The Geoheritage of Northwestern Central Morocco Area: Inventory and Quantitative Assessment of Geosites for Geoconservation, Geotourism, Geopark Purpose and the Support of Sustainable Development

Mehdioui, Sakina; Hadi, Hassan El; Tahiri, Abdelfatah; Haïbi, Hind El; Tahiri, Mounia; Zoraa, Noura; Hamoud, Ahmed

doi:10.1007/s12371-022-00712-w

Cited by 16 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 92 publications

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“…As regards the valorization of the geo-itinerary, this paper intends to be the first step in this direction. Several geosites within the Variscan basement have been proposed in the past years in different countries, for instance, in Germany (Wrede and Mügge-Bartolović, 2012), Czech Republic and Poland (Alexandrowicz, 1998;Migoń and Różycka, 2021), Spain (Fuertes-Gutiérrez and Fernández-Martínez, 2012), Morocco (Mehdioui et al, 2022), and hundreds of others. A comparison between the here proposed itinerary and other geosites worldwide would be meaningless since each geosite has its own peculiarities (geological features, additional values, potentialities, facilities, etc.)…”

Section: Geosite Protection and Valorizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geological and archaeological heritage in the Mediterranean coasts: Proposal and quantitative assessment of new geosites in SW Sardinia (Italy)

et al. 2022

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The south-western Sardinian coast (Italy), in the sector between the small village of Chia (Domus de Maria) and the Piscinnì locality (Teulada), is one of the most interesting of the island, being characterized by a wide geodiversity, a complex history testified by several archaeological sites, rich ecosystems, and beautiful landscapes. This area is already famous as a seaside resort, but its rich geological heritage is totally unrecognized and the educational and touristic potential of its archaeological sites is widely undervalued. In this paper, we propose an itinerary in seven stages, each of which selected considering mainly its geology (geodiversity, scientific relevance of the geological features, and educational potential), and also the additional values as the presence of archaeological sites and/or of ecological diversity and/or touristic attractions. The aim of this work is to propose the study area as a geotrail since it represents a valuable geological (and not only) heritage to be protected, preserved, and valorized in the broadest meaning of the word. The following sites have been selected: Chia tower hill, showing interesting geological features and the Punic-Roman archaeological site of Bithia; Campana and Su Giudeu beaches with their dune system and the adjacent wetlands; Settiballas, near to the Chia-Laguna resort displaying a significant geological contact; Capo Spartivento rias and cliffs; Tuerredda beach and sand dunes; Capo Malfatano, a panoramic promontory made up of 460 million years old metamorphic rocks; and Piscinnì area, where a beautiful beach and a wide Punic/Roman sandstone quarry can be observed. In addition, the most panoramic points are overlooked by Spanish towers built during the 16th to 17th century. The study area is described from geological and archaeological points of view, after a detailed field survey, the petrographic characterization of the main rocks, and an overview of the scientific literature. The quantitative assessment of the geosite values has been also performed, revealing the high potential for scientific, educational, and touristic purposes. The main concerns related to the preservation and valorization of this geosite are also addressed. Finally, a discussion on the geosite assessment methods is proposed to contribute to the scientific literature on the geoheritage. The site-by-site description is reported at the end of the paper to be used as a field guide.

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Section: Geosite Protection and Valorizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geological and archaeological heritage in the Mediterranean coasts: Proposal and quantitative assessment of new geosites in SW Sardinia (Italy)

et al. 2022

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“…Over the past decade, there has been a notable increase in the number of studies focused on geoheritage evaluation in arid environments, particularly in the MENA (Middle East-North Africa) region. This surge is especially evident in countries such as Iran [11,[38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50], Egypt [24,[51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59] and Morocco [60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67]. The majority of these investigations involve inventories or inventory-based evaluations, which correspond to the initial stages of geoheritage conservation proposed by Brilha [9].…”

Section: (C) Geoheritage Evaluation In Arid Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Promoting diversity in geoheritage evaluation: creating an evaluation method for the scientific value of Quaternary sites in arid environments

Sayama

2024

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A.

