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*Corresponding author: Birhanu kagnew
Email: birhan444@gmail.com, +251930604047 https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/eajbcs.v3i2.3S

Plant Species Composition and Community Perception Towards Landscaping Work Executed
at Hawassa University-Main Campus, Ethiopia

Birhanu Kagnew * and Firew Kebede

KEYWORDS:

Landscape;
Beautification;
Greening;
Campus;
Perception;
Community

ABSTRACT

Landscaping is making visual improvements to academic institutions, urban and other
private organizations with plants and attractive materials. People all over the world are
attracted to green and beautiful landscapes which initiate them to be happy and creative.
Especially students in higher educational institutions who spend much of their time
focused on their studies need of clean, green and attractively well-designed landscape in
their campus. So far data on plant species composition and perception of university
towards landscape work is lacking. With this understanding, the study was conducted to
investigate plant species composition and community perception towards landscaping
work executed at Hawassa University’s main campus using questionnaires, interviews,
observation and group discussion methods. In addition, vegetation data were collected
using systematic sampling method. In the study, 221 respondents were drawn from
academic staff, administrative workers and students using random sampling method. Key
informants were selected using purposive sampling method. In order to identify the plant
species, systematic sampling along the transect line was employed. Twelve (12), 40m X
40 m (i.e. 1600 m2) area quadrat plots were laid and all the plants species in the quadrats
were collected and identified. The distance between each transects and quadrat was 200 m
and 100m, respectively. 52 plant species with 44 genera and 29 families were recorded.
The study showed that, the most dominant family was Fabaceae with 9 species followed
by Cupressaceae as well as Moraceae with 4 species each respectively. The results
revealed that, campus landscaping work was the most significantly important and made
the campus more attractive by plantation (61.1%), landscaping (27.1%) and walkways
(5.7%). Plantation could also modify the micro-climate of the campus environment
(94.3%) due to the plants photosynthesis process which produces O2 and takes in Co2 from
the atmosphere. In general educational institutions landscaping need to be encouraged to
enhance the teaching-learning process, and to make the working environment attractive. A
great educational environment is guided by the most powerful teacher of all, nature itself.

INTRODUCTION

The global physical landscape is changing due
to the process of urbanization. According to
the United Nations Department of Economic
and Social Affairs (2014), about 54% of the

world's populace resided in city/urban regions
in 2014. Lands are modified to make useful
for residential, commercial, public gatherings,
industrial and institutional zones; encouraging
population migration to gain access to these
facilities. Gradually the shrinking of urban
green spaces/areas results in the loss of

East African Journal of Biophysical and Computational Sciences

Journal homepage : https://journals.hu.edu.et/hu-journals/index.php/eajbcs
Hawassa University

College of Natural & Computational Sciences

Year 2021

Volume xx No xx

Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Science, Hawassa University,
Hawassa, P.O.Box 05, Ethiopia

 
Research article



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26

biodiversity and disturbance to the natural
ecosystem (Izyan et al., 2017). The
ecologicalization of plant life landscape want to
ensure the rich species and diverse shapes of
campus flora, and the plant configuration is
affordable, the usage of vegetation to decorate
the campus environment to ensure the stability
and balance of campus environment and reach
the coordination of artificial environment and
natural environment (Habib et al., 2016). The
campus planning and panorama layout should
fairly adopt circulate concept, ecological
recuperation idea and occasional carbon idea to
make college campus come to be harmonious
ecological campus from macro views (Horhota
et al., 2014). A development of green
infrastructure (GI) on the University compound
has been acknowledged as one of the
foundations of Education for Sustainable
Development (ESD), an initiative that could
provide various benefits to the campus
community. The students and the campus
community are the primary beneficiaries in
several aspects which contribute to the
enhancement of knowledge, skills, as well as
physical and mental replenishment from
sustainable landscaping, greening, and
beautification work (Izyan et al., 2017).
Landscaping is the process of making visual
improvements to academic institutions, urban
and other private organizations with plants and
attractive materials (Amy, 2009).

Landscaping, greening and beautification in
better instructional establishments and faculties
can be traced to the very starting of formal
education, thinking about it very vital
components of the total plan (Jellico, 1966;
Boughman, 1992). Landscaping, beautification
and greening are completed to create the high-
quality aesthetic feature, appropriate

environment and to supply a naturalized placing
the usage of nicely matched herbal or man-made
materials. The desired quality of beautification
can be made via the affiliation of plant life,
shrubs, timber, lawns, fences, houses, pavement,
and water (Boughman, 1992; McConnell et al.,
2003). Large bucks have been spent on
landscaping to fulfill mankind’s preferred fine
and beautiful environment. Plantation of wood,
vegetation, shrubs and water offer residing
quarters with non-violent and comfy
surroundings that are pondered in houses,
organizations, authorities places of work, church
homes, and academic facilities (Boughman,
1992). An adorable bodily environment satisfies
the student's emotional and cloth wishes and
stimulates non secular increase. A scholar's
capability to look and admire physical splendor
is nurtured via the manner of his/her
surroundings. Actual colleges have the potential
for attracting beauty to high school community
and then transmitting it to the related buddies
(Brown, 1983).

