Ecological investigation was conducted on the afroalpine vegetation of the Guna Massif,rnSouth Gondar, Ethiopia, to characterize vegetation communities and type and extent ofrnutilization of the area by the farming societies at lower slopesrnThe vegetation of the afroalpine area of Guna Mountain was studied for describing thernmajor plant communities and relationships between vegetation and topographic, climaticrnand edaphic factors. Vegetation composition was studied from quadrats (10 x 10 m)rnwhile quadrat size 1 m x 1 m was used for herbaceous vegetation along an altitudinalrngradient extending from 3481 m up to 4041 m. From each quadrat, species presencernand absence, percent cover abundance and frequency of 56 plant species from a totalrnof 45 quadrats were recorded. Soil samples were collected from each quadrat and werernanalyzed for texture, pH, conductivity and soil moisture. Association analysis wasrnperformed on the vegetation data using the program SYNTAX to identify the communityrntypes. Pearson Correlation Coefficient was applied to identify four species groups. Sixrnmajor plant communities, namely: Hypericum-Carex-Satureja community, EricaHypericum-rnDipsacus scrub community, Festuca-Erica complex community, FestucaOestospermumrnmeadow community type, Festuca-Lobelia-Thymus community type andrnLobepa-Festuca-Helichlysum heather community type was described. Vegetation coverrnand species diversity decreased with an increase in altitude, Soil moisture content alsorndecreased with altitude. The sites occupied by the major plant communities differedrnsignificantly in their soil texture and soil moisture content Socio-economic data were obtained through questionnaire, on site observation as wellrnas using 1984 and 1994 population census results. Twenty informants were selected inrneach "Kebele" for the study using systematic random sampling. Chi-Square test andrncorrelation analysis were used to relate mode of utilization of the natural resourcesrn(grazing, thatching and firewood) by the peasant associations adjoining Guna Massif.rnGrazing was the most important mode of utilization followed by thatching and firewood.rnMost respondents (60-70%) considered the Guna area as a very important source forrnthatching grass, while seven out of eight peasant associations depended on the Gunarnarea as a source of fuel-wood.rnThe biomass production showed significant seasonal variations fo !lowing rainfall. Peak biomassrnwas obtained during the wet periods, June-October. It ranged from 85.1 g n12 to 224.9 g m-2 forrnmixed stands (AlldrojJogoll ([mcthystilllls + Festllc([ richardil) and 96.1 g 111-rn2 for F. riclwrdiirnpure stand. There was relatively little growth in the dry period (October-Janumy). The annualrnbiomass production ranged from 112 g mÂ·2 to 82 g mÂ·2 for F. ric/wrciii and mixed stands,rnrespectively. The biomass production of F. richardii stand was significantly lower than thernmixed stand species.