Roles of watershed management interventions in enhancing woody plant species diversity and vegetation restoration: Evidence from Ethiopia’s Central Highland

Watershed management (WSM) has emerged as a key strategy for rehabilitating degraded lands, conserving biodiversity, and enhancing agricultural productivity in developing coun- tries. However, the contribution of WSM to biodiversity conservation and vegetation restora- tion has little been assessed in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the role of WSM in biodiversity conservation and vegetation restoration, using the highly degraded Central Ethiopian Highland region as a case study site. In this study, it was hypothesized that good watershed management enhances woody plant species diversity and restores vegetation. The research involved a comparative analysis of two micro-watersheds: Laga-Gur (well-treated) and Laga-Jaldu (less-treated), which share similar agroecological and biophysical characteris- tics but differing in degree of management intervention. The study used field vegetation in- ventory and key informant interview as primary data sources. A total of twenty-four sample plots, each covering an area of 20m * 20m (400m2), were systematically set up along transect lines to evaluate vegetation status. Additionally, subplots measuring 5m * 5m (25m2) and 1m * 1m (1m2) were established within the main plots to inventory shrubs and herbaceous plants, respectively. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics like frequencies and percentages and inferential statistics like t-test. The comparative analysis of vegetation status revealed that the Laga-Gur watershed (well-treated) had significantly higher overall mean diversity (3.482) and richness (42) and higher evenness (0.774) of woody plant species than the Laga-Jaldu wa- tershed (less-treated) with 2.701, 25, and 0.727 respectively, highlighting the positive impact of watershed interventions on biodiversity conservation. On the other hand, the vegetation community distribution showed the order of seedling < sapling < trees/shrubs in both wa- tersheds indicating the poor vegetation regeneration status in the study area. The study result underscored the significance of watershed management interventions in boosting woody plant species diversity and overall ecological functioning. Therefore, strengthening watershed man- agement initiatives is essential for conserving biodiversity in the central highlands of Ethiopia and other regions of the country.