A college campus made attractive by
landscaping, greening and beautification is a
concept to all of the university network and the
parents. The purpose of landscaping at
University and faculties are to beautify the
surrounding physical surroundings, to offer
shade, assist the coaching mastering strategies
and to inspire students to love and admire the
environment (Malone and Tranter, 2003;
Dyment and Bell, 2007; Habib et al., 2016),
because the campuses are social group, and that
they play a giant position in converting peoples’
life-style. According to Wells (2000), panorama
may also alter the micro-climate of the
environment surrounding the campus due to the
plants photosynthesis system which produces
oxygen and absorbed carbon dioxide from the



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27

atmosphere. Landscape and plants gives an
appealing element through the way of aesthetic
value (Rasidi et al., 2013). An attractive
landscaping, greening and beautification plays a
vast position in minimizing emotional stress,
negative emotions, physical pressure, growth
fine thoughts among college students and
initiate the scholars’ interest toward getting to
know, due to the fact, flowers affect human
psychology (Han, 2009). Maintainable
landscaping and beautification practices can
help to lessen pressure and improve the overall
health of humans living in town, college,
campus and other organization environments,
and may be significantly less expensive to hold.
Therefore, developing an advantageous dating
between a man and the environment may want
to have extensive benefit closer to mental
balance, enhancing the behavior and improving
health situations. Furthermore, interaction with
none restrict with lovely outside environment
may want to reduce mental strain in humans
daily lifestyles (Harting et al., 1991; Kaplan,
1995; Kaplan et al., 1998; Wells; 2000; Taylor
et al., 2001).

A University campus is just like a small city
with infrastructure (such as buildings,
transportation, electricity, roads, beautiful and
pleasant landscape and green compound)
because of the complete function, the
construction of campus panorama area have to
create locations to carry all kinds of sports and
make sure that campus space has attractive
elements (ICADCE, 2015). The school grounds,
with adequate care (clean, attractive,
comfortable, and orderly surroundings) can
make major contributions to student progress.
Preserving a sustainable landscaped campus
environment play a considerable position meets
the requirements of diverse verbal exchange

between teachers and college students under the
assorted social historical past of more than one
value. the distance spirit can well arouse the feel
of identification of instructors and students to
campus panorama cause them to experience
pride to analyze, live, contact, leap forward in a
campus landscape environment, be
unconsciously encouraged through the
edification of information and boom the
experience of belonging of campus are
(ICADCE, 2015). Greening is the process of
planting trees, herbs and shrubs to transform the
living environment into more health, beautiful
and suitable place (Douglas, 2003; Ryrie, 2004).
A beautiful and green campus in the end offers
an institution the opportunity to take the lead in
redefining its environmental way of life and
growing new paradigms through developing
sustainable answers for the environmental,
social and economic needs of mankind.
Therefore, the main purposes of the study were
to assess the community perception towards
landscaping work executed at Hawassa
University main campus.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Study Area

The study was conducted in the main campus of
Hawassa University. Hawassa University (HU)
was established at Hawassa on the 25th of April
2000. Hawassa University has seven functional
campuses, namely; College of Agriculture (AC),
College of Medicine and Health’s Sciences
Campus (CMHS), Institute of Technology (IOT)
and the Main Campus (the seat for the top
administration) are located in Hawassa City.
The remaining three, namely Wondo Genet
Campus (WCFNR), Awada Campus and Bensa
Daye Campus are situated out of Hawassa city.



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28

employed to select lecturers, third-year main
campus students, administrative staffs, key-
informants and campus cleaners as
representative samples for data collection. A
total of 221 informants were randomly selected
and 10 key informants were included.
Questionnaires were prepared and distributed
for two hundred twenty-one (221) respondents
to collect data on the perception of the
community on landscaping and its contribution
on education quality, job creation and
beautification work in the campus. The amassed
plant specimens were pressed, dried and
recognized by experienced botanists using the
vegetation of Ethiopian and Eretria extent one to
eight (Azene et al., 1993; Edwards et al., 1995;
Hedberg et al., 2003; Hedberg et al., 2004), then
mounted on herbarium sheets and deposited in
the lab. In order to collect the plant species,
purposive sampling was used and a total of 12
quadrants, 40m X 40m (i.e. 1600 m2 area)
along transect line were used. The distance
between, each transects and quadrants were
200m and 100m, respectively. From the total of
12 quadrants, all the plants species in the
quadrants were collected and identified.

