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Amina Malaki, Faculté des Sciences de Rabat (Morocco)
Mohamed El Wartiti, Faculté des Sciences de Rabat (Morocco)
Mohamed Zahraoui, Faculté des Sciences de Rabat (Morocco)
Felice Di Gregorio , Dipartimento Scienze della Terra Università di Cagliari (Italy)
Jo De Waele, Dipartimento Scienze della Terra Università di Cagliari (Italy)
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Across the the northwestern Tabular Middle Atlas of Morocco there are many examples of landscapes, rocks and fossils that provide key evidence of a particular moment or period in Earth history. Such Earth heritage sites are important for educating the general public in environmental matters. They also serve as tools for demonstrating sustainable development and for illustrating methods of site conservation as well as remembering that rocks, minerals, fossils, soils, landforms form an integral part of the natural world. The significance of certain sites for aesthetic or tourism reasons is obvious. There are numerous geosites, which could contribute to effective exploitation of geotourism, often in conjunction with ecotourism. The strategy employed to such sites involves close consultation with all communities in the vicinity of the respective geosite and is not only aimed at tourism and education, but also at sustainable improvement of the infrastructure of the people of this area. Geological heritage sites, properly managed, can generate employment and new economic activities, especially in regions in need of new or additional sources of income.
Key words: Geosites, Tabular Middle Atlas, sustainable development, ecotourism, geotourism.
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