WOODY SPECIES COMPOSITION AND COMMUNITY ANALYSIS OF EZANITULA FOREST IN CHENCHA WOREDA, SOUTHWESTERN ETHIOPIA

A study was conducted on Ezanitula (Nagasa Sacred) Natural Forest in Chencha Woreda, South west of Ethiopia, to conclude the Woody species composition and community type of the forest. A systematic sampling method was used to gather data from 36 quadrats (20m x 20m) established on four belt transects. All woody plants in the stands were counted and recorded as present. A total of forty- six plant specimens (31 trees, 11 shrubs, and 4 lianas) and each plant species belonging to 40 genera and 30 families were recognized. Asteraceae is the most dominant family followed by Euphorbiaceae and Rosaceae in terms of the number of species. Vernonia is the diverse genera followed by Scheflera and Maytnus. Four plant community types were identified. To detect similarities and dissimilarities among communities, Sorensen’s similarity coefficient was used and applied Shannon-Wiener diversity index to enumerate species diversity and richness. The woody species composition and community type status showed that irregular pattern which dictates need for serious conservation of the study area. Sacred forests are a hot spot of biodiversity conservation since it is a home of many rare, endangered, threatened, and endemic species of plants found in an area. This study revealed that numbers of valuable plant species are found in forest, and if conservation measures are not practiced in the near future there may be a great loss of plant genetic resources and other associated components of biodiversity.