1. Introduction
The environment is the only limited resource in our life and influences all human activities, surroundings, and living conditions. Deserts are the world’s most fragile ecosystems, and without a comprehensive knowledge of their physical and cultural complexities, we may cause damage that is irreversible. Because of its uniqueness and fragile nature, the desert is a region of extensive research and monitoring. The aims of such are not only to advance understanding and learn to live with the desert but also to improve the quality of the wider environment. The desert has a special place in human culture, and if we damage the desert, we risk losing valuable parts of our cultural heritage. Like all deserts, the deserts of Morocco are characterized by low and variable rainfall. High atmospheric pressure leads to air descending, which stops clouds forming and rainfall falling. At the same time, high temperatures cause water to evaporate from the land surface, and transpiration by vegetation adds moisture to the air. In the past, water held an important place in both the cultural and physical geography of the desert region. Consequently, the distribution of vegetation in Morocco is linked more to the availability of water than to temperature. This relationship means that in Morocco, there is a greater variety of vegetation in the desert than in most regions where the desert is defined purely by lack of rainfall.
1.1. Geography and Climate
At 9,200,000 square kilometers (3,600,000 sq mi) and accounting for 72% of the African continent, the Sahara is the largest hot desert and the third largest desert in the world after Antarctica and the Arctic. The geography of the desert is varied. In the west, the Sahara ranges from about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from the Atlantic to the Hoggar Mountains, which are about 2,000-3,000 feet (600-1,000 metres). The Sahara is mainly rocky hamada; ergs such as the Chech Erg and the alystone erg being rare. On the central Sahara, next to the Teneré, lies the Jebel Uweinat, a mountain massif that is the highest of the Sahara. The large and rocky Plateau Tademait with an elevation of around 600-1,000 metres and a pretty straight line of north to south. The southwest is the home of the Tassili n’Ajjer, a mountain range. The eastern part of the Sahara is a vast area of sand dunes, known as the Libyan Desert. The dunes are the protected national park of the Great Sand Sea in Egypt. There are sand dunes in Algeria, such as the Chegga dunes and the dunes in Niger. In Libya, the dunes are completely empty, in stark contrast to the west; whereas in Algeria, there is much habitation. An area of stony desert known as reg growing a few centimetres annually, the result of hundreds of thousands of years of the desert. The Sahara has one of the harshest climates in the world. The Sahara is the world’s largest low-latitude hot desert and, due to the configuration on the atmospheric circulation and the rainfall patterns, the hot desert climate is predominantly found within the belt. The climate is typically hot, sunny, dry and with a mean annual temperature above 30 degrees. A hot desert climate is not solely determined by the temperature, but by the sere/hammada present, which differentiates the hot desert climate from a hot semi-arid climate, often found under the subtropical ridge nearing the equator. Due to the unbearability of the heat during the day, hot desert areas are best known for its extreme diurnal range of temperature. During the winter nights, the temperature often plunges to well below freezing. The changes of temperature from day to night are accompanied by the movement of air, often a prevailing wind from the west, known as the sharqi moves dry and arid dust to Central and Eastern North Africa. In the upper eastern section, where the dust is moved to Europe, it is known as the Ghibli. Although the Sahara never hits the level to grade 1 on the Köppen climate classification scale, a brief upcoming period of tectonism could see a dearth onset of tropical, monsoon climates.
