One size fits all: How the “Ethiopian Highlands” made Bale Mountains National Park inscrutable

A simplistic understanding of Bale Mountains National Park, driven by the conflation of landscapes and peoples under the 'Ethiopian Highlands' category, has perpetuated degraded wilderness narratives, overlooked significant geologic and sociocultural differences, and hindered effective conservation. The study traces how imperial legacies, processes of knowledge production, and biophysical properties have maintained a partial vision of the region, leading to conflict, resentment, and poorer conservation outcomes. Researchers analyzed bibliometric data, historical sources, and scientific literature to uncover how a small group of foreign experts reified these misconceptions.

Chignell, S. M., Ramachandran, A., & Satterfield, T. (2023). One size fits all: How the “Ethiopian Highlands” made Bale Mountains National Park inscrutable. Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space, 7(3), 1194–1221. https://doi.org/10.1177/25148486231222621