ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF MAURITANIA Honor - Fraternity- Justice Ministry of Economy and Finance Directorate of Studies and Programming RAMS PROJECT Rural Assessment and Manpower Surveys Environmental Regeneration of Southern Third of Mauritania AS - 2 Financed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) With the cooperation of: Checchi and Company, Washington, D.C. 20036 Louis Berger Intern, tional, Inc., East Orange, New Jersey 07019 Action Programs International, Santa Monica, California 90406 1980 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 0 - Introduction: objectives of this study 1 1 - Spatial limitsof the study zone 3 1-1 -Administrative region covered by the stuc 3.. 2 - Methodology and means employed 5 2-1 Towns and villages 5 2-1-1 Aerial photographs. 11 2-2 Pastoral wells 11 2-3 Pasturage 12 2-4 Palm Groves 12 2-5 Classified forests 13." 2-6 Number of days of field observations 14 3 - Condition of the Mauritanian environment, main causes of degradation and present trends 15 3-1 Desertification 15 3-2 Major physical units and agro-ecological zones concerned 19 3-3 List of vegetation species encountered in the southern third: species-frequency-location .23 3-4 Study of the environment around towns and., villages .. 30 3-4-1 : The physical milieu of the southern third of Mauritania 30­ 3-4-2 Population data 34 3-4-3 Analysis of field study results 35­ 3-4-3-1 Sedentary livestock 39" 3-4-3-2 Grass pastures 47' 3-4-3-3 Human actions 47 3-4-3-4 The drought and vegetation 60 3-4-3-5 Soil dbteriorai-on around towns and villages 63 e" V 4! > -''- Page 3-4-4 Analysis of aerial photographs 79 3-4-5 Summary of results 94 3-4-5-1 Natural regeneration of vegetation around towns and villages 96 3-5 Study of the environment of pastoral wells 105 3-5-i Analysis of field observations 106 3-5-2 Summary and conclusions . 117 3-6 Study of the pastoral environment 120 3-6-1 Analysis and comparison of data 121 3-6-2 Summary of conditions of pastures 127 3-7 State of classified forests 137 3-7-1 Disappearance of classified forests 139 3-7-2 Analysis of field observations 141 3-7-3 Summary of condition 154 3-8 State of palm grove environment 168 3-8-1 Brief description of observations for. each palm grove visite 174 3-8-2 Summary of observations of 17 palm groves 3-8-2-1 Sand encroachment 179 3-8-2-2 Decrease in alluvial aquifer levels of palm groves 180 3-8-2-3 Taka and wolly aphids 180 3-8-2-4 Termites 181 3-8-2-5 Salinization 181 3-9 General summary of observations 181 3-9-1 Menaced zones 185 3-9-2 Relatively well-preserved zones 190 3-9-3 Exploitation of wood 191 3-9-4 Natural regeneration of vegetation cover 193 3-9-5 Distribution of gum trees and detorioration zone195 3-9-6 Distribution of Gonakier (Acacia nilotica) 197 -'''- Page 4 - Theoretical estimate of carrying.cappcity of 2astures 198 4-1 RAMS estimates 199 4-2 Other estimates 203 4-3 Summary 208 5 - Conclusions 210 5-1 The identified zones and their characteristics 210 5-2 The attitudes of the people towards their environment 216 5-3 The process of vegetation regeneration 219 5-4 The in'dequacy of available means to fight desertification 220 6 - Recommendations 223 6-1 The role o' the Government 223 6-2 Specific actions to be taken in the zones identified>.'y this study 225 6-3 Towards the establishment of an environment code 232 Bibliography List of tables List of figures List of vernacular names of woody species (Latin, Hassanya, Poular) Annex: 1 - Maps 2 - Vegetation transects 3 - Questionnaire used on field LIST OF'TABLES (IN THE TEXT) TABLE No ..iI:; T EPage No. I Population Growth in Urban Centers 1961-62 to 1977 7 2 Geographical units and obscrvation sites 21 3 Agro-ecological zones and observation aites 22 4 List rf species for aIl. transects, with. frequency (based on l'l transects) . : ." 24 5 Location of vegetation species (except grains and legumes) 26 6 Towns/villages: Latitudes! Longitdes, Population ' as of 1/1/77 31 7 Population Density os of.1/1/77 of. studied zones, . by department 'ind region. 36 8 Main ethnic groups of the sites visited 37 9 Sedentary livestock population 41 10 Towns/villages: Rate of herbaceous cover 49 11 Species cut to feed livestock (towns/villages) 50 12 Use of Cut Species 53 13 Cut Species: Use codes 55 14 Size of degradation zone around towns and village. 65 15 Location and size of dufe rdmobilization 75 16 Latitude, Average Rainfall, Population, Main Activities, Geomorphological Data, Soil Degrvdation Degradation of Vegetation Cover, Towns and Villages. 