“The Nature – Culture – Historic and Technology destination”  

The Abune Yoseph Massif is one of the country’s Most Important Bird Areas. It measures 4284 masl the country’s third highest point, Abune yoseph, Zigit and Abohoy massifs are endowed with afro alpine floras and fauna. Cordial community; historic rock hewn churches of St. Lalibela; one of country’s satellite technology site, therefore it will be a place where you attentions can find various.

Geological Survey of Ethiopia (GSE) was set up in 1968 as a Department within the Ministry of Mines (MM), and became the Ethiopian Institute of Geological Surveys(EIGS) in 1984, an autonomous federal government agency accountable to MM.It was recently renamedas GSE in 2000.

The GSE has been generating , collecting and managing geoinformation of the country for the last 4 decades.

Currently the Survey manage, store and process its volumes information using digital systems to satisfy the increasing users’ demand.

VISION To facilitate the utilization of the geoscience data of Ethiopia for developing the country’s mineral resources, so as to contribute as much as possible to its economic growth.

MISSION To carry out geoscientific surveys of Ethiopia so as to produce high quality geodata in a format suitable for easy utilization by end –users, thus enabling rapid development of the mining sector.

GOAL To improve the quality and coverage of the geoscience data of the country.

The GSE is responsible for collecting of basic geoscience information from the whole country and disseminate to all stakeholders.  The GSE carries out geological mapping and investigations related to mineral resources, oil and natural gas, hydrogeology and engineering geology. It has well equipped laboratories capable of undertaking geochemical analysis of solid and liquid samples, physical property testing, and petrographic and mineralogical studies.

Plans are in-hand to enhance the capacity of the GSE  in order to ensure that they meet the highest international standards and provide an efficient and effective service to potential investors, both foreign and domestic.

Sources of information

Many of the reports and data generated by commercial and Government mineral surveys in Ethiopia can be obtained free of charge from the national Geoscience Information Centre at the GSE or direct from the Ministry of Mines and Energy. Some digital geochemical data and a comprehensive digital mineral deposits database are also available. Geophysical surveys have been flown over most of the greenstone belts. In addition, particularly in the Southern  Greenstone Belt, a substantial amount of ground geophysical data is available. Full details of these surveys can be obtained from the Geoscience Data Centre.

Organization Chart

Objective

Generally GSE Carry out geosience mapping activities to produce detail maps and reports used in various undertakings. Evaluate the economic mineral potential of the country by conducting reconnaissance, follow-up and detailed exploration; Provide an assessment of groundwater situation by preparing hydrogeological maps at 1:250,000 and larger scales; Give geotechnical information essential to designs of all types of civil works and investigate natural hazard such as, landslide, slope instabilities and volcanic activities ; Explore for geothermal resources potential of the country; Conduct geophysical surveys ; Identify, analyze and interpret data from geological samples such as mineral, rock, soil, stream sediment, and water etc.; Collect, classify, store, display, publish and disseminate user oriented geoscience data of the country including museum-piece specimens; Carry out core, water well, and geothermal deep well drilling and associated geotechnical works; Provide consultancy service in the areas of hydrogeology and engineering geology etc. to government and non-governmental organizations; and Collect and own information related to earth science studies.

Objectives

• Carry out regional geological and geochemical mapping activities to  produce detail maps and   reports for use in various undertakings;
• Evaluate the economic mineral potential of the country by conducting reconnaissance, follow-up and detailed exploration;
• Provide an assessment of groundwater situation by preparing hydrogeological maps at 1:250,000 and larger scales;
• Give geothechnical information essential to designs of all types of civil works and           investigate natural hazard such as, landslide, slope instabilities and volcanic activities;
• Explore for geothermal resources potential in the country;
• Conduct geophysical surveys;
• Identify, analyze and interpret data from   geological samples such as mineral, rock, soil, stream sediment, and water etc;
• Collect, classify, store, display, publish and disseminate user oriented earthscience information of the country including museum-piece specimens;
• Carry out core, water well, and geoghermal deep well drilling and associated geotechnical works;
• Provide consultancy service in the areas of hydrogeology and engineering geology etc. to government and non-governmental organizations;
• Collect and own information related to earth science studies;

In the basalt mountains around Lalibela, stay in local communities. See their ancient world, their churches and their way of life.

Walk through the age-old agrarian landscape of the Ethiopian Highlands following escarpments with birds of prey soaring in the thermals and Gelada baboon scrambling up and down the cliff face. Local shepherd boys keep an eye on their flocks, while their fathers plough the fields, and their sisters collect water in clay pots.

An experience you will never forget!

Please use the links on this site to find out more about these stunning sites and learn how a visit to them could be easily integrated into your holiday in Ethiopia.

See how easy it is to fit a trip to these mountains around your visit to Lalibela, perhaps stopping off en-route from Lalibela to Bahir Dar or Gondar. Let TESFA help you plan one that fits in with your preferences.

TESFA’s Mission Statement (extract)

TESFA seeks to work in partnership with local communities to enable them to generate sustainable improvements in their livelihood through the development of their own tourism related enterprises, while also contributing to the protection of their physical and cultural environments.

Ethiopian Environmental Journalists Association (EEJA) is a non-governmental, non-profit and non-partisan local organization founded by senior media professionals interested to contribute their share in areas of media, communication, and sustainable development. EEJA was established in 2006 with the support of Henrich Boll’s foundation of Germany and Panos Ethiopia. EEJA has 47 members drawn from international, private and state-owned media houses.

The cause for this crisis is essentially the inappropriate and unsustainable exploitation of life support system, which is apparent in the incredible rate of loss of bio-mass cover, soil erosion, irregularity and lack of precipitation, climatic change and creeping desertification.

Therefore, there is not only a strong need to reverse this situation, but also that the demand for some important attitudinal shifts among farmers, entrepreneurs, planners, decision makers, research and development think-thanks, and the public at large has never been more acute.

This needs a rational base for policy development in the fragile area of natural resources management, alongside the responsibility and accountability one should assume.

It is against this background of, on the one hand the horrifying environmental degradation that has rendered life support systems in the country untenable and, on the other, the emergence of new development paradigms on sustainability that LEM, the Environment & Development Society (Lem Ethiopia) is being launched. Thus, Lem the Environment & Development Society of Ethiopia is a citizen’s movement inspired with the concepts of sustainable development and established in March 1992. Since its establishment Lem Ethiopia has entered into a voluntary partnership with communities, schools, civil societies, national & international NGOs, government institutions at different levels, etc. working on environment/natural resources conservation and promotion of alternative technologies to translate the noble ideas of sustainable development and livelihood security into everyday action. It has legally registered by authorized government body & renewed its license every year.

More importantly, LEM Ethiopia enters into a voluntary development partnership with communities, to translate the lofty ideas of a stable environment, sustainable development and livelihood security into everyday action.