A study on the population status (species composition, diversity, abundance,rndominance, importance value, structure, regeneration) and socio-economicrnimportance, mainly the roles in the livelihood of pastoral and agro-pastoralrncommunity, of gum and resin bearing woody species was carried out in Boranarndrylands, southern Ethiopia. The study was conducted at Arero and Yabello districtsrnat several study sites, which were selected on the bases of the presence of goodrnpopulations of the study species. A total of 75 sample quadrats, measuring 400 m2rneach and 300 m apart, were established in the woodland vegetation of the two districtsrnusing systematic sampling techniques. Quadrats were distributed in east west compassrndirections along established transect lines located at approximately 500 m from eachrnother. In each quadrat, vegetation data such as identity, abundance, DBH, height, andrncounting of seedlings and saplings were made. To assess the socio-economicrnimportance of the study species, 80 households were randomly selected from fourrnvillages (two from each district) surrounding the selected specific study sites. A semistructuredrnquestionnaire was used to interview the household respondents. Grouprndiscussions were held with 12 selected key informants and with local administrators.rnBased on the analyses of the vegetation data, a total of 64 woody species distributedrnin 23 families and 31 genera were encountered in the sample quadrats. A total of 15rnwoody species (14 at Arero and 11 at Yabello), belonging to the genus Commiphora,rnBoswellia and Acacia, were identified important as oleo-gum resin producing species.rnGum and resin bearing species were found to be the predominant species comprisingrn34% and 48 % of the species composition, 47.5% and 66.6% density ha-1 and 69.8%rnand 60.2% of the IV of the study sites at Arero and Yabello, respectively. ThernShannon-Wiener diversity and Shannon evenness values depicted the diverse andrneven distribution of the population of the study species. The Structural analyses of thernpopulation of the study species indicated that most of them had a more or less goodrnregeneration profile. This implies the existence of large potential for the production ofrnoleo-gum resin products at the study areas. The socio-economic survey also disclosedrnthat the Borana pastoral and agro-pastoral community has a deep attachment withrngum and resin bearing species. The role of gum and resin bearing species in thernlivelihood of the local community was very immense. As the local residentsrnmentioned, most of the study species are the primary sources of fodder, medicine,rnfood, sanitation and wood. Gum and resin collection is found to be the most importantrnmeans of income generation for thousands of households in the study areas. Abovernall, gum and resin extraction is almost non-destructive way of resource use. Hence,rncareful plan to integrate this sub-sector with other activities such as livestock is notrnonly means of income diversification, but also a sustainable way of utilization of thernnatural woodland. By doing so, it is possible to contribute to combating the expansionrnof desertification (the prevailing problem in the area), environmental degradation, andrnlose of biodiversity, while making economic use of the resources.rnKeywords: dryland, gum and resin, gum and resin bearing species, population status,rnsocio-economic importance