Journal of Tourism & Hospitality

Journal of Tourism & Hospitality
Open Access

ISSN: 2167-0269

+44 1300 500008

Short Communication - (2017) Volume 6, Issue 5

Lake Tana as Biosphere Reserve: Review

Melese Worku*
Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Deber Tabor University, Deber Tabor, Ethiopia
*Corresponding Author: Melese Worku, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Deber Tabor University, Deber Tabor, PO Box 272, Ethiopia, Tel: +251 913-986518 Email:

Abstract

Lake Tana one of the largest lake in Ethiopia. It embraces 50% of the country’s fresh water. The resources are exclusively significant for the surroundings, industry, domestic and agricultural purposes. Lake Tana basin provide financial, communal, supporting, ecological, ecological and spiritual also for downstream countries. The past two year presently Lake Tana preliminary from June 2015 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) currently inventory as Biosphere Reserve. The Lake Tana one of the excellence rich aquatic in biodiversity, it is appreciably very important for out-research activity internationally and nationally purpose. The lake one of greatest potential for aquatics ecosystem, transportation activity, source of tourism developments especially water journey in the peninsula of monastery and cave, hydropower and irrigation development. It stimulates growth and reduces poverty.

<

Keywords: Lake Tana; Financial; Ecological; Tourism

Introduction

Lake Tana, one of the foundation of the Blue Nile River, is geographically positioned in the north-western part of Ethiopia, between latitude 10°58`-12°47`N and longitude 36°45`-38°14`E. The total area covers of 3,200 sq km; the depth of 8 -14 meters and Lake Catchment covers an area of 16,500 sq km. It is the majority important bright water remnants in the country, contributory with orientation to 50% of the wash downward put to one side of the position. The lake dishonesty at greater altitude in the variety of 1,840 meter above sea level distinction to Lake Victoria at 1,134 meters above sea level and is painstaking the peak lake in Africa. Due its altitude it is differentiate by cold waters with mean hotness of 21.7°C. The Lake Tana watershed consists of 347 Kebeles and 21 districts in four administrative zones [1].

Height above sea level variation in the Lake Tana watershed, range from 3000-1800 m (contiguous floodplains). This dissimilarity emotionally involved with elevated home heterogeneity maybe has made the district wealthy in biodiversity and endemism. From more than five million lakes on the planet, Lake Tana has emerged as one of the worldwide top 250 lake regions most important for biological diversity conservation in the Lake Net framework [2].

Lake Tana’s international significance instigates not only beginning biodiversity point of view but starting hydro-politics point of view, mortal the groundwork of the Blue Nile River. Countrywide and regionally, outstanding to its massive water make available likely for hydropower and irrigation development, the Ethiopian management is beginning an collection of expansion project to motivate augmentation and diminish scarcity [3].

Several of the hydropower development (e.g. Tana Beles) and irrigation (e.g. Koga) are lately finished Lake Tana is a multi-use irrigate departed body wherever numerous millions of nation in the district depend on its environmental and socioeconomically principles. In adding together to it’s apply for agricultural actions for the restricted population, the lake is used for transport.

In meticulous, Lake Tana has 37 isle with the intention of are patterned concerning the outside of the lake and this islands fortification attractive churches and monasteries, some of which have times gone by date reverse to the 13 and 14th Century.

With varieties of attractions in the nearby Lake Tana and Blue Nile River, make the Lake Tana region, particularly Bahir Dar City, as one of the most important traveler destinations in Ethiopia, In 2002 Bahir Dar City was awarded the UNESCO Cities for th Peace Prize for addressing the confront of speedy urbanization. In June 2015, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) comprise registered Lake Tana as world heritage site. The lake is inventory as UNESCO’s world heritage site for its being rich in biodiversity. Thus, Lake Tana can be reflecting on as the major icon of the region. However, this multipurpose lake is opposite multi problems.

Ecological Importance

The perception of biosphere reserves as tool of sustainable local improvement and incorporated environment protection in Ethiopia is more and more ahead significance, as illustrate by the gratitude of the country’s first two Biosphere Reserves, Kafa and Yayu, by the UNESCO in 2010.

Lake Tana is amongst the mainly creative life-support systems in the humanity and is of huge socio-economic and ecological significance to mankind. They are serious for the preservation of Aquatic biodiversity and perform a great role in the biosphere (Figures 1-3).

tourism-hospitality-ecological-view-lake-tana

Figure 1: Ecological view of Lake Tana.

tourism-hospitality-current-view-lake-tana

Figure 2: Current view Lake Tana.

tourism-hospitality-lake-tana-water-monastery

Figure 3: Lake Tana water monastery.

The Economic Value of Aquatic Biodiversity

The livelihood and culture of great numbers of citizens, in approximately each nation of the humankind. A most important segment of fisheries manufacture, nearly everybody hunt, much wooded area manufacture and an important part of ecotourism elements of heritage and environmental quality. It is significant to pressure, nevertheless, that it is not sufficient just to protect the populations of plants and animals that are in a without delay line disheartened: their happiness and patience, or sustainability, depend on preserve the entire comprehensive of biodiversity that characterizes ecosystems. Hundreds of inter-related organisms take part in this gamut of processes and it is these varieties of species which keeps these ecosystems in ecological balance and make them so creative.

Ecotourism

The ecological contribution is the chief attraction which are potentials, not the level of overhaul or amenities provided as part of a manufactured goods wrap up, but the physical factor that the tourist to an exacting destination.

References

  1. IFAD (2007) Community-Based Integrated Natural Resources Management Project in Lake Tana Watershed-Ethiopia. IFAD Project Document (Third Draft: 31. August 2007), Government of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia & International Fund for Agricultural Development.
  2. Duker L, Borre L (2001) Biodiversity conservation of the world's lakes: A preliminary framework for identifying priorities. LakeNet Report Series, Number 2, LakeNet Secretariat, Annapolis, Maryland USA.
  3. Bekele S, Erkossa T, Smakhtin V, Fernando A (2009) Improved water and land management in the Ethiopian highlands: Its impact on downstream stakeholders dependent on the Blue Nile. Intermediate Results Dissemination Workshop held at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 5-6 February 2009.
Citation: Worku M (2017) Lake Tana as Biosphere Reserve: Review. J Tourism Hospit 6: 310.

Copyright: © 2017 Worku M. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Top