Drought Impacting on Souss Massa National Park
Souss Massa National Park was created in 1991 and receives visitors from all over the world.
This important reserve in terms of habitat has a distinct philosophy - allowing people to see animals and birds in their natural habitat will so enchant the spectator that the idea of killing or capturing them will be repugnant.
It is the diversity of its eco- systems that makes the park so attractive. This estuary acts as a magnet to countless birds. It is home to many sedentary birds including the kingfisher, cormorant and Eleonora's falcon - and the extremely rare Bald Ibis.
Mohammed El Bekkay, Manager of the Souss Massa National Park, Morocco says that the park is extremely rich in vegetation, animal and bird life:
"We have several different types of eco-system. The Argan forest, steps sea cliffs, wetlands, steps by the shore. So all this explains the importance of this natural site for vegetation as well as for animals and what they need to survive. More specifically we note the presence of 250 species of birds in the park, over 300 species of vegetation and twenty mammals."
Among the migrating birds are the crane, pink flamingo and spoonbill. And keen birdwatchers are quick to spot these temporary visitors.
The park is monitored by a team of strategically placed guides.
Abdullah Bouchtawi is a relatively new recruit to the park. He says the park is playing a vital role in preventing desertification of the area:
"The village people really like the park being here. Even if there isn't a lot of work, the existence of the park has stopped sand dunes moving. The struggle against desertification is helping them. When the fences were put in place to restrict the animal movements it was possible to stabilise dunes within this area and so their homes are no longer at risk. They are also keen on visiting the park and even those who haven't been yet are keen on seeing the animals."
The park has successfully re-introduced gazelle, oryx and ostrich and these can be spotted close to the paths used to cross the large area of the park.
But despite this the flora and fauna are under pressure.
As El Bekkay explains, intensive agriculture demands more land, and there are moves afoot to bring in more tourists:
"The national park of Souss Massa has a coastal strip of 65 kilometres (40 miles) and so we are under a certain number of pressures. We're in a region with a lot of agriculture so that means that certain areas are devoted to agriculture. Equally we are in a tourist area and there is demand to develop tourism that is compatible with nature. This will bring in added value and generate the opportunity for local development and so create employment for local people."
Although many of the tourists would be those specifically interested in the environment, there are fears about the impact on the animals of increasing the number of visitors - and visitor facilities.
Organisations concerned with the environment and conservation of nature are fighting against plans to build high density tourist developments.
Mohammed Ribi, Head of the High Commission for Water and Forests and the Struggle against Desertification, says that the arguments against these damaging developments need to be well balanced:
"For quite a long time we used arguments that weren't really quite good enough. What we'd say at a certain point was an argument based on species, if I can refer to it as that. We'd say you can't touch that site because there is a population of such and such a bird. That wasn't balanced. We have to reason on the global level, on the level of the eco-system. That's what we're trying to do now in Morocco. We have a law on environmental impact studies and since 2003 every project of that sort has to be subjected to an environmental impact report."
One clear way of helping the animals and their young is to ensure that they are securely kept within the confines of the park.
Although the animals are seen in their natural surroundings, keeping them safe is a full time job for the park team. Each animal is known individually and observed from time to time to ensure they are in good health.
Bouchtawi says: "I live next to the park and it's an all year-round job. Since I started working here I've learned a lot about animals within the reserve - and also birds. I know how much to feed them and exactly what to give them during times of drought. My main task is ensuring that the perimeter fence is intact."
And it's the constant threat of drought that overshadows daily life here.
El Bekkay says: "We have a problem with drought. If I look back on last year 2011 we have only had 50 millimetres of rain for the year 2011/12. In order for the eco - system to produce for people who live in the park and other regions - not only within the park - and for the flora and fauna to survive then the lack of water can constitute a limiting factor."
But the prospect of drought is not stopping the park's long term plans to help reintroduce the animals that it has within its perimeter fence to neighbouring countries.
This important reserve in terms of habitat has a distinct philosophy - allowing people to see animals and birds in their natural habitat will so enchant the spectator that the idea of killing or capturing them will be repugnant.
It is the diversity of its eco- systems that makes the park so attractive. This estuary acts as a magnet to countless birds. It is home to many sedentary birds including the kingfisher, cormorant and Eleonora's falcon - and the extremely rare Bald Ibis.
Mohammed El Bekkay, Manager of the Souss Massa National Park, Morocco says that the park is extremely rich in vegetation, animal and bird life:
"We have several different types of eco-system. The Argan forest, steps sea cliffs, wetlands, steps by the shore. So all this explains the importance of this natural site for vegetation as well as for animals and what they need to survive. More specifically we note the presence of 250 species of birds in the park, over 300 species of vegetation and twenty mammals."
Among the migrating birds are the crane, pink flamingo and spoonbill. And keen birdwatchers are quick to spot these temporary visitors.
The park is monitored by a team of strategically placed guides.
Abdullah Bouchtawi is a relatively new recruit to the park. He says the park is playing a vital role in preventing desertification of the area:
"The village people really like the park being here. Even if there isn't a lot of work, the existence of the park has stopped sand dunes moving. The struggle against desertification is helping them. When the fences were put in place to restrict the animal movements it was possible to stabilise dunes within this area and so their homes are no longer at risk. They are also keen on visiting the park and even those who haven't been yet are keen on seeing the animals."
The park has successfully re-introduced gazelle, oryx and ostrich and these can be spotted close to the paths used to cross the large area of the park.
But despite this the flora and fauna are under pressure.
As El Bekkay explains, intensive agriculture demands more land, and there are moves afoot to bring in more tourists:
"The national park of Souss Massa has a coastal strip of 65 kilometres (40 miles) and so we are under a certain number of pressures. We're in a region with a lot of agriculture so that means that certain areas are devoted to agriculture. Equally we are in a tourist area and there is demand to develop tourism that is compatible with nature. This will bring in added value and generate the opportunity for local development and so create employment for local people."
Although many of the tourists would be those specifically interested in the environment, there are fears about the impact on the animals of increasing the number of visitors - and visitor facilities.
Organisations concerned with the environment and conservation of nature are fighting against plans to build high density tourist developments.
Mohammed Ribi, Head of the High Commission for Water and Forests and the Struggle against Desertification, says that the arguments against these damaging developments need to be well balanced:
"For quite a long time we used arguments that weren't really quite good enough. What we'd say at a certain point was an argument based on species, if I can refer to it as that. We'd say you can't touch that site because there is a population of such and such a bird. That wasn't balanced. We have to reason on the global level, on the level of the eco-system. That's what we're trying to do now in Morocco. We have a law on environmental impact studies and since 2003 every project of that sort has to be subjected to an environmental impact report."
One clear way of helping the animals and their young is to ensure that they are securely kept within the confines of the park.
Although the animals are seen in their natural surroundings, keeping them safe is a full time job for the park team. Each animal is known individually and observed from time to time to ensure they are in good health.
Bouchtawi says: "I live next to the park and it's an all year-round job. Since I started working here I've learned a lot about animals within the reserve - and also birds. I know how much to feed them and exactly what to give them during times of drought. My main task is ensuring that the perimeter fence is intact."
And it's the constant threat of drought that overshadows daily life here.
El Bekkay says: "We have a problem with drought. If I look back on last year 2011 we have only had 50 millimetres of rain for the year 2011/12. In order for the eco - system to produce for people who live in the park and other regions - not only within the park - and for the flora and fauna to survive then the lack of water can constitute a limiting factor."
But the prospect of drought is not stopping the park's long term plans to help reintroduce the animals that it has within its perimeter fence to neighbouring countries.
Source:
Commentaires
Enregistrer un commentaire