Environmental and Social Impact Assessment - Gibe III

Gibe III – Environmental and Social Impact Assessment 300 ENV R CS 002 C - A9003099
Photo 5.2: The woodland vegetation on fire
The Riparian Vegetation: There is a narrow band of riparian vegetation (See Photo 5.3) of almost similar
species composition as the woodland on the hill slopes. Due to ample moisture, trees found at the edge of the
riverbank are not affected by fire as the rest of trees in the upper parts of the study area. The species unique
to the riparian vegetation include Prunus africana, Lepidotrichilia emetica and Euphorbia tirucalli and
Tamarindus indica. Riparian vegetation along the riverbanks may be understood as giving ecosystem
functions such as corridors connecting wet forests, being refugia for some plant species and biodiversity
banks for wetter forest elements. They are also refugia for birds, invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians,
ungulates, primates and their predators during the peak of bush fire period. The ungulates particularly find
safe haven in the riparian forest until the bush fire culminated and the lush of grass sprout.
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