Background Information of the Center

The field of research on environment and society is growing rapidly and becoming of ever-greater importance not only in academia but also in policy circles and for the public at large. This growth reflects the urgency of debate and the pace and scale of change with respect to the water crisis, deforestation, biodiversity loss, the looming energy crisis, nascent resource wars, environmental refugees, climate change, and environmental justice, which are just some of the many compelling challenges facing society today and in the future. It also reflects the richness and insights of scholarship exploring diverse cultural forms, social phenomena, and political-economic formations in which society and nature are intricately intertwined, if not indistinguishable.

Based on the above premises, Wallaga University established Center for the Studies of Environment and Society at director level in 2007 (currently renamed as Center for the Studies of Environment and Natural Resources/CSENR) with the objectives of organizing and undertaking research activities related to environment and natural Resource Management   comprising seven unites under it: However,  health and Nutrition and education units have no researcher and currently only five units are functional . The units under the center are:

• Health and Nutrition
• Rural Development
• Urban planning and Development
• Gender and Good Governance
• Culture and tourism
• Education and
• Natural Resource Management

 Currently, each unite is staffed with one to four staff members.   The centre is undertaking problem solving thematic –based applied research activities and community service by these seven unites. The Center has the following mandate and duties:

1. Conducts integrated problem solving  researches   
2. Undertakes mega research projects in the priority areas of the University
3. Organizes and conducts seminars and workshops
4. Create linkage and work with stakeholders and  partners 
5. Publishes and distributes research results on reputable journals;
6. Provides Community services

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, unanimously adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, serves as a collective roadmap for promoting peace and prosperity for both people and the planet. At its core lie the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which urgently call for action from all nations—both developed and developing through global collaboration. These goals recognize that addressing poverty and other deprivations must be coupled with strategies to enhance health and education, reduce inequality, and foster economic growth all while addressing climate change and safeguarding our oceans and forests.  

The Green Legacy Initiative launched by the Ethiopian government in 2019, aligns with SDG#2, SDG#13 & SDG#15, focusing on ending hunger, combating climate change and ensuring sustainable use of the planet's resources. Ethiopia's Green Legacy initiative represents a monumental effort to combat environmental degradation and climate change through mass reforestation. The initiative, which is part of Ethiopia's broader Climate Resilient Green Economy strategy, set an ambitious target of planting 20 billion seedlings over four years.

 Wallaga University is one of the public Universities Established in 2007, with its defined mandates of academic, research and community services.  In addition to its given mandates, it is striving to compliment the green legacy development endeavours of the government by planting different edible and indigenous plants on and off the compasses. The Centre of the Studies of Environment and Natural Resource is one of the centres of the university working focusing on environment and natural resource research and conservation. As part of its mandate the centre is working on green legacy by its project entitled ‘Integrated Green Development project’ in the main /Nekemte compass. The centre has owned 7 hectares and planted different plant species to list some from the edible: coffee, banana, apple, mango, avocado and papaya.  And Olea Africana, Dolenix regia, African fan palm, Jacaranda, Hagenia abyssinica, Podocarpus falcatus and Spathodea campanulata, are some of the trees planted and being conserved by the project as some pictures of the plants are seen below.