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A rigorous assessment is an essential part of geoconservation, and choosing an appropriate evaluation method is essential for this process. Globally, an increasing number of sites are being assessed for their geoheritage values, but the most popular methods have been created by researchers with experiences centred in Europe, without considerations of regional differences. To understand whether regional perspectives are required in the evaluation process, this study developed a new method targeting the scientific value of Quaternary geoheritage sites in arid environments, using input from 49 researchers in geosciences and related disciplines with interests in arid landscapes. The results demonstrated the need for a new or modified method, given the different preferences in the weighting system and the necessity to include additional criteria specific to the type of sites targeted by the study. The strong preference to include a new criterion on connections with archaeology/anthropology highlighted the significance of the interdisciplinary scientific values of Quaternary geoheritage sites in arid environments. These findings imply the need for regional diversity or adjustments in geoheritage evaluation. Future research is required to consider such differences for geoheritage values beyond the scientific dimension, such as educational values and touristic values in diverse geographical settings. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Geodiversity for science and society'.

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“…40,98 However, many other places are less evaluated despite their richness in species and habitats such as Lagouira coasts located in the extreme South, considered as the last and best habitat for the endangered Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus on the Atlantic. 99 Equally, Bouzekraoui et al (2018), 85 Mehdioui et al (2020), 100 and wakass et al (2023) 101 recorded and characterized various geosites in Atlas chain (High, Middle and anti-Atlas), central provinces, and coastal zones of the Atlantic. These sites are accessible and contain potential opportunities for Sustainable Tourism.…”

Section: Ecotourism In Morocco and Northwest Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecotourism in Morocco: Review of the Current Situation, Natural Potential, Cultural Diversity, Obstacles and Recommendations for Future Research

2023

TJNPR

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The dominance of mass tourism in the kingdom of Morocco does not reflect the diversity of cultural and natural potentials in this country dating back 12 centuries. 7,8 This abnormal situation is enforced firstly by the complexity of universal ecotourism requirements and secondly by the Moroccan market, which has not advanced greatly on that road on the ground. 9,10 However, recently the adopted management strategies and their juridical backgrounds have given distinct consideration to a more ecological form of tourism, particularly within protected zones, and to the requirement of conserving natural landscapes, wildlife, and cultural heritage. 11,12 Moroccan nature contains both biotic and abiotic constituents which together form ordinary biodiversity on all bio-geographical echelons, from continental, regional, and local scales. 13,14 There are 11 national/natural parks in Morocco and 38 RAMSAR wetlands. These ecosystems are rich in biodiversity, climatic conditions, and geographical location. 15,16 They host attractive landscapes from coastal lines to Saharan Oasis, biodiversity combining unique plant species and their associated wildlife, and a variety of topographical structures from mountains to plains. 17,18 All these elements have a great potential to be used in sustainable tourism in parallel with mass tourism. Consequently, the outcomes from this promoting activity will help in the conservation of nature and create permanent jobs for the local population. 19,20 Currently, tourist activities have taken a slight turn from old-style forms of tourism to new more sustainable practices. 21,22 This behavior revolution might be due to the fact that converted it was influenced more by the local antiquity of history, moral values, and culture of the particular destination, which are widely present in Morocco. 23,24

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The Geoheritage of Northwestern Central Morocco Area: Inventory and Quantitative Assessment of Geosites for Geoconservation, Geotourism, Geopark Purpose and the Support of Sustainable Development

Cited by 16 publications

References 92 publications

Geological and archaeological heritage in the Mediterranean coasts: Proposal and quantitative assessment of new geosites in SW Sardinia (Italy)

Geological and archaeological heritage in the Mediterranean coasts: Proposal and quantitative assessment of new geosites in SW Sardinia (Italy)

Promoting diversity in geoheritage evaluation: creating an evaluation method for the scientific value of Quaternary sites in arid environments

Ecotourism in Morocco: Review of the Current Situation, Natural Potential, Cultural Diversity, Obstacles and Recommendations for Future Research

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