1.2. Cultural Significance
One of the main components of the Moroccan desert is its cultural significance. From the moment it toppled the Roman Empire in 410 AD to its present day, the cultural aspects of this region are strong. When the Romans were driven out, this led to a transformation of Moroccan culture. When Islam was introduced to this region, a new period of cultural growth began. In the 7th century, first the Arabs and then the Moors revived North African culture by bringing their own cultural influences to the region. Today, 98% of the Moroccans are Arab and Berber descendants. This Arab-Berber culture is rooted in Morocco’s storied past and can still be seen in the streets of modern Morocco as well as in its farthest deserts. The sunset of Morocco’s nomadic era was marked by the establishment of French and Spanish protectorates while the modern state was founded after the country gained independence in 1956. Today, Morocco is home to a rich mixture of cultures, characterized by the combination of ethnic influences. Although it is still disputed today, the modern Moroccan culture is very much an extension of its distant past and its deep connection with the Arabic world. Morocco’s occupation and division into French and Spanish zones from 1912 to 1956 has affected the culture in the present day. Although French is not Morocco’s official language, it is widely spoken and the language of commerce and economics. Spanish is less spoken but still prevalent and has a greater impact in the northern regions of the country. In present-day Morocco, speaking either one of these languages can be a key to entering the job market. The cultural crossroads that was found in the time of the protectorates has only further increased Morocco’s combo-culture. Today there are French and Spanish cultural institutes in Morocco, and there has been a great deal of European immigration to the country. This continues to maintain Morocco’s links to Europe, which have been present since the days of the Barbary Pirates.
1.3. Popular Desert Regions
The most popular region is the Erg Chebbi, a strikingly strange environment of great, pinkish-orange sand dunes. These dunes are reputed to be the highest in Morocco. The shifting sands are ideal for a dune trek on foot or camel, and a number of camps offer a chance to sleep out under the stars. The nearby towns of Merzouga and Khamlia are good places to get a look at the culture of the Hassani nomads, a Saharan people who have historically lived in the desert for centuries. The Ksour of Tafilalt date from the 17th century and are a reminder of the Alouite presence in this region. Rissani, with its kasbahs and mausoleums, is the birthplace of the present Alaouite dynasty. The Draa Valley is a long, narrow valley that stretches between the Atlas Mountains and the dunes of the Sahara. The Draa River is the longest in Morocco, and the valley is surprisingly well populated. The journey through the valley to the village of Zagora is considered one of the most beautiful in Morocco, and the date palms of the Draa Valley are a striking sight. Ait Benhaddou is a striking sight where the river ends at the edge of the mountains. This ksar is perhaps the most well known in Morocco and is a current candidate for UNESCO World Heritage listing. Ouarzazate, at the east of the valley, is primarily a staging point for trips through the Draa Valley but is a tourist destination in its own right and is also a noted centre for the Moroccan film industry.
2. Wildlife and Flora
2.3 – Plant life in the desert is rare but highly varied. The desert contains herbal plants and shrubs with the occasional grassy plain between sand dunes. The date palm is often associated with the desert due to it being widely grown throughout North Africa. The desert variety is the same as the date palms grown in the tropics, except that it is more hardy and about half the size. The doum palm is relatively common in the desert and reaches up to 25 meters in height. Its fruit and leaves are a source of food and shelter for many desert animals. Cacti only grow naturally in the Americas; however, they were introduced to African deserts by European explorers. They are highly successful in a desert environment due to their ability to store water and long lifespan.
2.2 – The Saharan cheetah, addax antelope, and scimitar-horned oryx are three critically endangered species that are likely to become extinct in the wild in the near future. Desertification and hunting are the two main factors pushing these animals towards extinction. The loss of habitat due to the encroachment of the desert and hunting from nomadic people with automatic weapons on vehicles has proved a deadly combination for the cheetah. Steps have been made to try and save these animals by the creation of protected areas and captive breeding programs.
2.1 – Animals have developed a variety of physical and behavioral adaptations to help them survive in the harsh environment of the desert. Camouflage is a very common trait found in desert animals. The Saharan cheetah, which is near extinction, has a pale coat which helps it blend in with the color of the desert. This is vital for its success as a predator, as its prey won’t see it until it’s too late. The camel has unique high-set eyes and three sets of eyelids to help prevent sand from getting in and blinding them. Their ears are also lined with protective hair to keep out sand. Animals such as the fennec fox and addax antelope are able to survive with little to no water. The fox gets most of its water from the food it eats and has very concentrated urine to conserve body water.