Data Analysis

The collected quantitative data were organized,
summarized and subjected to descriptive statics.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The study was conducted at Hawassa
University’s main campus to assess the
perception of Hawassa University’s community
towards the landscaping work executed at its
main campus carried out from 2017 to the
present. Since its establishment in 2000, the
main campus was bare land with hot and

Hawassa  University  (HU)  is  a  comprehensive
university that is engaged in the  provision of all-
round  education,  research,  training  and
community  service  through  its  diversified  areas
of  the  academic  units.  Hawassa  University  has
recently  established  three  Centers:  “Center  of
Excellence  for  Teacher  Education  and
Educational  Leaders,  Academic  Center  of
Excellence  in  Human  Nutrition,  and  Science,
Technology,  Engineering,  and  Mathematics
(STEM)  Center”.  It   is   located   275   km
South  of   Addis   Ababa,  the   capital   city   of
Ethiopia  in  the  Sidama  region,  Hawassa  city.
The   main  campus  was  established  in  2000.
Geographically

it lies at 070  05’  north,  38029’ east and at  1697m
above  sea  level.  The  rainfall  pattern  is
characterized  by  bimodal  distribution  with
spring/”belg” and summer (main) rainy seasons.
However,  the  rainfall  is  continuously  disbursed
with  one  dry  season.  The  mean  annual

temperature is 19.50c with the minimum average

ranging  from  9.30C  at  some  point  of  December

to  140  0C  at  some  stage  in  July  and  maximum
temperature  varies  from  24  C  throughout  July
to  29.2  C  at  some  stage  in  March.  The  land
shape  is  obvious  with  reddish  volcano  soil
which  is  right  for  construction.  The  present
study  was  conducted  at  the  main  campus  of
Hawassa University.

Methods  of Data  Collection

The  study  was  conducted  in  Hawassa
University’s  main  campus  from  2017  -  2019  to
study  the  perception  of  its  community  on  the
beautification,  greening,  and  landscaping  work
that  had  been  done.  The  data  were  collected  by
using  both  questionnaires  and  semi-structured
interviews  (Martin,  1995)  and  site  observation.
Systematic  random  sampling  techniques  were



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29

intolerable climatic conditions, not sufficiently
attractive for the teaching-learning process and
for the administrative worker, academic staffs,
and students to accomplish their regular work
effectively (Figure 1). Thanks to landscaping
and greening works done, currently, the seat,
shade area and recreational area made a suitable
environment for the service intended (Figure 1
and 3). The respondents were asked whether
they have been ever observed landscape and
beatification work in governmental institution in
Ethiopia. The result indicates that 78.6% of the
respondents’ agreed as they are familiar with
landscaping, greening and beautification works
in governmental institution in Ethiopia while

21.4% of the respondents responded as not
observed landscaping and beautification works
elsewhere (Table 1). The respondents observed
beautification work in a governmental
institution such as university (52.2%), Federal
office (18%), Schools (14.6%), region office
(8.2%) and less in Zone office 7.0%). The
majority of the University community (77.1%)
agreed and was satisfied with the beautification,
greening and landscaping work of the
University whereas 22.9% of the respondents
claim that as there are some issues that need
more attention than beautification and
landscaping work (Table 1).

Figure 1. Comparison between past (Top) and present (bottom) appearance of the main campus

Photo by Dawit Bedhasa, 2006



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30

The respondent agrees that campus
beautification and landscaping work was the
most important and made the campus more
attractive by plantation (61.1%), landscaping
(27.1%), walk ways (5.7%),  seat and shades
(4%), and small water pools compared to the
previous situation (Figure 1, 3 and Table 1).
Each tree helps to fight global warming via
reducing the quantity of greenhouse gases

within the environment. Vegetation in the
campus environment provides color to break out
the warmth of the sun and additionally they
provide green areas for rest, relaxation and
pastime or recreation (Behe et al., 2005). The
respondents also rated the change in the main
campus environment as there is drastic change
(75.8%) while the rest claimed as beautification,
greening and landscaping work doesn’t include
all the campus areas (Table 1).

Table 1: The Perception of respondents towards beautification and landscaping work done in the
main campus
Information Category Percentage (%)

Have you ever observed land scape & beatification work in governmental
institution in Ethiopia

Yes 78.6%

No 21.4%

Types of institutions  landscape and beatification carried out Schools 14.6%
Federal office 18.0%
Zone office 7.0%
Regional office 8.2%
University 52.2%

Are you satisfied with the landscaping and  beautification work in the
campus

Yes 77.1%

No 22.9%

Which landscaping and beautification work is most attractive? Landscaping 27.1%
Walk ways 5.7%
Seat & shades 4.0%
Small water pools 0.0%
Plantation 61.1%

How do you rate the change on the campus environment? Have change a lot 75.8%
Not that much 17.1%
No change at all 7.1%

Plants planted have significant role in micro-climate modification Yes 94.3%
No 5.7%

Landscaping  work increases the beauty of the campus Agree 97.7%
Disagree 2.3%

Landscaping  work has created suitable environment for teaching learning
process

Agree 91.4%
Disagree 8.6%

Landscaping  work has positive contribution for education quality Agree 74.5%
Disagree 25.5%

Landscaping  increases plantation and infrastructure of the campus Agree 87.1%
Disagree 12.9%