97 Previous Page 1'Ank Page Nc 17 Rege:erating Woody Species -*Location and Frequaency (Towns and Villages) 103 18 Woody Species Encountered during Pastoral Well Transects Ii9 19 Location of pastures by region and approximate rainfall 130 20 Pastures and Geomorphological Data 131 21 Woody Species Observed during Pasture Transects 132 22 Withered Species Observed during Pasture Transects 133 23 Regeneration Woody Species - Frequency, and Location 134 24 Grass Cover 135 25 Summary of Herbaceous Cover Data 136 26 Classified Forests: Situation as of Classification 159 27 List of Woody Species in 11 Conakig Forests in Senegal River Oualo Lands 162 28 List of Woody Species in other Classified Forests 163 29 Withered Speci.es in Classified Forests 164 30 Withered State of Acacia Nilo:ica in Classified Forests along the Senega. River 165 31 Regenerating Species in Classified Forests 166 32 Grass Cover in Classified Forests 167 33 Palm Grove Distribution 170 34 Existing and Projected Livestock Populations, as a Function of 3 Hypotheses Concerning Load Capacity of Pastures 204 Page No. 35 Pasture location, Load ceapacity in dry season 205 36 Estimate of Average Load Capacity. 206 bis 1. List of Figures in Annex I; Figure I Sites Visited (Towns/Villages) and Physical Regions Figure 2 Sites Visited (Towns/Villages).and Administrative Region Figure 3 Sites Visited (Towns/Villages) and Agro-Ecological Zones Figure 4 Pastoral Wells and Pastures (Ranges) Visited and Physical Regions 'Figure 5 Pastoral Wells and*Pastures (Ranges) Visited and Administrative Regions Figure 6 Pastoral Wells and Pastures (Ranges) Visited and Agro-Ecological Zones Figure 7 Normal Annual Rainfall 1941-.1970 Figure 8 Zone Affected by Spatial Variations of the 150 mm Isohyetal Line in 1972 as Compared to Normal (1941--70) Figure 15 Itinerary of the Environment Mission in the Trarza Figure 16 Itinerary of the Environment Mission in the Brakna Figure 17 Itinerary of the Environment Mission in the Tagant and Assaba Figure 18 Itinerary of the Environment Mission in Hodh El Charji and Hodh el Gharbi Figure 19 Itinerary in the Environment Mission in Tagant and Assa.)a Oasis Figure 20 Location of all Classified Forest Visited Figure 21 to 23 Detailed Location (Scale 1/200 000) of Each Classified Forest Visited in the Senegal River Valley 2. List of Figures in the Text: Figure 9 Mederdra, 1954-1979 Figure 10 Boutilimit, 1954-1979 Previous Page Blank List of Figures in the Text (Contud) Figure II Aleg, 1954-1980 FiguL-e 12 Selibaby, 1952-53-1980 Figure 13 Distribution of Gum Trees (Acacia senegal) in Mauritania Figure.14 Distribution of Gonaki~s (Acacia nilotica) in Mauritania LIST OF VERNACULAR NAMES OF WOODY SPECIES. Latin Name Hassaniya Name : Poular Name Capparis decidua iguinine goumi-danevi Acacia senegal irwar datouki Acacia raddiana talha tielouki Balanites aegyptiaca te'chott mourtoki Maerua crassifolia atil sogui Commiphora africana adress badi Acacia flava tamat boulbi Acacia nilotica amour gaoudi Bauhinia rufoscens ndern namadi Zizyphus mauritiana sder lahbil diabi Tamarix aphylla tarfa Acacia albida avrar cade Acacia seyal sedra el beyda allouki Prosopis sp. koki Euphorbia balsamifera ifernan badakarey Salvadora persica : aferchi boudi Boscia s6n6galensis eyzen guiguil4 Adansonia digitata teydoum boki Calothropis procera tourja bam6vani Combretum glutinosum tikifit diki Bauhinia reticulata tenzekr6 barhevi Hyphaene th4carca zguilem gori Sterculia s6tig6ra demboya boboli Sclerocarya birr'a dembou h6ri Sterculia tomentosa Pt6rocarpus crinaceus yatta bani Guiera s~n6galensis : liyina guelloki Grewia bicolor imijy kelli Adenium sp. teydou-ed-dib Grewia tenax legleya Mytragina inermis aguelal koll Dalbergia melanoxylon sangou diallanban6 Combretum aculeatum ikik Salix senegalensis hole safra k6li Cadaba farinosa azrom sinsini Borassus flabellifer : khal adoub6 Gynnesporia senegalensis eych Pterocarpus luscens labara tchiabi Tamarindus indica aganat diami Indigofera sp. gara gara 0 0 V,( The Southern Third of Mauritania 0 F'Ddrik Nouadhibou 0 Atar. 0 Akjoujt " "'kja 15inBoumdeidl Oit I al~/ 0i- Aiouy Ro sso Ka. 0 .- S6a'b Area covered by the study Previous Page Blank x 0- INTRODUCTION: Objectives of this study The exceptional gravity of the drought and its harmful effects on the nation'.s economy (and consequently, on the well-being and future of the Mauritanian people) are a major concern of the Mauritanian govern­ merit. The extent of this concern was expressed during a national seminar on the combat against desertification I/ (Nouakchott, May 26-28, 1980). Near the end of this seminar, it was recommended that a national committee to combat dee.ertification be formed, under the direct authority of the head of State. The objective of the present study of Regeneration of the Environ­ ment of the Southern Third of Mauritania is to contribute to the fight against desertification by, increasing knowledge of local conditions through field study and by analyzing the concrete problems experienced by the local populations confronted on a daily basis with a steadily deteriorating environment.