Plant Species Composition and Community Perception Towards Landscaping Work Executed atHawassa University-Main Campus, Ethiopia
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 educat...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Hawassa University
2022-10-01
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| Series: | East African Journal of Biophysical and Computational Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.hu.edu.et/hu-journals/index.php/eajbcs/article/view/352/256 |
| Summary: | 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 landscapes in their campuses. 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 HawassaUniversity’s main campus using questionnaires, interviews, observation, and group discussion methods. In addition, vegetation data were collected using a 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 plants species, systematic sampling along the transect line was employed. Twelve (12), 40m X40m(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 transect and quadrat was 200 mand 100m, respectively. 52 plant species with 44 genera and 29 families were recorded. The study showed that, the most dominant family wasFabaceaewith 9 species followed by Cupressaceae as well as Moraceae with 4 species each respectively. They 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 O2and takesin Co fromthe 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. |
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| ISSN: | 2789-3618 2789-360X |