) project funded by the Darwin Initiative “Sustainable management of an Ethiopian rangeland for biodiversity and pastoralists”. This project aims at enhancing the livelihoods and food security for thousands of Borana pastoralists across the Liben Plain, whilst also preventing the extinction of Liben Lark.
Liben Lark. (PHOTO: © Nikk Borrow)
Fencing Kallos with Euphorbia. (PHOTO: ©Yilma Abebe)
45
