Water to the Capital
Water to the Capital
Ethiopia's Unique Highland Landscape and Climate
Ethiopia's unique climate, characterised by rainy seasons with heavy downpours over its dramatic and rugged landscape, offers the following months with a serene atmosphere, but then transitions into months of blistering sunshine. The rainy seasons, with their violent water forces, naturally pose challenges for the crucial work of protecting plantings and the survival of planted saplings. The long prehistoric Nature's evolutionary optimized stability in sheer strength and water absorption found in the original native vegetation is thus often impossible to recreate with a simple planting of fragile young seedlings. Therefore, Ethiopia's neglected indigenous Nature requires knowledge and work before any evident healing of the country's Nature and freshwater conservation can be seen.
Demanding Endeavours to Restore a Lost Nature
Consequently, it is often associated with incredible frustration to recreate Nature's water supply by repairing the deep scars inflicted on Nature's lost, healthy landscape and biotopes over generations. Therefore, guarding and shielding the fragile, native young plants on exposed, eroded mountain slopes and devastated high plateaus is both demanding and precarious. Instead, sporadically planted young plants will require tender care, including irrigation, protection against grazing animals, and shields against the forces of the rainy season, as well as shade during the months of midday's mercilessly blistering sunshine. This recreation of Nature's shielding functions necessitates dedicated restoration efforts to restore the protective effect of a lost indigenous forest, which once featured endemic vegetation that provided shielding undergrowth.
A landscape deprived of its native shelter needs much
of help to compensate for the lost water and the lack
of the shields from the original mother trees.
Grandiose Waterways in the Landscape
of help to compensate for the lost water and the lack
of the shields from the original mother trees.
Grandiose Waterways in the Landscape
Water Creation With Grand Beauty
An Ancient Heritage of Grandeur
Historical records reveal several practical and aesthetic possibilities for landscape restoration. These options for aesthetic restorations include water management, ground stability, and the most attractive recreation paths. Another way to describe these methods for natural conservation is the effectiveness of irrigation when combined with gentle and beautiful hiking trails that lead above dizzying precipices.
Environmental Friendly and Delightful
Classics Among Spring Water
Through these micro canals' associated need for strength and reliability, this need for reinforced waterways coincides with the suitability of dramatically beautiful and safe hiking trails where the steep slopes above or beneath these paths deliver an extraordinary beauty over grand views of often impossible precipitous. In addition, these tiny water canals are perfectly suitable for manufacturing using the historic self-healing Roman concrete.
Picnicking and Play for the Young Family
Entoto Kidane Mehret (32) and its Cosy Town (1)
An excellent and cosy invitation to gain an initial practical view of these water-harbouring technologies, accompanied by a comfortable walk along a lovely promenade to the right after crossing the bridge, as shown within the map square [A] at Entoto Kidane Mehret (1). This place also offers an ideal little excursion for young families, perfect for picnics or sports games. An open grass pitch here provides a breathtaking setting just beneath the start of the mountain and an enveloping enclosure of a sculptural, curved river. However, the picture above does not show the Italian (19) construction at the site, but rather a historical reservoir that was previously lost and forgotten in a bygone era. Although the water-harbouring technology at Entoto Kidane Mehret (1) is primarily concealed underground, its enigmatic and discrete indications of high-tech remain alluring for exploration. Nevertheless, this underground construction at Entoto Kidane Mehret is certainly also intriguing for today's civilisation's requirement of aesthetic and eco-friendly solutions for creating clean and safe water for its inhabitants.Entoto Kidane Mehret and its Valley [A]
Apparent and Pleasant Hiking Trails (5) - [A] - (19)
Welcome to the valley of Entoto Kidane Mehret's settlement (1) and Sanctuary (32), which invites the first exploration of the majestic mountainside. This valley [A] is the gateway to the mountain's southern slope, located just beneath the Sanctuary (32) and, therefore, a perfect starting point for adventures on the mountainside, such as hiking to the rising shoulder or enjoying a cosy picnic at point (19). The valley [A] also connects to several paths for various excursions. Entoto Kidane Mehret's valley [A] offers a taste of the wilderness and a mysterious feeling of unknown grandeur waiting to be explored. At the threshold of this legendary mountain, Nature's hidden enigma still lingers in near contact with its alluring mystique, offering dizzying and pristine highland scenes with original landscape drama in grandiose impressions.
