QUICK FACTS
Location
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIAEntoto Mountain Range
Restoration Activities
INDIGENOUS TREE PLANTING650,000+ native trees planted
Landscape Works
LANDSCAPE REHABILITATION200 km of terraces and 15 km of check dams
Lead Partner
LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION PARTNEREthiopian Heritage Trust
Impact Focus
BIODIVERSITY RESTORATION AND PUBLIC ACCESSRestoring ecosystems while reconnecting people with nature
Project Timeline
LEGACY PROJECT1993-2025
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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PROJECT OVERVIEWOnce heavily degraded by decades of environmental pressure and the widespread planting of eucalyptus, the Entoto landscape faced severe biodiversity loss, soil erosion and declining ecological health.
Over the last three decades, long-term restoration efforts have transformed the area into a thriving natural environment overlooking Addis Ababa.
Today, Entoto Natural Park demonstrates how ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation and public access can work together to create lasting environmental and social benefits.
Impact at a Glance
200 km
Terraces restored
15 km
Check dams constructed
650.000+
Indigenous trees planted
115
Bird species recorded
13
Natural springs revitalised
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Restoring a degraded landscape
By the early 1990s, much of the Entoto mountain range had experienced extensive environmental degradation. Native vegetation had largely disappeared, biodiversity had declined, and soil erosion threatened the long-term health of the landscape.
Without intervention, the ecological and cultural value of the area risked being permanently diminished.
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Large-scale ecological restoration
Restoration efforts focused on replacing degraded vegetation with indigenous species, stabilising slopes through terracing, and improving water retention across the landscape.
Over time, hundreds of thousands of native trees were planted while extensive soil and water conservation measures helped create the conditions necessary for ecosystems to recover naturally.
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Supporting wildlife and native species
The return of native habitats has encouraged the recovery of biodiversity across the landscape.
Today, Entoto supports more than 115 recorded bird species alongside a growing range of native flora and fauna, demonstrating the long-term ecological benefits of restoration.
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Connecting people with nature
Entoto Natural Park provides residents and visitors with access to green space, walking trails and opportunities to experience Ethiopia's natural heritage.
The project demonstrates how conservation can enhance quality of life while protecting important ecological resources.
The Ethiopian Heritage Trust was founded in Addis Ababa in 1993, working in environmental restoration and heritage conservation.
Its long-term stewardship of Entoto Natural Park helped transform a once-degraded landscape into one of the country's most successful examples of ecological restoration.
The Ethiopian Conservation Trust has proudly supported this work for more than eight years, helping contribute to the park's continued growth and impact.
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