An ethnic group in Ethiopia safeguards its forest with a traditional, community-driven approach to conservation. Cutting down trees risks social exclusion, a powerful deterrent in Gedeo society.
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00:00As they proceed through the forest, the elders sing their praises to God Menego.
00:07They are giving thanks to the forest for their people's well-being and for the protection of the forest.
00:15In the Gedeo culture, the forest is revered like a human life.
00:19According to our traditional law, not a single tree can be felled without prior community consultation and consent
00:25or without planting new saplings for each tree that's cut down.
00:30The elders pay a visit to every family in the forest.
00:34In Gedeo culture, coffee is a symbol of hospitality and respect.
00:38The visitors get the family's latest news, but they also inquire whether there have been any unusual happenings,
00:46for example, if there has been any illegal logging nearby.
00:52If there is anyone felling trees and violating this order, he has to go before the assembly of elders called Songo,
01:03and he is advised not to bring hunger on us by cutting down the trees.
01:07The Gedeo people are an ethnic group in southern Ethiopia.
01:14Up to 1.5 million people are estimated to live on an area some 1,200 square kilometers,
01:21which make it one of the most densely populated regions of the country.
01:26Large parts of the Gedeo zone, as it's called, are forested areas, which are conserved by traditional knowledge and practices.
01:34The Gedeo people's spiritual connection with nature dates back to prehistoric times.
01:39Located on their territory is Odola-Galma rock.
01:43Its animal depictions, which probably represent cattle, are about 3,000 years old.
01:50Large standing stones symbolize fertility and growth.
01:55They play an important role in community ceremonies. Some also mark graves.
02:00Wood that's been illegally logged, chopped down for firewood, and forest cleared to create new fields.
02:08Neither can be completely prevented, even though the Gedeo community's punishments are draconian.
02:16If he does not change his ways or accept advice from elders, he will be punished with social sanctions.
02:22The whole community punishes him by excluding him from social events.
02:27Gedeo-style forest conservation doesn't just work due to social pressure, but also because of sustainable agriculture.
02:35Farmer Yitagusu Tesfaye and his family live in the middle of the forest.
02:41Here they cultivate Yirgacheffe coffee, which is hailed as one of the best coffees in the world.
02:47Papaya and sugar cane also thrive here.
02:50Growing several different types of plants together helps preserve the fertility of the soil and cut the risk of soil erosion.
02:58The forest always comes first.
03:04We, the Gedeo community, before we do agricultural work in the forest,
03:11we make sure that the condition of the forest is protected.
03:19A small colony of bees produces honey. It's another source of income for the family.
03:24Many people here earn their living like this.
03:28The total productivity of the area is very high.
03:31This is the secret of this amount of people living here in a sustainable manner.
03:38In 2023, UNESCO made the Gedeo cultural landscape a World Heritage Site in recognition of the people's ancient agroforestry practices.
03:47These customs are derived from the community's great respect for nature that they hold sacred.