Adorable Beauty with Technological Sophistication
An Invitation to the Family's Excursion
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| The Path to Entoto Kidane Mehret's Valley [A] and the Italian Water Reservoir (19) |
With Picnic and Care for the Family (19)
The most beautiful and versatile natural places, with their fascinating charm and charming simplicity, are often the primary choice for family picnics. Still, they can often be challenging to accomplish within the convenience of the whole family's interests. Due to weather conditions, the interests of family members, and their desire for comfort and entertainment, the picnic will require some unique and beautiful characteristics.
A Suitable Choice During the Rainy Season
While this site (19) offers this required, convenient and exciting beauty and the fact that the tempests usually follow a bound rhythm, its experience in beautiful, cosy daily hours can be both an appealing and irresistible occurrence. This provided a conscious behaviour to return the short distance to Entoto Kidane Mehret (1) in time before the next thunderstorm.
A Suitable Choice During the Rainy Season
While this site (19) offers this required, convenient and exciting beauty and the fact that the tempests usually follow a bound rhythm, its experience in beautiful, cosy daily hours can be both an appealing and irresistible occurrence. This provided a conscious behaviour to return the short distance to Entoto Kidane Mehret (1) in time before the next thunderstorm.
A. The Character of Entoto Kidane Mehret's Valley
The most necessary items for picnics and a candy shop are located across the bus stop next to the Entoto Kidane Mehret community (1). The valley's outer borders are simplified in the map by this square [A], which includes the path to point (19) and serves as a directed and facilitating figure to more easily locate points (5), (22), and (37). This beautiful river-dell is situated in the valley [A] of Entoto Kidane Mehret (32) and constitutes the beginning of most of the following hiking trails described.
B. The Invitation to the Crossroad of Wilderness
The still, gently upward hike shown within circle (B) includes points (35), (38), and (39) and constitutes both a crossroads of somewhat wild paths and a beautiful rise on a ledge of some metres threshold. These points are located to the circle's right (B) and include the underground Italian fortification (38) at the riverside. Anyway, regardless of the choice of hiking paths within the loop point (B), all of these will soon lead to a continued walk towards higher ground.
The Enchanting Valley of Entoto Kidane Mehret
With this dramatically graceful and sculptural valley just below Entoto Kidane Mehret (1), this valley [A] constitutes a crossroad for many completely enchanting choices of adventures or tranquil family picnics. Hence, the valley's initial paths provide cosy and engaging experiences above its gully and river in stunning formations and complete contact. Therefore, this valley [A], with its inviting river dell of pathways and bridge crossings, entices hiking, highland baths, or sports games, but also delivers a truly cosy and comfortable experience of this river dell. Here, visitors are spiritually delighted by the tickling aroma of the well fragrance, which often attracts them to remain in harmony and fully immerse themselves in the beauty of this river dell. Indeed, this river dell is a pleasure in itself, captivating with its sculptural shapes and evoking the anticipation of future adventures towards the mountain's high plateau's southern panhandle's gentle extensions, as shown within the map loop (14) to the viewpoint (16).
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Entoto Kidane Mehret |
Entoto Kidane Mehret's Bridge Crossing and its Gully
The valley crossing of Entoto Kidane Mehret (1) begins with the hidden path (5) beneath the Sanctuary's (32) walls, and very soon, a bridge within the valley [A], just some steps downhill of the Sanctuary (32). Just after crossing this bridge, the view invites a gentle walk to the place for family picnics and games at the Italian reservoir (19), located just to the right, along a gently undulating and charmingly curved path. The bridge crossing here is also the natural path for those seeking a more dramatic and remote hike towards the high plateau, with its route beginning just a few steps upward on the left side after crossing the bridge, at the first passing point (37). Thus, the traditional bridge located within the valley [A] invites this glen underneath Entoto Kidane Mehret Church (32) and continues as a river dell beneath this Sanctuary (32), offering beautiful scenery as the brook passes by. This brook within the valley [A] characterizes the views of the dramatic landscape and cliff formations of the uphill trails. Above the waterfall at loop (B), this brook, along with the towering canyon slopes, provides an excellent vantage point for orientation on most hiking paths up to the high plateau.