The seat, shade area and recreational area made a suitable environment for
service intended

Agree 91.4%

Disagree 8.6%

Landscaping  work create job opportunity for citizens Agree 96.2%

Disagree 3.8%



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Attractively designed and well-maintained
physical environment of the campus can help to
create a positive paramount impression, set up a
peaceful mood, and increase assets value. The
present study finding also agreed with this
concept that, majority of respondents (94.3%)
confirmed as plantation have a significance role
for environmental micro-climate modification.
Because, plants regulate the temperature, it is
good for refreshment, provide clean air and also
good for all image of the campus. Hence, almost
all respondents (97.7%) agree with landscaping,
greening and beautification work increases the
beauty of the main campus (Table 1). Besides
creating excellent working environment for the
University community, the landscaping,
greening and beautification work also contribute
a lot for the  teaching-learning process (91.4%)
and education quality (74.5) through modifying
micro-climate, providing shade, recreation areas
and serving as reading area (Table 1).

With the improvement of socialization,
integration and popularization of higher
education, the substances of education so come
to be more massive and they are not confined to
books and school rooms. The campus
surroundings that students stay in their everyday
life are the materials of training as nicely
(Hartig et al., 1991; Tennessen and Cimprich,
1995; Habib et al., 2016). The modified
physical environment surrounding the campus
promotes efficiency in the teaching-learning
process and contributes to education quality as
well as contributes to their aesthetic
development. Almost all respondents confirmed

that, before the start of beautification and
landscaping work, it was difficult to stay  at the
office, even  students were traveling to Lake
Hawassa side areas seeking shade and
comfortable reading and seating area due to hot
temperature. Nowadays, landscaping and
beautification work increase plantation and
infrastructure of the main campus (87.1%) and
almost all respondents agreed (91.4%) with the
opinion that the seat, shade, and recreation area
made a suitable environment for the service
intended (Figure 1, 3 and Table 1). On the other
hand, beautification, greening and landscaping
work create job opportunities for citizens
(96.2%) (Figure 3, 4 and Table 1).

Trees for Landscaping and Beautification

The present study revealed that greening and
plantation (94.3%) significantly modify the
micro-climate of the environment in the study
area (Figure 3 and Table 1). Plants are the “lung
of urban areas’’ (McPherson, 2005) due to their
ability to remove pollutants from the
atmosphere that is breathed by acting as natural
filters. Powe and Wills (2004) reported that
plants generate health benefits by reducing the
mortality rate and reducing visits to the hospital.
Ornamental plants made a more pleasant
environment for people (Akbari, 2002) and
people walking around green areas showed
reduced stress levels (Lohr et al., 2007; Ulrich,
1989). Higher education institutions’ students’
under exam stress had increased positive
feelings and reduced fear and anger when they
had view of plants (Frank, 2003).



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0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Pl
an

ts
pe

cie
s d

ist
rib

ut
io

n 
fre

qu
en

cy

Plant family in the study area
Figure 2. Plant Family and species distribution frequency from the study area (both exotic and
indigenous plants, see Appendix)

In the present study area, both exotic and native
plants were used (Appendix). Plantation trees
used in the study area includes; Junipers
procera, Jacaranda mimosofolia, Ficus elastic,
Phoenix reclenata, Borassus aethiopum, Acacia
species, Nerium oleander, Hibiscus syriacus,
Cupressus sempervirens pyramidalis,
Graviellia robusta, Araucaria species  to
mention a few (Appendix).

The majority of plants species used for
plantation in the main campus belongs to twenty
(29) families; dominated by the Fabaceae family
with nine (9) species and Cupressaceae and
Moraceae with four (4) species each (Figure 2
and Appendix). The main reason for choosing
plants for landscaping such as providing the
screen, blocking the unwanted view, modifying
temperature, stabilizing soil, and aesthetic
value(overall habit or shape of the plants and
their foliage, flower, fruit, and bark).Thus,
diversity of plant species and combination of
plant forms, foliage, flowers, fruit and bark can
result in creative, artistic display and beautiful

landscape composition. Plant species indigenous
to the country should be incorporated into the
landscaping and beautification work. Compared
to exotic plants, indigenous  plant species
carries a variety of environmental benefits
ranging from reducing erosion, shade, micro-
climate modification, and these plants would
require less overall maintenance, less watering
and less intensive management than exotic
species currently used on campus landscaping.
The plantation of indigenous trees is very
important to conserve the plants species and
their survival rate is higher compared to exotic
plants. The present study finding indicates that
the study area is dominated by exotic plants
(Appendix). Therefore, the researchers
recommend that planting indigenous plant is
more important than exotic trees for sustainable
and long-term usage of the landscaping.
Because, having a larger proportion of native
plants would be less expensive to upkeep in the
long-run.



