Ecological Management

Ecological management

The strategy for ecological management in BMNP is based on an adapted international approach for ecological management and monitoring. Eight Principal Ecosystem Components (PECs) have been identified by technical experts and which together capture the unique biodiversity of BMNP. If all these PECs are conserved, then the long-term health of the park’s ecosystem will remain intact.

The Ecological Management Programme of the GMP has identified and prioritised the threats to these PECs and has devised mitigation strategies. The major cross-cutting threats arising from human population expansion in BMNP will be addressed specifically in the Sustainable Natural Resource Management (SNRM) Programme with the remaining threats addressed in the Ecological Management Programme. For example, this includes actions to reduce the threat of fire, alien species, and wildlife diseases. Specific threats to populations of endangered species, particularly the Ethiopian wolf and mountain nyala, are addressed through better control of domestic dogs in the park, improved disease management. Ecosystem monitoring will provide information on the status of the PECs and their threats that will be fed back to enable the design and implementation of appropriate future management actions in this and other programmes. This monitoring plan also identifies ecological indicators for monitoring the achievement of the park purpose, which is a key component of the overall monitoring and evaluation of GMP implementation. A list of research priorities is regularly drawn up to fill information gaps needed to design effective and appropriate intervention strategies. The park currently lacks sufficient human, technical and financial capacity to support or undertake all of the studies identified; therefore, management-oriented research by national and international scientists is strongly encouraged.