The Cautious Choice for the Young Family
The Italians established an extensive reservoir to provide the Capital with water during the occupation. This mountain reservoir (underground water technology) has lost some importance in favour of more significant catchment dams. However, due to the valley [A]'s very gentle terrain and pleasant location near Entoto Kidane Mehret (1), it's an excellent place for young families when the usually few hours of sunshine offer cosy picnics even during the regular rainy season. Hence, for visitors seeking a relaxing environment with comfort and beauty within a very convenient distance, it's ideal to enjoy this site during pleasant and sunny day hours, along its beautifully undulating promenade within a delightful valley and an enchantingly sculptural glen. The gentle path that leads to the Italian-built spring water facility (19) meets these requirements and, therefore, is an excellent choice for most activities and nature enthusiasts. The inhabitants of Entoto Kidane Mehret bring their household water from this source. Thus, the company is apparent in children playing and people fetching quantities of water to their homes.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 V𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 K𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 A𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐲
These historically and technologically advanced methods, developed early on, for managing and conserving enormous amounts of water are often technically complex and aesthetically grandiose. The methods of this water technology vary significantly between different cultures and continents. Still, in the legacy of history, they are the basis of ancient civilizations' most essential and original technological achievements. However, the quality and quantity of water depend on a well-vegetated landscape with healthy native vegetation. The Forgotten Sciences from Antiquity
Knowing these natural aquifers and their synergies with water technologies is a highly valued historical legacy of antiquity. In their context, they are a well-known concept that helps to understand that a mighty mountain massif that receives abundant and regular precipitation with chilly temperatures also provides the conditions for harbouring this water. Therefore, the Entoto mountain ridge, as a watershed provider to the Nile River and the Capital of Ethiopia, serves as an excellent example for water preservation efforts. Videos: Soil Erosion Demo Videos: Planting Saplings Videos: Planting Technology
Human Ruthlessness Since Prehistory and Its Legacy
Wreak Havoc On the Creation Of Drinking Water
These annual recurring floods often cause severe erosion, which is easily observed in the water running through Addis Ababa during the rainy seasons. These torrential floods produce life-threatening situations, which are greatly exacerbated by the fact that the rock massif is regularly devoid of vegetation and, therefore, unable to slow down the water masses as they speed down the slopes of the rock. Furthermore, these torrential rainwater quantities entail difficulties with powerful downpours during rainy periods and the following imminent risks of erosion near settlements.
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| The Fundamental Creation Of Drinking Water: The Torrential Rains and Erosion |
**Erosion: Because there is no ground cover of native plants in the planted eucalyptus forest, the only thing to hold the soil is the sporadic occurring roots of these Australian trees. The soil-holding capacity of Eucalyptus is, therefore, very moderate compared with the trees initially covering the slopes of Entoto. This lack of undergrowth and native trees causes severe erosion, which is easily observed in the water running through Addis during the rainy seasons.
𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬
These accumulated water masses rushed along the rock sides with tremendous power, carving massive forces into the bare earth's crust. This was while earlier millennium-accumulated soil layers had this abundant undergrowth protection, including strong multi-branched roots from originally forested slopes.
Devastating Consequences of Erosion
Caused by Logging of the Native Forest
These accumulated water masses rushed along the rock sides with tremendous power, carving massive forces into the bare earth's crust. This was while earlier millennium-accumulated soil layers had this abundant undergrowth protection, including strong multi-branched roots from originally forested slopes. *Flooding: For a long time on Entoto, every leaf and every branch that has fallen to the ground is collected by people, whereas in a natural forest, a process of decomposing organic material from leaves, wood, roots, etc. is left naturally on the soil, well supported by native undergrowth. Thus, the organic matter gets its time to improve the soil structure, leading to a higher infiltration rate and a much better water storage capacity.
The Blue Nile's Mighty Historical Journey
Ethiopia's Historic Waterways
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| The Mountain and its Historical Water |
This topographical configuration of Entoto Natural Park's mountain crest has the curious result that two raindrops that simultaneously moisten the soil of Entoto's mountain crest, only a centimetre apart, will have quite different destinies. After a long journey through the River Nile, one waterway will reach the Mediterranean Sea. In contrast, the other watershed will pass through Addis Ababa, eventually evaporating in the Danakil Desert, as the Awash River does not reach the sea.
The Ethiopian Highland is the Legendary Water Provider.
However, this primary Ethiopian source of the Nile River is only one of several Ethiopian rivers that contribute to the total water in the Nile. Consequently, the total amount of water delivered from the Ethiopian highlands to the Nile is clearly more than only the water from the Blue Nile, the fundamental and historical source of the legendary Nile River.
