1783 Belayneh Kelemu 1 , Beyene Belay 2 , Bilisuma Hailu 3 , Fekadu Debebe 4 * 1 Lecturer Department of Natural Resources Management, College of Agriculture and Natural Resource, Jinka University, Jinka, Ethiopia 2 PhD Scholar, 3 Lecturer Department of Natural Resource Management, College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia 4 Lecturer Department of Natural Resource Management, College of Agriculture, Food and Climate Science, Injibara University, Injibara, Ethiopia Email: fekadudebebe21@gmail.com *Corresponding author Environment and Ecology 42 (4A) : 1783—1789, October—December 2024 Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.60151/envec/DNQO1015 ISSN 0970-0420 Assessing Woody Species Diversity in Dembecha District, Northwestern Ethiopia: Agroecological and Landholding Perspectives Belayneh Kelemu, Beyene Belay, Bilisuma Hailu, Fekadu Debebe Received 11 March 2024, Accepted 20 October 2024, Published on 29 November 2024 ABSTRACT The cultivation of perennial woody species in Ethi- opia’s agricultural landscape is recognized for its contributions to biodiversity conservation and soil fertility. This research aimed to assess the diversity of woody species in the agricultural landscape of Dembecha district, located in northwestern Ethiopia. Three kebeles, representing distinct agroecologies (highland, midland, and lowland), were selected for the study. A total of 30 households, with 10 randomly chosen from each agroecology, participated in the inventory of woody species. The height of the woody species was gauged using a clinometer, and the diam- eter at breast height (DBH) of species with a diameter exceeding 5cm was measured using a diameter tape. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21 was employed to compare means across the study kebeles and different landholding sizes. The inventory results revealed the presence of 45 woody species in the study area, with 25 species recorded in both the highland and midland areas, and 18 in the lowland areas. The assessment of species diversity, using the Shannon diversity index, showed significant varia- tion across agroecologies, ranging from 1.1 in the lowland to 2.00 in the midland (p<0.05). Similarly, species diversity varied significantly among different landholding sizes, particularly between small land- holding size (0.5-1.5ha) and medium (1.51-2.5ha) and large landholding size (>2.51ha) (p<0.05). The Shannon diversity index ranged from 1.2 for small landholding size to 1.72 for large landholding size. Notably, Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Croton mac- rostachyus emerged as the most abundant species recorded in the study. Keywords Agroecology, Richness, Household, Landholding Size. INTRODUCTION Agriculture serves as the backbone of Ethiopia’s economy and is a primary occupation for the Ethiopian population (Yigezu 2021, NBE 2018). The combination of rapid population growth and a longstanding history of sedentary agriculture has