ABSTRACT This research deals with the environmental history of Lake Hayq area. This area is located in the South Wallo Zone of the Amhara National Regional State. Throughout its contemporary history, the lake and its environs has been suffering from environmental problems like deforestation, soil erosion, water reduction, siltation and pollution. Such problems were rooted in the previous centuries. These include natural, political, social and cultural factors. It was mainly since the late medieval period that such factors were more explicit. Such requisites encompassed from the decline of people's environmental tradition, to the impact of the traditional land tenure, population pressure and other developments after the 1930s. Jn the modern time, the land cover of the area dramatically decreased mainly due to human influence. In t1ze last decades, land cover types in the area like woodlands, bush lands and grasslands were highly influenced by expansion of towns, agricultural and settlement areas. Between 1957 and 2010, woodlands, bush lands and grasslands were decreased in 91.7, 9.6 and 59.6 %, respectively. Jn the opposite, agricultural and settlement areas increased by 15.1 % and town increased in 59 %. Such clearance of land cover in the expense of land uses in the area was responsible for environmental problems faced the basin today. Contemporary rehabilitation attempts in response to such environmental impacts did not counter balance the problems erupted. Key words: Environmental history, Lake Hayq area, Land cover/use, Siltation.