The present study is aimed at assessing the living conditions and the socioeconomic situation ojrnWomen Fuelwood Carriers and their interaction with the Jorest resources, and the effect on thernJorest as well, due to filelwood harvesting, as a result oj the great demand Jor energy supply. Therncumulative effect oj the illegal activity carried out by the WFCs on the reserved Jorest, as thernmajor or sole means oj their livelihood, has filrther repercussions. It contributes to increaserndepletion oj the plantations, destroys the sustainable supply oj filelwood and ultimately puts atrnstake, not only the very survival oj WFCs themselves, but also the household energy needs ojrnend-users at large. Without education or training, or other way oj supporting themselves andrntheir Jamilies, these women subsist on filelwood carrying and trading, as their primary source ojrnincome, at a considerable cost both to their own health and personal saJety, and to the soundrnmanagement oj the Jorest resources. The general objective oJ the research is to assess thernlivelihood conditions oj the women filelwood carriers in northern Addis Ababa as well as theirrnactivities within the Jorest, in order to determine ways and means to make it sustainable andrnenvironmentally Jriendly. To do so, the researcher had to employ both quantitative andrnqualitative research methods to gather the necessary data Jor conducting the study. Thesernincluded descriptive surveys using structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews andrnFGDs with inJormants by employing interview guidelines and/or checklists, observations andrndocumentary analyses to generate pertinent primary and secondary data Fom primary andrnsecondary sources, with a view to ensuring the quality oj data. To this end, a total oJ92 samplernrespondents were selected out oJ2000 target population, using systematic sampling techniques.rnThis study Jound out that the socio-demographic and economic characteristics oj the surveyedrnpopulation depict exactly the state oj poverty these WFCs are living in. They are essentiallyrnyoung adults and married migrants Jrom different parts oj the country and they are illiterate;rnhaving no significant assets to make a positive impact in their lives, although some oj them claimrnto have assets oj some sort back home. Their perception about the Jorests and its importance is,rnthereJore, limited. Living in groups in tiny housing units and filthy environment, without anyrnmeaningfiti alternative income-generating activities, these Orthodox people, by religion, take allrnrisks to gain a loft oj bread out oj the Jorests. The existing Jorests protection enJorcementrnmechanisms and policies are inefficient to keep then at bay and inadequate to ensure good Jorestrnconservation practices in the study area. This is very often due to inadequate number ojrnpersonnel to patrol the Jorest, lack oj smooth communication, lack oj clear guidelines and oj coordinationrnamong the Government local authorities responsible Jor making it happen.rnConsequently, awareness creation is needed at all levels on the importance oj a sound Jorestrnconservation system; and provision should be made oj an adequate number oJJorest securityrnguards in the study area with encouraging incentives in order to guaranty an effective Jorestrnprotection. Local authorities and relevant stakeholders should commit themselves not only tornprovide WFCs with access to schools to acquire new life skills and alternative generatingrnincome, but also with decent housing units to allow them fit in the society in dignifYing manner.rnGiven the Jact that effective management oJJorests is oj paramount importance, there is a needrnJor all parties concerned to pursue collective participatolY Jorest management initiatives in suchrna way as to saJeguard the interest oj all, the environment and, particularly oj the poor, who arernthe most reliant on the continued access to resources Jor filelwood supplies.