2.1. Desert Adaptations
The common chameleon and fringe-toed lizard are two of the most common reptile species in the Erg Chebbi, and are widely distributed throughout the Sahara. They feed on insects, which are abundant following winter rains, and seek shade under rocks when the temperature becomes too high. The chameleon can also be seen climbing into low vegetation; a rare behavior for chameleons. Spiny Tailed Lizards are well adapted to the desert environment and can often be seen digging their burrows in the sand. The Namaqua Dove is a small pigeon that has become well adapted to life in the desert. It can be seen in flocks around waterholes and is a common sight in the vicinity of the auberge. Both the dove and the Pallid Swift are partially migratory species and may be absent from Morocco during the hottest part of the year. The swifts are capable of staying in flight for over a year and will often return to the same nest site each year. Klopper’s dune wasp is an insect only recently discovered by scientists. It burrows into sand dunes and is active during the hottest parts of the day. There are several species and sub-species of gerbil in the Sahara, the Balochistan gerbil being common around Erg Chebbi. The fat sand rat is a keystone species in the desert environment and can be found throughout the Sahara. It has unique adaptations for desert life and is able to rehydrate by subcutaneous absorption of water from special sacs in the kidneys. Only 10% of the rat population is capable of this and those that are then excrete highly concentrated dry urine to avoid water loss. Finally, the 32 species of scorpions found in Morocco make up approximately 10% of the Moroccan arachnid population.
2.2. Endangered Species
If successful, these projects may reverse the decline of threatened species in Morocco. The addax, for example, is already extinct in the wild in some North African countries. Real success in conservation and an improvement in the status of wildlife, which is the reality in Morocco today, are understandably objectives of the highest priority for international and national organisations alike.
Wildlife is under increasing pressure. The push towards a developed Morocco is clear. It is also most likely that new reserves of minerals and other natural resources are sited in areas of rich biodiversity. The current political climate, with preparations for possible war, means increased strain on productive wildlife habitats, and a potential rise in hunting of now protected species. Also, wildlife is often overlooked when allocating water resources. The arid zones, home to many of Morocco’s wildlife species, are most likely to suffer a reduction in water supplies while the September-May period, known as the ‘wet season’, occasionally results in flooding of river valleys, vital habitats for many species. This increased pressure on wildlife and wildlife habitats makes Souss-Massa and similar projects around Morocco all the more important.
Morocco is home to many endangered species of animals like the addax, oryx, and houbara bustard. A notable area of wildlife conservation is the Souss-Massa National Park. Here, work is being undertaken not only to study these species in the wild, but to breed them in captivity, principally with a view to re-introducing them to the wild. Souss-Massa is Morocco’s first experience in environmental education with plans for an ‘interpretation centre’ in the pipeline. Awareness and education are seen as key to future success in wildlife conservation.
2.3. Unique Plant Life
Many desert plants have developed ways of reducing water loss. The wild olive or mock privet has small leaves and a dense, compact shape. This helps to reduce the amount of water lost through transpiration as there is less surface area for it to evaporate from. The small leaves are covered in a thick cuticle to further prevent water loss.
The Thyme-leaved spurge is an example of a plant with an interesting way of protecting its precious water supply. Its leaves are covered in fine hairs which reflect the sun’s rays and help to keep the plant cool. It also has a yellow latex which oozes from the stem when it is pricked; this stops the plant from losing moisture and protects it against insects.
The desert of Morocco is a great place to see some of the most interesting plants in the world. Succulent plants, such as the cacti, have fleshy stems and leaves that enable them to store water. This is very important in a desert environment as water is very scarce and unpredictable. Other interesting succulents are the rock plants on the mountain slopes.
3. Desert Activities
3.2 Sand-boarding Though not as common as in snow or on water, sand-boarding is a sport that is gaining popularity and has potential to become an Olympic sport. For those that have tried both, many consider sand-boarding to be easier to learn than snowboarding and much less painful. On a snowboard, you have a metal edge which can catch in the snow causing a minor or serious accident, and there is no such danger sand-boarding. The initial sharpness of a snowboard and the fact that the board is attached to your feet may make the first fall on snow less painful, however, the same sharpness means there is more likelihood of injury from the snowboard and also extended time on hard snow for beginners can lead to a painful behind. A sand-board has a plastic base and is much less dangerous for this, and on sand you can effectively learn or practice turning and stopping the board without fear of hurting yourself. Sand-boarding can be done standing up or lying down and can be a fun, liberating experience and a good way to fully appreciate the vast beauty of the sand dunes.
