This study aims to investigate the potentials and limitations of involving localrncommunities in biodiversity conservation and to propose appropriate developmentrnstrategies for harnessing such potentials in the Dess'a Forest, Eastern Tigray, NorthrnEastern escarpment of Ethiopia.rnThe Dessa Forest has a high degree of species diversity and endemism that isrnthreatened by increasing human pressure. Conceptually, the research was based on thernappreciation of the existence of varying value systems of the local communities inrnrelation to the forest resources.rnThe study further examine the regeneration, and forest structure to obtain information onrnforest status and to see factors governing the ecology of the forest. Data on thernvegetation structure were collected from 59 randomly selected sample plots located at 50rnmeters altitudinal intervals, ranging from 1500 to 2850 meters above sea level.rnIn the sample plots of the study area 82 species belonging to 33 families were identified.rnRelative density, Relative frequency, Relative basal area and importance value Indexrnwere calculated for each species which showed the overall forest situation.rnThe Importance Value Index (lVI) was analyzed along altitudinal gradient of which fiverndominant species were identified. These dominant species were Olea europaea,rnJuniperus procera, Rhus nata/ensis, May tenus arbutifolia and Tarconanthusrncamphoratus. It was found that in most cases Olea europaea SU~ m qusp!dfll9 wlVl )he highestrn,rncontributor to the relative basal area of the forest area.rnThe general configuration of all species was found to have high density at lowerrnDiameter at Breast Height (Dbh) classes and low density at higher Dbh classes.rnShrub and less quality woody species were dominant in the smaller Dbh classes.rnHorizontal distribution of the species revealed that the number of species increasernwith the increase in altitude.