The efforts for cork oak forest management and their effects on soil conservation

Abstract

The Shoul oak grove is a forested ecosystem inherited from a Holocene phase of ecological optimum; its evolution, through the double geologic and human temporality, and in relation with several processes of degradation, led to the progressive loss of its environmental equilibrium and further to the reduction of its economic contributions. The fragility of these forests is the consequence of the convergence of two main factors, i) the intrinsic fragility of the forested environment based on an unstable balance between the tree, the leached soils and their moisture content ; ii) the anthropological action on the forest environment and its degradation with the change of its floristic composition.During the colonization the new context was at the origin of the new social and economic relation between the forest and the surrounding populations. The current use of this oak grove is in a classic scheme of the reports society / forest in Morocco. The population is especially of pastoral main activity in the bordering communes.But the oak groves of Mamora-Shoul are integrated into the area of influence of several cities, what exposes the forest to the risks of uncontrolled urbanization. These oak groves are thus in the centre of interest of several stakeholders with opposite behaviour and a new paradigm of relation rural/urban.Through a double approach, environmental and socio-economic, this paper will try to bring elements of answer by analyzing the interactions between a forest which reached an alarming threshold of degradation and a society affected by important changes in its modes of intervention and exploitation.Key words: Morocco, Atlantic Meseta, Shoul plateau, Forest management, water and soil conservation, assisted regeneration of cork oak. ResumenLos esfuerzos para dirección de bosque de alcornoque y sus efectos sobre conservación de suelo, la meseta Shoul, región de Rabat, Marruecos La arboleda de roble Shoul es un ecosistema arbolado heredado de una fase de Holocene de grado óptimo ecológico; su evolución, por la doble temporalidad geológica y humana, y en relación con varios procesos de degradación, conducida a la pérdida progresiva de su equilibrio ambiental y con relación a la reducción de sus contribuciones económicas. La fragilidad de estos bosques es la consecuencia de la convergencia de dos factores principales, i) la fragilidad intrínseca del ambiente arbolado basado en un equilibrio(saldo) inestable entre el árbol, los suelos leached y su contenido de humedad; ii) la acción antropológica sobre el ambiente forestal y su degradación con el cambio de su composición floristic.Durante la colonización el nuevo contexto estaba en el origen de la nueva relación social y económica entre el bosque y las poblaciones circundantes. El empleo corriente de esta arboleda de roble está en un esquema clásico de la sociedad de informes/el bosque en Marruecos. La población es sobre todo de actividad pastoral principal en las comunas de lindar.Pero las arboledas de roble de Mamora-Shoul son integradas en el área...

The potential of Eucalyptus plantations to restore degraded soils in semi-arid Morocco (NW Africa)

“…All these activities have created areas of open degraded land (Oubrahim et al 2016). In addition to woodland degradation, the surface area of native forests has diminished because of conversion to croplands that are dedicated to local food supply (Laouina et al 2010). To cope with this situation, the Moroccan State initiated several plans aiming at restoring forest ecosystems, or just soil fertility (Laouina et al 2010;Oubrahim 2015).…”

Carbon storage in degraded cork oak (Quercus suber) forests on flat lowlands in Morocco

“…These rural pressures, combined with more frequently occurring water stress in drought periods and insect attacks (El-Badri & Abadie 2000, Lumaret et al 2005, Ghaioule et al 2007) have led to a degradation of the cork oak ecosystem. In addition to rural pressures, the cork oak forest of Mamora is influenced by several surrounding cities, thereby exposing the forest to leisure activities as well as uncontrolled urbanization (Laouina et al 2010). As a result of all these factors of forest degradation and regression, the specific composition of the forest is disturbed, recruitment of new saplings has become almost impossible (Benabid 2000), and its surface area has greatly decreased over the last century (Aafi 2007).…”

Challenging conservation agriculture on marginal slopes in Sehoul, Morocco

“…The main problems of degradation as identified by the local stakeholders during the first workshop included the following 20 : Delayed precipitation in autumn and early dryness in spring led to a decrease in water availability, a shorter growing season, and a reduction of grain yields and vegetation cover.Intense and heavy rainfall in autumn, at a time when the soil is completely bare, caused severe soil erosion.Overexploitation of wells and increased runoff on the fields caused the water table to decline.The vegetation cover was reduced and degraded inside the forest as well, and cork oak degraded beyond regeneration.The participatory process revealed that farmers in Sehoul are primarily interested in animal husbandry. For this reason, for example, crop residues compete with fodder, and cover management is only an option in years with sufficient biomass production; otherwise any plant biomass is completely used up for the animals.…”

“…Data gathered during the participatory process consisted of workshop reports 19 , 20 ; semi-structured interviews with ten stakeholders conducted in order to analyze the overall three-part methodology (as described in Schwilch et al 18 ); numerous conversations with farmers, technicians and researchers during field visits and meetings at administrative offices; participatory observation during stakeholder workshops and field trials; DESIRE project documents (posters at meetings, annual reports, etc. ); and WOCAT questionnaires filled in after trial implementation.…”

“…The main problems of degradation as identified by the local stakeholders during the first workshop included the following 20 : . Delayed precipitation in autumn and early dryness in spring led to a decrease in water availability, a shorter growing season, and a reduction of grain yields and vegetation cover.…”