3.1 Camel Trekking Trekking through the sand dunes on a camel is an experience that is genuinely Moroccan. There are plenty of different locations in Morocco where you can find camels and guides, and going on a camel trek is still one of the most authentic Moroccan experiences around. You can trek anywhere from a day to a week and go as deep into the Moroccan desert or as close to a city as you wish. A camel trek can be combined with various other activities such as camping or a visit to a local village and can also be a means of transport to an alternative destination, such as a music festival or an event.
June 8, 2012 at 7:25 am. Desert activities can be a refreshing and fun experience, and many of these activities are not available in other environments. Doing something different and fun can bring a bit of energy to your journey and is a great way to enjoy the desert for what it is. That being said, there are plenty of fun desert activities to do in Morocco, and whether it be a camel trek, a quad bike ride or sand-boarding down a sand dune, the desert is a perfect place for fun and relaxation.
3.1. Camel Trekking
Tours normally involve more than one animal, so there are spares for riding and carrying equipment. A member of the nomadic Berber tribes, for whom the Sahara has always been home, will accompany the group. Berbers have extensive knowledge of the desert, often speaking some English, French, or German, and sometimes even a little Japanese! They are hospitable and very agreeable traveling companions. They will do most of the cooking and take care of the camp while travelers are free to explore or simply sit and reflect. A diet based mainly around dried and fresh fruit, vegetables, and dates for sugar is surprisingly varied and always seems to be very well prepared. Tagine, a delicious Moroccan staple, is slow-cooked in an underground oven for several hours, often tasting far better than its appearance would lead you to believe!
In the dunes of the Moroccan desert, a camel trek is one of the most memorable and often recounted experiences. From the bustling souks to the quiet, surreal vastness of the Sahara, camels are the primary mode of transportation in the desert. The camel trek is not so much about getting from one place to another as it is the experience of the journey. The camel, known as “ships of the desert,” is ideally suited to its environment. It is incredibly sure-footed and can move easily up, down, and across sand dunes. Camels are gentle, friendly animals, and the relationships travelers form with the animals during the trek are often the most memorable part of the experience.
3.2. Sandboarding
The more experienced thrill-seekers among you may prefer to test your boarding skills on the ‘big dunes’ at Chegaga, near M’hamid. This is a much wilder and more remote area of desert which requires a 4WD to get there and the dunes here are known to reach heights of 100m. This is also a great location to try sand-skiing or even using a snowboard. If you take a trip to these dunes we can arrange for a specialist guided excursion and an overnight stay at a desert camp where your guide and his camel will sort out the catering and accommodation. This is a great way to experience the desert environment and to get away from the tourist areas for a while.
Beginners will love to try sandboarding in the village of Merzouga on the Erg Chebbi sand dunes. This is because the dunes are low-lying so they are easy to climb up and the slopes are gentle, making it perfect for first timers. In addition to this, it is a lot less daunting (and a lot more forgiving) to take a tumble on the sand than on snow. However, for those of you who are snowboarding enthusiasts, don’t let this put you off – any board will glide down the sand dunes, regardless of whether it is a professional one or an old tea tray! Boards can be rented locally and you have the option to go it alone or hire the services of a local guide. This is a fun way to spend an hour or two, better still, climb to the top of a dune near to the village at sunset, the light is fantastic and the photo opportunities are immense.
3.3. Desert Camping
To contribute to the timelessness and complete escapism that one is looking for when traveling to the desert, desert camping is a necessity. After trekking through the semi-deserted landscape, you will make your camp, surrounded by the stillness of the desert sands. The setting is full of romance and the peace and quiet that is all too elusive in everyday life. Spending a night under the stars in the desert can be an extraordinary experience. The endless vistas and the unbroken horizons give a feeling of the infinite, and the glittering night sky can leave a lasting impression of the smallness of one’s place in the universe. Many camping spots are so isolated and such a distance from any light pollution that the stars are quite breathtaking. With notable constellations, such as the Big Dipper and Orion, clearly visible along with the steady glow of the Milky Way, it can be a stargazer’s paradise. At Merzouga, the great dunes of Erg Chebbi are said to have some of the best starry nights in the world and as such has become a popular spot for luxury desert camping. The camps can range from a selection of Berber tents with home comforts and a restaurant, to a roll mat under the stars, with the wide open space as your own camping ground.
