The purpose of the study is to document and analyze information on the use, conservation and threat ofrnmedicinal plants in Gimbi Woreda, west Wellega Zone. Data collection was accomplished throughrnactive participation of healers and knowledgeable elders who practice traditional medicine locally.rnVarious ethnobotanical techniques were used to collect the data: semi-structured interview, fieldrnobservation, group discussion, market survey, preference ranking and paired comparison, use diversityrnmatrix and priority ranking. A total of 211 plant species (168 from the wild, 52 from home gardens,rnand 9 species occurring in both the wild and home gardens) distributed in 181 genera and 96 familiesrnwere collected from the study area and identified. From these, 187 plant species were found in all 24rnquadrats (12 for wild vegetations and 12 for home gardens) while 33 were out side the quadrats.rnOf the 211 species, a total of 85 medicinal plants were reported as being used for the treatment of 68rndifferent ailments (49 for humans and 19 for livestock) in the study area. The majority of the medicinalrnplants, 62 (72.94%) were collected from the wild and 23 (27.06%) from home gardens. The major lifernforms of the medicinal plants were shrubs followed by herbs with a proportion of 40% and 27.1%,rnrespectively. The highest informant consensus was documented to the plants Plantago lanceolata andrnWarburgia ugandensis each scoring, 78%. The most frequently harvested plant parts were leaves andrnroots with a proportion of 48.2% and 28.2%, respectively, followed by stems, 8.74% and bark, 7.5%.rnMost of the remedies were prepared from single plants with highest proportion of crushing, poundingrnand mixing in water, 27.13%. The widely used method of application was found to be internal scoringrn61.94% in which oral application is the main route of administration, 85.55%. In the Woreda the trendrnof medicinal plant trade is low and the sources for the majority of the marketed medicinal plants werernfrom other Zones (Jima, Hararge) and Regional States (Benishangul, Addis Ababa and Amhara). Somerncultural believes and traditional practices associated with traditional medicines were found torncontribute much to the conservation of medicinal plants in the area.rnKey words / phrase: - Medicinal plants, local people, ethnobotany, infusion, concoction,