Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources (WGCFNR) at Hawassa university hosted its 3rd annual research conference under the theme: “Strengthening Evidences for Sustainable Forest and Natural Resource Management to Promote Climate Resilient Green Economy".
Dr. Tafesse Matewos, Vice President for Research & Collaboration at Hawassa University, officially opened the conference and remarked that WGCFNR is a pioneer college specializing in forestry and natural resources management in Ethiopia and has a remarkable contribution in east Africa. He aplauded the college's ambitious endeavors to become a forestry knowledge and research hub with the recent establishment of Forestry Knowledge Management Center and immensely contributing to human resource development, impactful research, and vital community services for nearly half a century. Looking to the future, the Vice president reaffirmed that the college remains a top priority area as Hawassa University transitions into an autonomous research university. Dr. Tafesse also emphasized the critical nature of the conference’s theme, noting that climate change is no longer an abstract concept for countries like Ethiopia, but a stark reality impacting the daily lives of every individual.
Welcoming participants to the event, Dr. Teshale Woldeamanuel, Dean of WGCFNR, called for an urgent action by stakeholders to become active voices for forest resources currently in danger. He stressed that protecting these ecosystems requires immediate, collaborative action from individuals, institutions, and nations alike. Dr. Teshale outlined the central objectives of the conference, which include facilitating experience sharing among scholars, disseminating research findings to ensure evidence-based actions, and fostering strategic networking and collaborations to address pressing environmental challenges while advancing sustainable management practices.
Providing context on the college's recent achievements, Dr. Beyene Teklu, Associate Dean for Research and Collaboration, presented an insightful overview research, stategic collaboration, and comunity engagement activities. He highlighted the College's impressive upward trajectory, particularly the growing trends in staff research engagement, competitive grant acquisition, peer-reviewed publications, and meaningful community impact.
Dr. Yitebitu Moges, REDD+ Investment Programme- Deforstation Degradation (RIP-DD) coordinator, delivered a keynote speech focusing on the potentials, challenges and opportunities in the forestry development sector transformation noting that strategic collaboration among all stakeholders is critical.
The Conference featured the presentation of ten scientific papers by researchers from various universities and research institutes across Ethiopia, sparking lively and engaging scholarly debates. The presentations covered critical, cross-cutting themes, including forest resource management, biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, wildlife studies, and the integration of indigenous knowledge in protecting and developing natural resources.