3.4. Stargazing
Descriptions of the night in the desert are not greatly exaggerated. With no light pollution and pollution unlike anything you have ever seen, it is not surprising that this is one of the greatest spots in the world for stargazing. We would highly recommend it. During the summer months, when most adventure trips take place, the sky at night is cool and clear with the bright stars easily visible. The winter months, which can be cool during the day and very cold at night, offer incredibly bright stars, often with freezing temperatures. People join our trips in High Atlas, Jebel Sahro, and the great Western Sahara. Each destination is as good as the next in terms of clear desert skies, with weather being the main factor on which we base our destination choice. Guided only by the Milky Way and the faint light of the North Star, overnight camps will take you far from the camp lights and into the emptiness of the desert. Whether you are camped outside a mud village, with a hoard of local children who will laugh and stare at the strange foreigners, or in the isolated tranquility of the dunes, the atmosphere will no doubt be etched into your memory for a very long time. Our Tuareg and Berber friends often tell us stories of the stars and the heavens, and many of these fables have been passed down through oral history for countless generations. This oral folklore is an integral part of traditional Berber life and is often themed around life in the desert. Many stories are allegorical, featuring animals, great battles, and mythical figures. If you are lucky, your guide will be able to translate some of these stories to you as you lie out underneath the starry expanse. This in itself adds another dimension to the whole stargazing experience, and you will gain a greater insight into the culture of the people who have lived in the area for so long.
4. Local Nomadic Tribes
The ancient and indigenous tribes of Morocco like the Berbers, Riffians, and the Tuareg are living examples of the staunchly traditional ways of the tribes that were pushed to the fringes of the developed world. The tribes of Morocco are called the Amazighs – meaning the noble ones. Living in the mountains, valleys, and the desert, most of the tribes of Morocco still pursue a pastoral way of life, although some have now become semi-nomadic or have given up their nomadic lifestyle altogether. When one considers that it was only the 1920s that the French under Marshal Lyautey put a stop to tribal warfare in Morocco, it’s hardly surprising that the various tribes have remained so independent. The Berbers are the most well known of the tribes and it is they who inhabit the Atlas region as well as the desert fringes. The Tuareg inhabit a large portion of the desert itself. In the mountains and the valleys there are some tribes who are virtually unknown to the outside world such as the Ait Atta who inhabit the region around the breathtakingly beautiful Todra Gorge. Tribes such as these are often the most welcoming to outsiders be they foreign tourists or Moroccans from the larger cities and there is much to be learned and enjoyed from the hospitality and the traditional Moroccan way of life offered by the tribespeople.
4.1. History and Lifestyle
Throughout history, the Moroccan Berbers have been fiercely independent people who have resisted their colonization through time. “Berber” is derived from Greek and Roman terms that literally mean “barbarian” and were used to describe all non-Greek or non-Roman-speaking people. However, today the term is considered both derogatory and inaccurate since their language and culture pre-date the invasion of the Phoenicians (Kelley, 2007). Despite the imposed negative connotation of the names, the Berbers believe that Morocco is known by Moroccans as Amazigh, which stands for free people, is a land of its own essence and culture. They argue that Amazigh identity is rooted in land and its culture, and known to be a unique identity differing from the Arabs in language and customs. Large clans of Berber tribes resided in Morocco’s countryside with some choosing a reclusive, nomadic lifestyle while others established small towns and villages. With the encroachment of city and town growth into rural areas, many families among these people have left their previous way of life to seek western education, lifestyles, and jobs in the new economy. As tribes continue to adapt to varied 21st-century lifestyles, many have already lost their native customs and traditions as a result of Algerian and Moroccan independence revolutions and the radical changes in contrast to traditional ways of life due to globalizing technological advancements. The oldest cities in Morocco have developed from nomadic tribes of Phoenicians and Carthaginians who set up colonies in areas they deemed prosperous and safe. Sites considered to be old Roman ruins remain partially refurbished as tourist attractions throughout cities such as Tétouan, Tangier, and Volubilis. What is noticeably distinct in contrast to city development is the unchanged rural way of life in these same regions today where native Amazigh tribes subsist. Whether practicing agriculture and herding, Berber lifestyle has remained as it once had, preserving the original customs of their original Amazigh identity that are now lost in the cities and urban areas.