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Effect of Landscaping and
Beautification on Teaching-learning
Processes

There is direct dating among the construction of
verbal exchange space and the realization of the
instructional feature of campus landscape, high-
quality campus communication area offers a
great location for various communique activities
in the campus, makes it convenient for carrying
out sports which include instructional alternate,
extracurricular practice, extracurricular
coaching, out of doors exercise, undertaking and
sightseeing. The current university college
students present range and randomness and
numerous forms of conversation space with
wealthy gradation meet the requirements of
various varieties of customers. From this
perspective, campus panorama surroundings,
higher realizes the function for education carrier
(ICADCE, 2015). Because college days are a
vital duration to form the view of existence
values, excessive great campus area
environment has a lively effect on shaping the

thoughts of university college students (Habib et
al., 2016).The present study finding reveals that
campus landscaping, beautification, and
greening had a significant effect on supporting
the teaching-learning process, job opportunity
and recreation, 91.4%, 96.2%, and 91.4%
respectively (Figure 3 and Table 1). Plantation
and greening assist the teaching- learning
process through providing shade, recreational
place, increasing staff and students stay at the
campus, reading space and modifying the
temperature of the environment (Figure 3 and
Table 1). Interplay with natural factors such as
vegetation, water source or different appealing
regions could lessen psychological pressure in
humans each day lifestyles. Decreased
psychological strain could permit advantageous
attitudes to broaden and stimulate students
learning interest towards studying (Kaplan et
al., 1998; Han, 2009). Beautification
components, especially flora have active
psychological relationship with people, could
assist in mental stability, improving the
behavior and health conditions (Wells, 2000;
Taylor et al., 2001)..

Figure 3. Landscape designing and walk ways in the main campus



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Humans have better standard health and
immunity to diseases while dwelling in an area
with considerable inexperienced space, and
patients recover faster when a view of a natural
environment is available (Maas et al., 2006;
Maller et al., 2002). Beautiful environment
enhance the aesthetic value of the campus
environment and reduce the surrounding
temperature and help to get clean air (Malone
and Tranter, 2003). Hence, almost all
respondents (97.7%) of the present study
appreciate the landscaping and beautification
work done in the study area (Table 1).

Job opportunities

Before landscaping and plantation work started
Hawassa University’s main campus was bare
lands, hot and inconvenient for teaching-
learning process, academic staff, students and
administrative workers to accomplish their daily
activity properly. The majorities of main
campus students especially prefer to seat and
read at Lake Hawassa sides. Nowdays, the
campus appears as one of the most beautiful and
attractive campuses in the country (Figure 1 and
3).Even the campus is becoming preferable a
film shot and another activity area.

Figure 4. Partial view of landscaping, beautification and greening workers in the main campus.

Beautification, greening and landscaping work
in the campus started in 2012 G.C and continue
to present with the support of the Germany
Government that support around 74 million birr,
and beatified by Flora Agricultural state PLC
AA (personal communication with campus
beatification officer). Since beautification
started, different activities were carried out in
the main campus such as planting trees, grasses
and protecting them watering, mulching, weeds
avoiding, shortening the grass with a sickle,
scissors and machines. The study result
confirmed that the campus beautification work
has created a great job opportunity (96.2%) for
more than 80 workers now (Figure4 and Table
1). However, different challenges interrupt the
beautification and greening activities (Table 2).
The price paid and works are not related and
workers are disadvantageous. The study
suggests that sustaining the landscaping,
beautification, greening and encouraging the
workers are crucial (Figure 3 and 4).
Awareness raising activities should be given to
the students and campus societies to protect and
proud off the campus beautifying and greening.



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Landscaping and beautification requires
significant hand work and the use of a system,
relying on the nature of site grounds. However
the use of educated labor and higher equipment
may also lessen the fee. From 1% - 4% of the
price range for the campus, the school invested
on campus beautification. Therefore, setting up
an endowment could create a higher financial
supply to be available for campus beautification
and up maintenance (Larry, 1992).

Seating Areas

The respondents’ were asked to which facilities
they would like to be incorporated to the site
and indicated that incorporating seating regions
need to be a design priority. Respondents were
verified the maximum popular option benches
(85%), as they would love to look benches
brought to the area, indicating a preference to
make the space greater interactive and
welcoming. at some stage in the focal point
group, participants emphasized seating areas as
an amazing manner to get students to note and
admire the ecological layout features of the site
(Figure 5).

Figure 5. Desired amenities of respondents in the study area

The respondents point out that, comfortable
areas where students and the community could
seat and examine or do work are the seating
regions ought to be as a minimum partly offset
from the on foot paths and avenue facets so that
they may be not be disturbed by high pedestrian
site visitors. Figure 5 above also indicates that,
green space and landscaping involving native
plants species (81%) are more appreciated by
respondents. The findings indicate thatthere is
support for additional beautification,
landscaping and greening with less exotic plant
species (Figure 5 and Appendix).

