The sedentarisation of pastoralists and its impacts on the sustainability of forest ecosystems in the Central Middle Atlas (case of Ifrane province, Morocco)

Authors

  • Imane HAMZAOUI Ibn Tofail University, Faculty of Science, Laboratory of Biodiversity and Natural Resources, Kenitra, 14000, Morocco.
  • Najib GMIRA Ibn Tofail University, Faculty of Science, Laboratory of Biodiversity and Natural Resources, Kenitra, 14000, Morocco.
  • Mohammed QARRO Ibn Tofail University, Faculty of Science, Laboratory of Biodiversity and Natural Resources, Kenitra, 14000, Morocco.

Keywords:

Sedentarisation, High–altitude rangelands, Middle Atlas, Semi– structured interviews, Sustainability, Forest resources

Abstract

Since the last decades, transhumance movements in the province of Ifrane are reduced in favor of a general progress of
sedentarisation on high altitude rangelands. This permanent installation induces overexploitation of high– altitude rangelands and forests essentially composed of green oak and the Atlas cedar trees. The aim of this paper is first to quantify the evolution of sedentarisation on high– altitude rangelands through the evolution of construction’ numbers, then to highlight the main factors inducing this phenomenon and finally to show the impacts of this progression on forest resources. The methodology adopted is based on data collected through semi– structured interviews; with groups of resource persons from all ethnic communities of the province. The results show an evolution of the sedentarisation of 24 new constructions per year between 2005 and 2015. This evolution took place under the effect of internal factors (demographic growth, cultivation of the low altitude rangelands, etc.) and external factors (installation of Adarouch Ranch and disengagement of the State from its enforcement role). Sedentarization is a threat to the sustainability of forest resources through the continuous exploitation in time and space of these resources, the abandonment of the practice of Agdal on the lawns and the generalization of delimbing and topping of forest trees in times of scarcity (autumn– winter).

Vol_12_Issue_1_January_2020

Published

12/19/2022

How to Cite

HAMZAOUI, I., GMIRA, N., & QARRO, M. (2022). The sedentarisation of pastoralists and its impacts on the sustainability of forest ecosystems in the Central Middle Atlas (case of Ifrane province, Morocco). Revue Nature Et Technologie, 12(01), 38–46. Retrieved from https://journals.univ-chlef.dz/index.php/natec/article/view/93

Issue

Section

Environmental Sciences