4.2. Traditional Crafts and Arts
Basketry in days past was the main source of creating utensils and storage containers. The main material was and still is today, reeds and grasses predominantly from the date palm. The dates are obtained after the date harvest, then dried until use. Many different styles of baskets and the still-made large clay reinforced straw containers are made today. Your average farmer or peasant, being less fortunate, often makes them for his own utilization. This art has been confined to the poor, and with the ample supply of cheap plastic wares from nearby factories, basketry is a dying art today.
Weaving is done by both men and women on hand-looms. Rural weaving is of wool, while in the cities, cotton has become the material of choice. There are styles and designs peculiar to each tribe in Morocco, making identification of origin by style, design, and colors an easy thing to do. To those unfamiliar with the different weaves, it can look like the same rug, yet to the Moroccan, the differences are obvious. Flat-weaves are used for carpets and blankets, while pile-weaves are used for tent and house upholstery. It is said that no two Berber rugs are ever alike. This is explained by the absence of any recognizable designs or symbols in the rugs, all done from memory and the weaver’s personal interpretation upon completion of the work.
Because of the traditional rural lifestyles of the Berber and Arab people, many crafts mentioned throughout this part of history are still practiced in Morocco. Some are for everyday use or for sale in the weekly souqs, while others are made for the home and are true utilitarian art. A great deal of these arts and crafts have been integrated into the urban areas and have become part of Moroccan culture.
4.3. Nomadic Festivals
The nomadic tribes experience proper festivals only a few times through the year, because festivals often involve spending vast amounts of wealth, particularly in the form of animal slaughter (a feast-giving festival). One of the most important of these is the Imilchil Marriage Festival, held in September. This is a great tribal gathering which is open to outsiders. It involves a huge souk, and the usual meeting, arranging marriages, and festivities. The festival gained national fame in 1973 when it was reported that young lovers, not allowed to marry outside of their own tribe, fled the festival and were subsequently given asylum in France. This affair has become a symbol of young Berbers’ desires to free themselves from tradition and marry who they want. This is one of the only festivals where Ait Atta and Ait Yafelman of the High Atlas come together. Tonight’s are held in dark caves between the two tribes to plan a marriage, thus soccer-like matches are held between the two tribes. The music festivals of the Sahara are most famous for the Tuareg, but all nomads may come. During the 2000s there have been proposed peace festivals, that are generally supported by all factions in a conflict, where fighting ceases for the duration of the festival. This was attempted in 2003 in the Moulouya, but it was disturbed due to ongoing tensions between Algeria and Morocco over the Western Sahara, and it was eventually conceded that it was too risky for Algerian Tuareg to attend.
5. Conservation Efforts
These areas are now facing a decreasing human population with rural migration to the cities. Villages are being abandoned and land left unmanaged. This can lead to further unnatural loss of vegetation as land becomes degraded and often a move to mechanized resource exploitation. This results in the loss of habitat for numerous plant and wildlife species and depletion of resources. Finally, the huge increase in the national and international demand for mineral and energy resources in this part of Morocco presents a serious future threat to the desert. Given the strategic significance of the Moroccan Sahara as a bulwark against illegal migration and terrorism from the adjoining Sahara-Sahel region, it is essential that the government and key stakeholders take action to mitigate these negative effects.