Constraints of Landscaping, Beautification
and Greening in Hawassa University Main
Campus

Different challenges interrupt the beautification
and greening activities (Table 2). Semi-
structured interview and questionnaire reports
indicate that, the main challenges of
landscaping, greening and beautification work
of the study area were lack of budget (77.66%),
lack of beautification equipment’s (76.10%),
absence of nursery on the main campus
(56.23%), lack of planting materials, lack of

Desired amenities of respondents



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36

awareness and lack of trained human power
(54.73%), (53%)and (51.%) respectively (Table

2).

Table 2: Constraints of landscaping, beautification and greening work in the study area
Challenges Frequency Percent (%) Rank
Knowledge gap in beautification 51 52.33 6th

Lack of training for workers 52 51.10 7th

Lack of water availability 37 41.20 9th

Destruction by animals 43 49.12 8th

Lack of budget 82 77.66 1st

Lack of awareness for University Community 45 53.00 5th

Lack of beautification equipment’s 71 76.10 2nd

Knowledge gap in plant breeding 31 19.10 10th

Absence of nursery in main campus 55 56.23 3rd

Lack of planting materials 57 54.73 4th

CONCLUSIONS

A development of green infrastructure on
University compound has been acknowledged
as one of the foundations of Education for
Sustainable Development, an initiative that
could provide various benefits to the campus
community. The investigation was carried out to
assess plant species composition and the
perception of Hawassa University community
towards the landscaping work executed at its
main campus since 2017 to present. Besides
creating excellent working environment for the
University community, the landscaping,
greening and beautification work contribute a
lot for teaching-learning process and education
quality through modifying micro-climate,
providing shade, recreation place, and serving as
reading space. Nowadays, landscaping and
beautification work increase plantation and
infrastructure of the main campus and almost all
respondents agreed with the opinion that the
seat, shade, and recreation area made a suitable
environment for the service intended. The
finding of the study also indicates that, the

majorities of respondents agree and appreciate
that landscaping and beautification work creates
enormous job opportunities for citizens. We
recommend that sustainable landscaping works
to enhance the teaching-learning process make
the campus more attractive and refresh the mind
of workers and students as it potentially
contributes to the quality of education.
Therefore, all University communities should
protect/be proud of the greening and
beautification work done. Protection and taking
care of the plants should be given higher
priority. Furthermore, the University should use
this beautiful environment as an income source
(place to shoot films and photos). Planting
different plant species should continue in
consultation with experts in the area (botanists,
environmentalists, and horticulture).

Conflict of Interests

The authors declared that there is no any
conflict of interests.

Acknowledgement



East Afr. J. Biophys. Comput. Sci. (2022), Vol. 3, No. 2, 25-39

37

The Authors’ are distinctly thankful to Hawassa
university foremost campus for permitting the
research, sharing records, understanding,
experience and treasured time without which the
look at became not possible. We are also
thankful to Mr. Dawit Bedhasa for voluntarily
sharing some photos of Hawassa University
main campus which shows the bare land
situation of the campus during its establishment.
The reviewers were tremendously stated for
their vital comments to enhance the paper.

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Appendix. List of plants, their local name, family, frequency of occurrence
No Scientific name Family Local name Habit Frequency Origin

