Journal of Scientific Research and Studies Vol. 5(4), pp. 73-87, April, 2018 ISSN 2375-8791 Copyright © 2018 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article http://www.modernrespub.org/jsrs/index.htm MRRRPPP Full Length Research Paper The geomorphological heritage of the Oualidia and Sidi Moussa lagoons: assessment and promotion for a sustainable human and socio-economic development Mounia Khoukhouchi*, Ezzoura Errami, Najwa Hassou and El Mehdi Irzan Geodynamics, Geo-education and Geological Heritage Research Group, Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, University Chouaib Doukkali, B.P. 20, 24000 El Jadida, Morocco. *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] Accepted 10 April, 2018 The Oualidia-Sidi Moussa lagoon complex has a high landscape value and constitutes one of the most important coastal ecosystems on the Moroccan Atlantic coast. In addition to their endemic flora and fauna, these sites have a crucial role in the overwintering of several migratory bird species. Also, this complex is surrounded by several cultural and religious sites. The wealth of this lagoon complex motivated us to evaluate its geomorphosites in order to promote nature tourism for sustainable human development. To achieve this goal, we have used a method for scientific, didactic and additional parameters assessment, as well as the attribution of different scores. The geomorphosites assessment revealed an important scientific value for both lagoons of Oualidia-Sidi Moussa complex, but it was negatively impacted by the integrity criterion of the lagoons. Generally, the visiting conditions are good for both sites. Moreover, a significant number of economic activities are developed in the two lagoons including oyster farming, agriculture and tourism, which make it a considerable socio-economic interest area for the riverside populations. However, the intense and uncontrolled exploitation of the natural resources of these lagoons puts them at risk. The identification of the geomorphological elements of the Oualidia and Sidi Moussa lagoons that have been realized will help to highlight the potentially exceptional sites at the scale of the lagoon complex in terms of culture, education and aesthetics, as well as on the economic and social levels and therefore, the elaboration of policies and preservation planning. Key words: Oualidia-Sidi Moussa lagoon complex, geomorphosite, Morocco, sustainable human development, assessment, preservation. INTRODUCTION Geologically, the Oualidia-Sidi Moussa lagoon complex wetlands are protected by the Ramsar Convention, an belongs to the large structural unit of the western plateau, intergovernmental treaty adopted on February 2 nd , 1971, precisely to the large morphological unit of Doukkala which provides the national action and international Sahel. The subsoil of this unit consists mainly of cooperation framework for the conservation and the consolidated marine limestone sands from the age of rational use of wetlands. Plio-quaternary deposited on the bedrock of cretaceous The wetlands constitute an exceptional heritage by age. This region is characterized by a high biodiversity fulfilling the different functions of feeding, reproduction and geodiversity, which constitute an opportunity for and shelter for many animal and plant species, and an sustainable socio-economic development. important area of breeding for migratory birds (Skinner et In general, lagoons have ecological benefits that make al., 1994). These areas contribute to the flood risk them highly productive ecosystems. Thus, many prevention by protecting the coasts from maritime 74 J. Sci. Res. Stud. influences and ensure the water purification from their 2016, 2018). drainage basin through physical, geochemical and Geoheritage has been developed rapidly in the last biological mechanisms. Some wetlands benefit from years through geoparks creation. Referring to the African groundwater supply through intensive exchanges with Geoparks Network (AGN), a Geopark is a territory where phreatic zone. On the other hand, the wetlands support the geological and geomorphological heritage associated various economic and recreational activities such as with all other heritage components is used to promote the shellfish farming, fishing and recreation. sustainable human and socio-economic development In Moroccan coastal aquifers, the pumped irrigation (Errami et al., 2015), by first going through the causes marine intrusion formation which decrease the assessment of geomorphosites, which are defined as water quality in Doukkala-Abda plio-quaternary and being: a relief part perceived and exploited by human that cretaceous aquifer. The effect of this intrusion is very low allows us to better understand the evolution of the climate