Day 3 – Zhara church forest wall

It is now Day 3 and the internet was down for the entire town of Bahir Dar. But we are alive and well, and collecting amazing biodiversity in the church forest. Even the iPhone would not work from this town, despite the fact that I signed on for international connections. So we are working steadily, and learning so much about the Ethiopian culture, but quite cut off from our conventional ways of communication.
The church forest outside of Bahir Dar, called Zhara, had a big surprise for me upon arrival. Their priest had been at the workshop that Dr. Alemayehu Wassie and I hosted last year, where we explained the true value of the forests surrounding their churches. Low and behold, the Priest took our information to heart and his disciples are now building a wall around the church. Even better, the wall is about 100 feet from the shrinking perimeter of the church, meaning the new seedlings can be regenerated. It was a very heartfelt site — people stop and sit on the (stone) wall, and others make a bit of extra cash taking stones from their pastures and bringing them to the church. We still need funds for gates and access, but the notion of the local people taking their forest conservation so seriously is truly inspirational.

More bug details to come in the next blog!

New wall slowly encircling the Zhara church forest (not quite half way).
New wall slowly encircling the Zhara church forest (not quite half way).

Meg and the Wall around the forest of Zhara
Meg and the Wall around the forest of Zhara