Land use and land cover changes driven by expansion of eucalypt plantations in the Western Gurage Watersheds, Centeral-south Ethiopia

Land use and land cover (LULC) change is a common trend in all parts of the globe. The possible reasons might be economic, political, social or cultural motives. In Ethiopia, most rural urban people are highly dependent on eucalypts for various purposes, particularly, fuel wood construction materials. study area, Western Gurage Watersheds Omo-Gibe Basin, eucalypt plantations have become emergent dominant activity next to growing Enset. specific objectives this were assess changes driven by over time agro-ecological extent, identify socio-economic, demographic, environmental factors that facilitated expansion plantation. Landsat images from 1987 (TM), 2001 (ETM) 2017 (Landsat 8 OLI) used detecting LULC changes. Digital image processing operations, i.e. haze removal, geo-referencing, contrast enhancement classification, completed using ERDAS Imagine 2011 Software. During period between 2017, area types, namely plantation forest, Enset-based agroforestry, cereal crop built-up areas increased watersheds at expenses natural forests grassland. total forest declined 1987-2000 and, then, 2001-2017 as result bare land, grazing types. drivers population growth, ‘Meskel’ ‘Arafah’ celebrations, degradation conservation, road development, access markets, economic factors, such need wood, materials, money. divergent interest stakeholders, skepticism debate around presented; call further scientific investigations management options recommended.