Landscape change in the lower Omo valley, southwestern Ethiopia: burning patterns and woody encroachment in the savanna

A study of the Lower Omo Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in southwestern Ethiopia, reveals that bush encroachment in the savanna—driven by changes in fire and grazing practices—is not as directly linked to these factors as previously assumed. While Mursi agro-pastoralists attribute grassland loss over the past 30–40 years to increased human and livestock populations, more permanent settlements, and altered burning patterns (shifting from large, infrequent fires to small, frequent ones), ecological surveys found no strong causal relationship between fire, grazing, and encroachment. Additional pressures, such as state restrictions on mobility due to national park establishment, also contribute significantly to landscape change. The research underscores the complexity of savanna dynamics, suggesting that while anthropogenic factors play a role, they may not be the sole drivers of woody encroachment in this region.

Gil-Romera, G., Turton, D., & Sevilla-Callejo, M. (2011). Landscape change in the lower Omo valley, southwestern Ethiopia: burning patterns and woody encroachment in the savanna. Journal of Eastern African Studies, 5(1), 108–128. https://doi.org/10.1080/17531055.2011.544550