1 Acacia abyssinica Hochst Fabaceae Baziragirar Tree 3 Indigenous

2 Acacia seyal DC. Fabaceae Tree 6 Indigenous

3 Acacia tortilis Forssk. Fabaceae Tree 1 Indigenous

4 Afrocarpus falcatus (Thunb.) C.N.Page Podocarpaceae Zigiba Tree 45 Indigenous

5 Agave Americana L. Agevaceae Tree 10 Exotic

6 Araucaria biramulata Buchh. Araucariaceae 11 Exotic

7 Azadirachta indica A.Juss. Meliaceae Neem Tree 1 Exotic

8 Balanitesa egyptiaca (L.) Delile Balanitaceae Tree 2 Indigenous

9 Bauhinia sp L Fabaceae Tree 6 Exotic

10 Borassus aethiopum Mart. Arecaceae Zembaba Tree 44 Indigenous

11 Caesalpinia pulcherrima (L.) Sw. Fabaceae Tree 6 Exotic

12 Calforniaspps Geraniaceae Tree 4 Exotic

13 Callistemon citrinus (Curtis) Skeels Myrtaceae Tree 30 Exotic

14 Casimiroa edulis La Llave Rutaceae Tree 1 Exotic



East Afr. J. Biophys. Comput. Sci. (2022), Vol. 3, No. 2, 25-39

39

15 Combretum molle R.Br. ex G.Don, Combretaceae Tree 3 Indigenous

16 Cordia africana Lam. Boraginaceae Wanza Tree 21 Indigenous

17 Croton macrostachyus Hochst. Euphorbiaceae Bisana Tree 2 Indigenous

18 Croton megalocarpus Hutch. Euphorbiaceae Kenya bisana Tree 1 Exotic

19 Cupressus lusitanica Mill. Cupressaceae Yefenjitid Tree 15 Exotic

20 Cupressus sempervirens pyramidalis Cupressaceae Italian cypress Tree 53 Exotic

21 Delonix regia (Boj.ex Hook.)Ref. Fabaceae Yedirezaf Tree 12 Exotic

22 Duranta erecta L Verbenaceae - Tree >100 Exotic

23 Ekebergia capensis Sparrm. Meliaceae Lol Tree 5 Indigenous

24 Eriobotrya japonica Loquat Rosaceae Shrub 4 Exotic

25 Ficus elastic Roxb. ex Hornem Moraceae Yegomazaf Tree 1 Exotic

26 Ficus sycomorus L Moraceae Shola Tree 5 Indigenous

27 Ficus vasta Forssk Moraceae Worka Tree 4 Indigenous

28 Grevillea robusta R.Br. Proteaceae Abeba Tree 45 Exotic

29 Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. Malvaceae Shrub 16 Exotic

30 Jacaranda mimosifolia D.Don. Bignoniaceae Yetemenjazaf Tree 70 Exotic

31 Jatropha curcas L. Euphorbiaceae Tree 5 Exotic

32 Juniperus procera Hochst ex Engl Cupressaceae Tid Tree 16 Indigenous

33 Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit Fabaceae Shrub 3 Exotic

34 Mangifera indica L. Anacardiaceae Mango Tree 5 Exotic

35 Melia azandrach L. Meliaceae Tree 14 Exotic

36 Moringa stenopetala (Baker f.) Cufod. Moringaceae Shiferaw Tree 1 Exotic

37 Musa paradisiaca L. Musaceae Banana/Muz Tree 20 Exotic

38 Nerium oleander  L. Apocynaceae - shrub 80 Exotic

39 Olea europaea ssp. cuspidata
(Wall.exG.Don) Cif.

Oleaceae Woyra Tree 15 Indigenous

40 Phoenix reclinata Jacq. Arecaceae Saticho Tree 64 Indigenous

41 Pinus patula L. Pinaceae Tree 8 Exotic

42 Plumeria alba L. Apocyanaceae Yebereha rose Shrub 3 Exotic

43 Psidium guajava L. Myrtaceae Zeyituna Tree 2 Exotic

44 Senna siamea (Lam.) Irwin et Barneby Fabaceae Tree 24 Exotic

45 Sesbania sesban (L.) merr. Fabaceae Shrub 2 Indigenous

46 Spathodea campanulata P.Beauv. Bignoniaceae Tree 19+ 24 Exotic

47 Syzygium jambos L Myrtaceae Yeferenjigoya Tree 9 Exotic

48 Terminalia brownie Fresen Combretaceae Tree 42 Indigenous

49 Thevetia peruviana (Pers.) K.Schum. Apocynaceae 14 Exotic

50 Thuja orientalis L. Cupressaceae Yefenjitid Tree 11 Exotic

51 Trilepsum madagascare Moraceae Tree 18 Indigenous

52 Vernonia amygdalinaDelile Asteraceae Grawa Tree 5 Indigenous


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	Slide Number 1
	Editorial Board members
	Table of contents
	Slide Number 4
	Slide Number 5
	Slide Number 6
	Volume 1.pdf
	1_Biodiversity conservation
	Joseph Katswera, Norah M. Mutekanga and Charles K. Twesigye*
	Fig 1: Map showing Kibale and Queen Elizabeth Conservation Areas and location of study sites.
	The study documented the threats to biodiversity in the case study national parks and wildlife reserves. Both primary and secondary threats were identified (Table 2), and their threat reduction percentages and indices calculated (Table 3). The managem...
	Demographic characteristics of the respondents
	Threats to biodiversity conservation
	Threat Reduction Assessment Index and protected areas
	Threat Reduction
	Threat Reduction Assessment Index
	Effectiveness of PA management in managing threats
	Fig. 2: Relationship between staffing and threat reduction assessment index
	Threat Reduction Assessment Index and PAs
	Threat reduction and mammal population in Kibale Conservation Area
	Threat reduction and mammal population in Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area
	Threat reduction and ecological integrity rating
	The data indicators were analysed and various scores were assigned basing on the computed TRA Index in Table 4. Each indicator of ecological integrity was assigned a color score: dark green (TRA index 81-100%) for “acceptable” ecological integrity (ve...
	Table- 5: Ecological Integrity Score Card using Data Indicators


	2_Prevalence of trypanosomiasis
	5_Climate change_Biju
	7_Public health implications
	Public health implications of bovine Cysticercosis from cattle slaughtered at Dilla municipal abattoir, Southern Ethiopia
	Fikadu Tesfaye, Jemere Bekele, Mesele Abera and Nebyou Moje*
	Hawassa University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box- 05, Hawassa, Ethiopia
	Bovine cysticercosis is a cystic stage of Taenia saginata, zoonotic parasite with its significant impact on human health. The cystic stage usually affects the muscle of cattle where humans are susceptible from the contaminated raw meat (Taylor et al.,...
	Generally cysticercosis in animals is expected to have insignificant clinical effect. Nevertheless, it is economically important as it causes carcass condemnation arising from heavy infestation with the cysticerci of T. saginata. Additionally, there i...