compared to other areas in Morocco and Africa (Fadili, and reconstruct the history of the earth (Panizza and 2014). Piacente, 1993; Grandgirard, 1997; Panizza, 2001; The wetlands form landscape structures such as Reynard, 2004). This assessment process incorporates swamps and lagoons and participate in the intangible besides of the scientific values, the additional values that dimension as a landscape entity. The landscape give new perspectives in the field of geoheritage structures characterization provide an understanding of conservation and management. physical, functional and dynamic relationship of wetlands Our paper aims to promote nature tourism for with the territory and thus to understand its evolution and sustainable human development in the lagoon complex how it is perceived. Oualidia-Sidi Moussa. To achieve this goal, we have Oualidia and Sidi Moussa lagoons constitute worked on the Oualidia-Sidi Moussa lagoon complex landscapes which offer varied natural wealth with a assessment based on the method of Reynard et al. remarkable fauna and flora exploited by the local (2016), which focused on scientific, additional and use population. They play a major role in the overwintering values. This work represents a part of a study that is and passage of several migratory bird species, and this is generalized throughout the Doukkala-Abda region. why they have several protection designations: permanent hunting reserve in 1984, a Site of Biological and Ecological Priority Interest (SIBE) in 1996, an PRESENTATION OF THE STUDY AREA Important Bird Conservation Area (ZICO) in 2001, a Ramsar site in 2005, and an Emerald site in 2010. Geographical framework The concept of landscape is quite complex, taking into account both objective aspects of a functional, technical The Oualidia-Sidi Moussa lagoon complex is located and scientific, and subjective aspects that are relevant to along the Atlantic coast of Morocco. It consists of 2 the perception of each person (Rimbert, 1973; lagoons (Oualidia lagoon and Sidi Moussa lagoon), 4 Grandgirard, 1999; Reynard, 2009). Based on this swamp (Oualidia, El Merga, El Hotba, Sidi Moussa) and 7 approach, the geomorphological landscape is defined as Salines (Oualidia, El Merga, Sidi Brahim, El Hotba, Sidi a portion of earth's relief, seen, perceived, and valued in M' barek, Sidi Moussa and Sidi Abed). the sense of the value assignment by the human The Oualidia lagoon (latitude: 32°47’28" N, longitude: (Reynard, 2005). 8°58’00" W) is situated in the Sidi Bennour province, 76 In recent years, the evaluation of geomorphological km from the south of El Jadida city, while the Sidi Moussa landscape reposed on methods that focused on the lagoon (latitude: 32°59’49" N, longitude: 8°44’13" W) is scientific aspect of the sites (Rivas et al., 1997; located in the El Jadida province, 37 km from the south of Grandgirard, 1999; Bonachea et al., 2005; Coratza and El Jadida and about 15 km from the south Jorf Lasfar Giusti, 2005). Moreover, other methods have been industrial park. According to the new administrative developed; these methods combine the assessment of division of Morocco adopted in 2015, both lagoons central scientific value with several additional values such belong to the Casablanca-Settat region. as cultural, ecological and economic values or the use The Oualidia-Sidi Moussa lagoon complex extends and management values (Panizza and Piacente, 1993, over the territory of 4 rural communities, Sidi Abed, Ouled 2003; Bruschi and Cendrero, 2005; Pralong, 2005; Aïssa, Ouled Ghanem (El Jadida circle) and Oualidia Serrano and Gonzalez Trueba, 2005; Zouros, 2007; (Zemamra circle) (Table 1). It covers a total area of 100 Pereira and Pereira, 2010; Pereira et al., 2007; Grangier, km 2. This lagoon complex ranges between 32°40'-33°06' 2013; Brilla, 2016; Reynard et al., 2007, 2012, 2016). N and 8°50' W. It is an interdunary depression bounded These evaluation methods have been used for regional to the east by the cliff and the west by a dune cord and national inventories in order to exploit their results in extending between Sidi Abed village in the north and proposing of management alternatives to promote this Oualidia village in the south separating the lagoons from geoheritage. There is presently no consensus on a the Atlantic Ocean (Figure 1). unique and universal method (Reynard, 2009; Brilha, The lagoon complex is located in a Mediterranean Khoukhouchi et al. 75 Table 1. Number of inhabitants, number of Douars and socio-economic activities of riparian rural commune of Oualidia-Sidi Moussa lagoon complex. According to the general census of 2004 (High Commission for Planning, Regional Directorate of Doukala-Abda (Morocco), 2014; *DTP of the rural commune Ouled Ghanem, 2010; *PTD of the rural commune