Research Article
An Assessment of Urban and Per-Urban Household’s Willingness to Participate in Urban Forest Conservation Practice in Assosa District, Western Ethiopia
Teha Romanu Benti*,
Shafe Zelalam Gasisa
Issue:
Volume 8, Issue 6, December 2023
Pages:
129-140
Received:
9 October 2023
Accepted:
31 October 2023
Published:
17 November 2023
Abstract: Urban forests is networks or systems comprising all woodlands, street trees, trees in parks, trees in derelict corners and gardens group of trees, and individual trees found in urban and per-urban areas. In developing country particularly in Ethiopia urban forests provides environmental, social, and economic benefits to urban resident. Despite all this importance to the livelihood of the urban communities, urban forests in Assosa Woreda are facing artificial and natural challenges. Therefore; This study was intended for the assessment of urban and per- urban households’ willingness to donate money for conservation of urban forest ecosystem; in Assosa woreda, Western Ethiopia with the specific objectives of exploring the amount of money urban and per-urban household’s would be willing to donate for urban forest conservation and identifying those factors affecting urban and per-urban households willingness to donate money for urban forest conservation. Data for the study were composed from primary and secondary sources through semi structured questioner via face to face interview. Besides, data were collected using household surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. Multistage random-sampling procedures were used in selecting 392 respondent followed by a probability proportion to size. The value-elicitation used was double bounded dichotomous elicitation format followed by open ended questions. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and econometric model. The result of seemingly unrelated bivariate probit model displays the mean willingness to donate money for the conservation of urban forest was found to be 60 birr per year per household. The result from tobit model indicated that household's literacy status, total annual income, land size, access to credit had positive significant effects on willing to donate money for urban forest conservation and the age of the respondent had a negative and significant effect on willingness to donate money for urban forest conservation. The study shows that the urban and per-urban households has willingness of donating money toward urban forestry conservation programs and they have important information that can help local decision makers to increase the efficiency of urban forest growing, maintenance, and promotion. As policy implications, an effort would be needed to strengthen literacy which increase urban household’s knowledge about the importance of conservation practices and credit facilities expansion are important.
Abstract: Urban forests is networks or systems comprising all woodlands, street trees, trees in parks, trees in derelict corners and gardens group of trees, and individual trees found in urban and per-urban areas. In developing country particularly in Ethiopia urban forests provides environmental, social, and economic benefits to urban resident. Despite all ...
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