Study area
Kotu forest is located in Delanta district, South Wollo Zonal
Administration of the Amhara National Regional State of Ethiopia (Fig.
1). It is located at a distance of 499 km north of Addis Ababa. Kotu
forest geographically lies between 11◦30’45 ” N to
11◦35’45”N latitude and 39◦11’ 50”
E to 39◦ 14’10” E longitude (Fig. 1). The total area
of the forest is 1374 ha (Table 1) with an altitude ranging from 2771-
2987 m asl. The study area is geologically characterized by extensive
escarpment plateaus, hills with small mountainous ridges and gorges.
Cambisols, vertiosols and leptosoils are the dominant soil types in the
area (DWANRDO, 2016). The mean average temperature of the study area is
130C with maximum temperatureof 19.80C and with annual mean minimum temperature of
6.80c (Ethiopian National Meterological Agency (ENMA),
2017). The study area is characterized by bimodal rainfall distribution
patterns; with a long rainy season from June to October and a minor
rainy season from March to May. It receives the highest rainfall
(75-80%) during the long rainy season (ENMA, 2017) and 20-25% rainfall
during the short rain season. The area comprises five dominant habitat
types namely; grassland, wooded grassland, natural forest (dry evergreen
Afromontane forest), plantation forest and bushland. Acacia
abysinica, Acacia salingna , Acacia decurrens , Olea
europaea , and Juniperous procera are among the dominate tree
species in the study area (DWANRDO,
2016).