Exclosures for landscape restoration in Tigray
In the North Ethiopian Highlands, decades of agricultural expansion, overgrazing, and unsustainable forest use have left the land severely degraded. Ethiotrees is tackling this challenge through exclosures, community managed areas that drive landscape regeneration.
We spoke with Project Coordinator Seifu Gebreslassie, one of the founders of Ethiotrees, who has been managing the project together with Climate Lab since its early years in 2016. With his background as a forestry expert, Seifu helps us understand what exclosures are and why they are so important in the context of Tigray.
“Exclosures are protected areas, closed to both animals and people,” Seifu explains. “Their major importance is to restore the environment, recharge groundwater, and increase biodiversity.” Restoration activities inside these areas include protecting against cutting, carrying out soil and water conservation, and planting trees.
“For a project to establish an exclosure, community interest is essential,” Seifu emphasizes. Local people help design the exclosures and take part in restoration tasks such as building stone bunds and percolation ponds. In return, they earn income through a food-for-work system. “With this money, people can buy food, clothes, or other necessities,” he explains.
“To date, we have 127 exclosures across 14 woredas in Tigray, covering more than 22,000 hectares.”
Since EthioTrees began in 2016, these areas have shown clear signs of recovery. “We assessed the status of the exclosures in 2024. There are a lot of changes, especially in tree cover and biodiversity. Species are regenerating, soil carbon is increasing, and soil fertility is improving,” Seifu says.
As the landscape recovers, wildlife is also coming back. “There are cheetahs, monkeys, and foxes,” Seifu notes, pointing to the returning ecological balance within these areas.
Exclosures not only restore ecosystems but also create valuable economic opportunities for local communities. Beyond the income earned through project-related activities, these areas serve as sites for sustainable livelihoods such as beekeeping, fodder harvesting, and the cultivation of high-value plant species like frankincense. For landless farmers in particular, these activities provide crucial sources of income and stability.
The benefits also extend directly to farming. “Agriculture depends on the trees,” Seifu explains. “When the rains come on time, the trees help ensure enough water during the season, so farmers can harvest good crops.”
As communities witness these tangible improvements, the relevance of restoring their environment becomes clear. “We are observing a positive change in community attitudes,” Seifu notes, as people increasingly recognize the connection between healthy ecosystems and improved livelihoods.
When asked about the project’s vision, he shares: “We have a plan, we have a vision to make all our exclosures reach the church forest. Church forests are the climax of our target. They have big trees with a coverage of more than 90%.”
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