𝐕𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
Heavy rains, which would otherwise be appreciated as a significant asset worldwide, are often becoming a frequent problem due to a substantial lack of knowledge in environmental science. Indeed, this otherwise abundant rainfall over the highlands has historically been the most precious resource. Yet, regrettably, when ecological shortcomings are obscured by corrupt behaviour and unhealthy habits, it has caused a burdensome environment and health problems in many parts of the world with high population density. The cause of these disastrous occasions often lies in the combination of rain forces with massive illegal or unregulated logging of mountain slopes and excessive overuse of pasture from farms.Nature's Fundamental Reinforcement
This tangled network of indigenous vegetation, with its reinforcements of both shallow, creates an optimized strength delivered from the past aeons of evolution. This network of plants and their deep, widespread roots in native trees creates tremendous stability for soil layers, which in turn provides the consequent resistance to erosion and constitutes a giant creator and source of spring water for natural groundwater reservoirs within the rock massif.
Nature's Armour: The Lost Original Shield
Requirements: The Indigenous Trees' Root-web
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| The Environment, Culture and Prosperity |
Fundamental Reinforcement: Endemic Trees & Plants
With its reinforcements of shallow and deep roots, this tangled network of indigenous vegetation creates an optimized evolutionarily optimized strength delivered from the past aeons. This network of plants and their deep, widespread roots in native trees creates tremendous stability for soil layers, which in turn provides the consequent resistance to erosion and constitutes a giant creator and source of spring water for natural groundwater reservoirs within the rock massif.
Natural Sciences Provide the Tools to Repair the Original Nature
This overuse of the natural forest provides a historical and international cultural habit that follows a historical pattern. Due to the historical lack of resources, the population began harvesting the timber of natural vegetation, including its crucial role as soil reinforcement by native roots. This symbiotic relationship between the soil and its organisms is the actual building block for life itself, especially for humanity, with the modern culture's high demands for consumption.
Natural and Clean Water with Native Nature
The consequence of ignoring natural sciences within Nature is grave because this groundwater phenomenon is of fundamental importance for any population to create their future health or prosperity. The vegetation and soil layers' accumulating effect in harbours large quantities of deluges is also crucial, as both serve as a water purifying filter and the primary source of distribution of purified water to the natural underground reservoirs. To interfere with this purifying and protective vegetation, soil layers, and their combined connection of ancient synergy is thus a human habit worldwide.𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫
Historically, these soil layers with undergrowth would block the water's ability to speed downhill and, thus, harmoniously gather the flow into slow-moving, mountain-absorbing units. Unconditionally, this past harvest of native forest exposes and lays bare the soft soil layers, allowing the water forces to speed up and form devastating torrential powers. With efficiency, these mighty water masses tear up the slopes in deep furrows and simply drill many meters into the river's inflows. Finally, it completes its purpose as a natural soil layer by filtering and absorbing these water masses and passing them on to deep-lying mountain chambers. These are the naturally occurring geological water reservoirs, with their underground rock formations and natural aquifers, within the mountain massif.The Restoration of Ethiopia's Nature
For Water and People's Health
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| The Eucalyptus Problem |
The Eucalyptus Tree and Its Treacherous Toxicity
Eucalyptus Tree's Elimination of the Groundwater
A chemical component with an intricate competition-oriented toxic defence system in the leaves and roots of Eucalyptus trees prevents the growth of other trees and herbs. This chemical component leads to a monoculture dominated by Eucalyptus, with no different tree species and no ground cover. This chemical component causes severe erosion, which is easily observed in the water running through Addis, particularly during the rainy seasons.
The Environmental danger of the Eucalyptus tree
Due to these shortcomings in the water-preserving capacity of the Eucalyptus plantation, it cannot counterbalance the uneven distribution of rain. The result is often torrential flooding in the down-slope areas, in this case, the northern district of Addis Ababa. In August 1994, it created a fatal danger because of overwhelming and sudden flooding.
The Healing Capacity of Native Forests
The importance of careful research regarding knowledge in natural science is exemplified here by an excellent and evident example, before any foreign species is considered for introduction into an unfamiliar and vulnerable habitat. The natural health and fertile beauty of this indigenous Juniper forest (40) at the viewpoint (16) illuminate the healing ability of a native forest and the severe Nature and habitat destruction that occurred with the introduction of the Eucalyptus tree. However, much work has been done to re-form an upper soil layer with a protective undergrowth. It would be a significant surprise to receive information about higher groundwater levels and a new generation of these protective indigenous trees, which still grow in a magical, graceful, and appealing landscape.
