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Ezzoura Errami, Université Chouaib Doukkali (Morocco)
Hassan Ouanaimi, Ecole Normale Supérieure (Morocco)
Antoneta Seghedi, Geological Institute of Romania (Romania)
Nasser Ennih, Université Chouaib Doukkali (Morocco)
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Moroccan Atlasic and Anti-Atlasic domains consist of geological landscapes which were shaped by successive orogenies (Palaeproterozoic, Pan-African, Variscan and Alpine) and where rocks and landscapes are extremely varied. Many sedimentological, petrographical and structural witnesses of the history of this part of Africa are of exceptional quality in Morocco and many of these witnesses are unique, very educational and deserves to be preserved and presented to visitors, specialists or not, in a less academic and more widely accessible way. These sites are even more attractive as their geographical, historical, architectural and traditional frames are exceptional.
The High Atlas and Anti-Atlas Mountains represent large and continuous outcrops from the Paleoproterozoic to Quaternary rocks. Valuable fossil sites (trilobites, ammonites, and goniatites), a fascinating unique landscape and numerous sites with archaeological, ecological, historical and cultural value are found. The Anti-Atlas is very known by their famous Tazenakht carpets woven by local women and girls. Due to the arid climate and scarcity of soils, the locals often cultivate wheat on terraces built along narrow river valleys. The traditional settlement in the area is a traditional pre-Saharan habitat - the Kasbah, represented by a group of earthen buildings surrounded by high and large walls. A striking example of southern Moroccan architecture is Aït Ben-Haddou Kasbah, in Ouarzazate province, which is on the list of world heritage sites. The legendary Valley of the Kasbahs is a road about 100 miles long, passing through desert landscapes, palm groves, surreal lunar landscapes like Jbel Saghro and hundreds of occupied and abandoned Kasbahs, lying behind most of the small villages.
A geopark in this area would be a place of initiation and demonstration of methods for geological heritage conservation, like typical rock-types, mineral resources, minerals, fossils, landscapes. Unfortunately most of this fossils and minerals are overexploited and sold on the roads and via internet. In all geoparks, the trade of fossils and minerals is forbidden which will help us to protect this patrimony. Instead, fossil replicas are encouraged to be used for commercial purposes.
Ecological tourism and geotourism in this area could help to increase the living standard of the local communities especially of women and girls and would be the premises for sustainable development of these regions.
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