Welcome to Gullele Botanic Garden
The establishments of a botanic garden as a living museum of plants which otherwise might become last or extinct is long over due in Ethiopia. For one, the country has plants whose survival is threatened and which are part of its cultural heritage. These and those introduced from elsewhere have to be preserved live or in a herbarium with adequate documentation for future generations to act as referral for these plants. Such a botanic garden that is laid out tidily and aesthetically offers opportunities for research, restful relaxation and enjoyment by tourists, members of the general public as well as by scientists, students etc. | It is with the above in consideration that the Addis Ababa city administration and the Addis Ababa University signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop and manage the Gullele botanic garden on 705 hectares at the outskirt of Addis Ababa. Here, the vegetation can be broadly classified into Afro-montane forest type or the dry evergreen monatane forests. The flora of Ethiopia is estimated to be about 6000 to 6500 species of higher plants with 10-12 percent endemism but these are now in the verge of warning forever due to deforestation, overgrazing, soil erosion, desertification and others. The attempt carried for about three decades by different concerned scientists and institutions to establish a botanic garden that sever the purpose of conservation and research only materialized by the joint action of the Addis Ababa university which led to the signing of memorandum of understanding on April 22nd 2005 which ensured the allocation of 705 hectares of land for purpose. |