𝐀 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
𝐀𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬
Due to the history of foreign trees contaminating the soil, uncontrolled erosion has become a problem on the landscape's slopes. Consequently, the mountain massifs lose their capacity to provide civilization or minor settlements with enough purified water. Hence, the highland does not retain abundant historical water resources, thus devastatingly reducing the water delivered to societies by these aquifers. Furthermore, the dramatically reduced water that finally drips into these hidden rock chambers (aquifers) is devoid of the previous purifying and filtering effect from healthy and undisturbed soil and vegetation, resulting in groundwater of far lower quantity and quality. The consequences of erosion and the subsequent demands for effort are evident in daily matters for the population. Thus, the importance of the health of inhabitants prevails as the highest priority, thereby providing a background for promoting the crucial delivery of this water-conserving water to these natural reservoirs (aquifers).
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| Grandiose Constructions of the Roman Empire The Lost Secrets of Antiquity |
The Environment and Human Futurewith the Lost Knowledge from Antiquity
Although this Italian ruin was built in today's decaying concrete, the renovation of this mountain fortress (38) within the map loop (B) can stimulate an excellent foundation for a historical discovery of the lost recipe for Roman concrete. Although this historical concrete's millennia-old secrets still hold relevance as a crucial investigation for international laboratories, its deepest secrets remain a mystery. The potential rediscovery of ancient concrete, a lost high technology and historical treasure from antiquity, would offer a unique opportunity for scientific study of Roman technology within an educational project.
A Beautiful Memory that Attracts
To Endeavour in Protection, Science and Art
In the fathers' near memories, it's still spoken with glowing passion and warmth among the residents about Entoto's mighty waterways. This vivid memory is of a time when the water level was reasonable after the rainy season, standing one metre higher in Entoto's streams and its enchanting rock baths. It is thus quite close to the time when Entoto's mountain massif and its canyons could carry significantly higher water quantity and, therefore, supply the population in the Capital with fresh water to a much greater extent.
The Wild and Fertile Forest from the Ancient Era
This original forest is captivatingly wild and consists of more than 50-year-old indigenous Juniperus procera trees. This native forest offers a unique connection to original Nature, with a somewhat muscular, exotic, primordial lushness and a great surprise beyond what a visitor would expect in proximity to the Capital. This native Juniper woodland (40) - (16) is massive in appearance and stunning in vitality, with a perfect, lush and dense undergrowth.__________________________________________________________________________________
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Inside Ethiopia, Tours invites you to be part of an unforgettable experience in Entoto Natural Park. We will meet in our office, located in Kazanchis (just in front of the UNECA back entrance), and our guide will accompany you in the local taxis up to the mountain. This is an excellent opportunity for you to experience Ethiopian commuting.
Once we arrive on Entoto Mountain, where the capital city was first founded in 1886, you will undoubtedly feel like having mentholated topical ointment. Yes, we are not big fans of the Eucalyptus tree either! That is why we want to promote indigenous seedling planting in Ethiopia by contributing to the Ethiopian Green Legacy.
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Where do you plan to make your mark?
The Ethiopian Heritage Trustee Association is working to plant more than 50,000 indigenous saplings in Entoto Natural Park and Zego Kebele Association in Ankober District to cover exposed areas. Organizations: Associations: Educational institutions: All those who love Nature, together with our association, let's build a country with suitable air by planting saplings. Let's plant indigenous saplings together.
As we believe, we are ready and waiting for you this year. The Ethiopian Heritage Trustee Association has planted native saplings in place of Eucalyptus trees with partner organizations and members in the Entoto Natural Park. He tells you that this year, come and plant saplings together to protect the environment. For more information:
📞 Call +251 Ethiopia
011-5-15-88-02/ 09-22-97-27-46
Ethiopian Heritage Trust - Plantation of Seedlings
Ethiopian Heritage Trust - Plantation of Seedlings
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Erosion Prevention Ideas: https://www.pinterest.com/entoto0351/_saved/
The Science of Indigenous Ancient Trees:
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Erosion Prevention Ideas: https://www.pinterest.com/entoto0351/_saved/
The Science of Indigenous Ancient Trees:
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| Handbook |
Identification, Propagation and
Management for 17 Agroclimatic Zones
Azene Bekele-Tesemma
Edited byBo Tengnäs, Ensermu Kelbesa, Sebsibe Demissew and Patrick Maundu
The contents of this handbook may be reproduced without special permission. However, acknowledgement of the source is requested. The photographers and artists concerned must be contacted for the reproduction of illustrations. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of World Agroforestry Centre.
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Edited by
Bo Tengnäs, Ensermu Kelbesa, Sebsibe Demissew and Patrick Maundu
The contents of this handbook may be reproduced without special permission. However, acknowledgement of the source is requested. The photographers and artists concerned must be contacted for the reproduction of illustrations. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of World Agroforestry Centre.
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