Woody Species Diversity in Enclosures: Actual and Potential Contributions of Enclosures to Enhance Biodiversity in Drylands of Eastern Tigray, Ethiopia

The practice of closing an area from human and animal intereference to restore degrded lands is becoming a common and cultural practice in the degraded drylands of Ethiopia, particulraly in Tigray. The recovery and restoration of vegetation is fast and cheap compared to planting in these areas. Areas which have been fragile are now put under area enclosures and easily restored. It is taken as one of the best tool for the restoration of degraded drylands. In addition to the economic importance obtained throught the collection of grass and wood, local people admired for the ability of the enclosures to quickly restore local biodiversity. It has become a common phenomenen to observe accelaration of plant, but also animal, diversity with time, after the establishement of enclosures. In areas where they had been established, enclosed areas are among the green spots