The environment and culture of the Moroccan Sahara are at risk. The pace of desertification is high and the area is vulnerable to climatic change. Rain-fed farming practices are depleting limited water resources. Inappropriate land use by domestic livestock is producing environmental damage. Overexploitation of natural resources such as fossils and minerals has had a detrimental effect. In places, reforestation using non-native species has rendered formerly silvo-pastoral landscapes devoid of value to local people and implausible. The desert was declared a “Green Dam” project to prevent bordering the Sahara. The project aims to protect fertile land in the pre-Saharan zone by stabilizing the desertward edge of the Sahara against a 2.5-degree southward shift over the next 70 years expected to result from climatic change.
5.1. Environmental Challenges
There are many challenges facing the Moroccan environment in the desert zone. High on the list is the diminishing quality and quantity of water. In the oases, the traditional khettara system of water management, which has successfully enabled large populations to survive in this harsh climate, is becoming obsolete. This is due to a number of factors including infrastructural development and government policy, which have ignored or undervalued a system that has worked well for over a millennium. Accordingly, many modern wells are being overused and in some cases have run dry, depleting the fossil reservoirs of water. Artificial irrigation methods have also had a detrimental impact; in cases where the natural water table is close to the surface, water salinity has increased making it unsafe for drinking and damaging fragile habitats. A second major problem relates directly to human impact, particularly overgrazing and deforestation. The nomadic and transhumant people whose livelihoods have depended on these activities found a sustainable balance for many centuries. However, due to a dramatic increase in the population and greater use of wood and land for agriculture, there is now enough evidence to suggest that systems are being over-exploited. In many areas soil erosion and desertification now pose a serious threat to local environments and the livelihoods of those dependent on them.
5.2. Sustainable Tourism Practices
Sustainable tourism is in its infancy in Morocco, and the concept and the means of implementation are not yet well understood. Nevertheless, the present situation in the desert offers the opportunity to plan for the future rather than simply react to unplanned growth in tourism. With active involvement and cooperation of various sectoral interests, it should be possible to develop a desert tourism industry that avoids many of the mistakes of the past in other parts of the country. The concept of sustainable tourism is broad-based and encompasses a number of issues. For this report, the focus will be on environmental sustainability, although the links with socio-economic development are recognized.
Recent recognition of the desert’s tourism potential, especially on the part of the Moroccan government, has caused serious concern. Past experience has shown that conventional mass tourism in other parts of the country has brought problems of environmental degradation and undesirable social and cultural changes. These problems may be even more acute in the fragile desert environment. In order to avoid the mistakes of the past, it is important to plan carefully for the future development of desert tourism. Sustainable tourism can generate a net benefit in terms of economic and social development while also minimizing damage to the environment.
5.3. Preservation Projects
This cultural aspect adds a new dimension to the projects as they have proven to be a more effective way of getting local communities involved in conservation. Community participation is essential to the success and sustainability of preservation projects. It encourages people to take an active interest in the future of their environment and it equips them with the skills and knowledge that will enable them to carry on their work for generations to come. This has been portrayed best in the work of Green Cross and Green Crescent. These two organisations are training volunteers in erosion control techniques, suitable for their own regions and setting up a system of monitoring and maintenance of the sites. The most successful and large-scale projects in Morocco are often those with foreign collaboration. The most recent collaboration between scientists at the universities of Portsmouth and Casablanca, commissioned by M.A.R.E., has developed an inexpensive yet effective method of propagating biological sand dunes. This approach aims at imitating natural processes by using native plant species to stabilize the dunes and cause accretion. The scientists have experimented by creating embankments and planting tamarisk cuttings at the base. These have been successful in slowing the movement of dunes. In the future, they hope this will lead to dune stabilization and the reclamation of abandoned land.
Over recent years, there have been several efforts made to assist in the healing of destruction caused by erosion and human exploitation. Unfortunately, not all attempts have been successful, but various projects are proving to be a success and the hope is they will be expanded and utilised across the entire Sahara. The houze is a traditional form of water storage. It is an underground cistern which collects and stores water for household use in the arid regions of Morocco. They have been a reliable source of water for people and animals in the Sahara for over 1000 years. Conservation of the houze is a project recently implemented through UNESCO and many of the houze in the region of Mezouga have been restored. Communities who promote these types of projects use their cultural and historical significance to the land such as the Ksour and pre-Saharan oases.