Abstract:
This study was conducted in the Sheyebench and South Bench Woredas of the Bench-Sheko zone and
Masha Woreda of the Sheka zone in southwest Ethiopia. In this study Chega-Gawussi wetland from
Masha, Chonkie-Shinkie wetland from Sheybench and Lake Dembi South Bench Woredas were selected.
In this both primary and secondary data were used. Primary data were collected from randomly
interviewed households living in the vicinity of the selected wetlands. The main objective of interview
highly revolves around benets and attitudes of local communities towards conservation of wetlands.
Collected data were analyzed using 5-point Likert scale to analyze benets and attitudes respondents
towards wetland conservation. SPSS© and Microsoft excel©. The result of study revealed that wetlands
in the study area provide wide range of uses for local communities, such as livestock grazing, irrigation,
recreation, grass and forage harvesting, water sources for livestock and domestic uses, sh harvesting,
and rewood collection. Majority of respondents agreed that wetlands are important and offer various
services. Despite the studied wetlands offer numerous benets to the local communities, they were under
human pressure due to farmland expansion, deforestation, expansion of eucalyptus plantation, silting
from adjacent farmlands, and overgrazing. Local community has positive attitude towards wetland
conservation, and therefore the oce of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Forestry and Environmental
Protection, and Biodiversity Conservation should work collaboratively to initiate and mobilize local
communities to conserve wetlands and to reduce pressures on wetland resources,