	9_Fish Aeromonas bacteria

	cover 1-1.pdf
	Slide Number 1
	Editorial Board members

	back cover 1.pdf
	Slide Number 1

	Slide Number 1
	Editorial Board members
	Table of contents
	Slide Number 4
	Slide Number 5
	Slide Number 6
	Volume 1.pdf
	1_Biodiversity conservation
	Joseph Katswera, Norah M. Mutekanga and Charles K. Twesigye*
	Fig 1: Map showing Kibale and Queen Elizabeth Conservation Areas and location of study sites.
	The study documented the threats to biodiversity in the case study national parks and wildlife reserves. Both primary and secondary threats were identified (Table 2), and their threat reduction percentages and indices calculated (Table 3). The managem...
	Demographic characteristics of the respondents
	Threats to biodiversity conservation
	Threat Reduction Assessment Index and protected areas
	Threat Reduction
	Threat Reduction Assessment Index
	Effectiveness of PA management in managing threats
	Fig. 2: Relationship between staffing and threat reduction assessment index
	Threat Reduction Assessment Index and PAs
	Threat reduction and mammal population in Kibale Conservation Area
	Threat reduction and mammal population in Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area
	Threat reduction and ecological integrity rating
	The data indicators were analysed and various scores were assigned basing on the computed TRA Index in Table 4. Each indicator of ecological integrity was assigned a color score: dark green (TRA index 81-100%) for “acceptable” ecological integrity (ve...
	Table- 5: Ecological Integrity Score Card using Data Indicators


	2_Prevalence of trypanosomiasis
	5_Climate change_Biju
	7_Public health implications
	Public health implications of bovine Cysticercosis from cattle slaughtered at Dilla municipal abattoir, Southern Ethiopia
	Fikadu Tesfaye, Jemere Bekele, Mesele Abera and Nebyou Moje*
	Hawassa University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box- 05, Hawassa, Ethiopia
	Bovine cysticercosis is a cystic stage of Taenia saginata, zoonotic parasite with its significant impact on human health. The cystic stage usually affects the muscle of cattle where humans are susceptible from the contaminated raw meat (Taylor et al.,...
	Generally cysticercosis in animals is expected to have insignificant clinical effect. Nevertheless, it is economically important as it causes carcass condemnation arising from heavy infestation with the cysticerci of T. saginata. Additionally, there i...

	9_Fish Aeromonas bacteria

	cover 1-1.pdf
	Slide Number 1
	Editorial Board members

	back cover 1.pdf
	Slide Number 1

	Slide Number 1
	Editorial Board members
	Table of contents
	Slide Number 4
	Slide Number 5
	Slide Number 6
	Volume 1.pdf
	1_Biodiversity conservation
	Joseph Katswera, Norah M. Mutekanga and Charles K. Twesigye*
	Fig 1: Map showing Kibale and Queen Elizabeth Conservation Areas and location of study sites.
	The study documented the threats to biodiversity in the case study national parks and wildlife reserves. Both primary and secondary threats were identified (Table 2), and their threat reduction percentages and indices calculated (Table 3). The managem...
	Demographic characteristics of the respondents
	Threats to biodiversity conservation
	Threat Reduction Assessment Index and protected areas
	Threat Reduction
	Threat Reduction Assessment Index
	Effectiveness of PA management in managing threats
	Fig. 2: Relationship between staffing and threat reduction assessment index
	Threat Reduction Assessment Index and PAs
	Threat reduction and mammal population in Kibale Conservation Area
	Threat reduction and mammal population in Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area
	Threat reduction and ecological integrity rating
	The data indicators were analysed and various scores were assigned basing on the computed TRA Index in Table 4. Each indicator of ecological integrity was assigned a color score: dark green (TRA index 81-100%) for “acceptable” ecological integrity (ve...
	Table- 5: Ecological Integrity Score Card using Data Indicators


	2_Prevalence of trypanosomiasis
	5_Climate change_Biju
	7_Public health implications
	Public health implications of bovine Cysticercosis from cattle slaughtered at Dilla municipal abattoir, Southern Ethiopia
	Fikadu Tesfaye, Jemere Bekele, Mesele Abera and Nebyou Moje*
	Hawassa University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box- 05, Hawassa, Ethiopia
	Bovine cysticercosis is a cystic stage of Taenia saginata, zoonotic parasite with its significant impact on human health. The cystic stage usually affects the muscle of cattle where humans are susceptible from the contaminated raw meat (Taylor et al.,...
	Generally cysticercosis in animals is expected to have insignificant clinical effect. Nevertheless, it is economically important as it causes carcass condemnation arising from heavy infestation with the cysticerci of T. saginata. Additionally, there i...

	9_Fish Aeromonas bacteria

	cover 1-1.pdf
	Slide Number 1
	Editorial Board members

	back cover 1.pdf
	Slide Number 1


