Contribution to the implementation of the management plan for the Sidi Boughaba Ramsar site
Organization: Société protectrice des Animaux et de la Nature (SPANA)
Award Amount: €34 000
Project Type: PROZHUM Small Project
Duration: January 2024 – December 2026
Project Contact: Abdeslam Bouchafra, bouchafra@spana.org.ma
Keywords: invasive species; awareness; monitoring
Project kick-off meeting during World Wetlands Day meeting with representatives from the National Agency of Waters and Forests (ANEF), national ministries, AFD, and other international and national organizations
The endangered white-headed duck at Sidi Boughaba
Summary
The Sidi Boughaba site consists of a unique freshwater lake on the north-west coast and a relict forest of red juniper (Juniperus Phoenicia), considered to be the last remnant of the natural vegetation that has covered the region since the Quaternary period. An important habitat for rare and endangered bird species, it was one of the first Moroccan sites to be included on the Ramsar list and is currently the subject of a national classification as a biological reserve. The site has a development and management plan drawn up by the Agence Nationale des Eaux et Forêts, which identifies one of the main threats as being the high and insufficiently controlled pressure exerted by the increasing number of visitors.
This project involves stepping up implementation of the site’s development plan, by rehabilitating and protecting nesting areas for the main heritage species, setting up a system for monitoring waterbirds and introducing measures to manage wild boar and stray dogs. The SPANA team will present a model for the co-management of a wetland, bringing together NGOs and national and local public players. Conducting this collaborative initiative will strengthen SPANA’s credibility as a partner of ANEF (co-manager of the site since 2002) capable of carrying out various management actions and financing them. The high number of visitors and the presence of the SPANA visitor center will help raise visitor awareness of the wetlands and their problems – including the need for behavior change.
Objectives
- Rehabilitate and protect waterbird nesting areas
- Monitor waterbirds on the site
- Manage stray dog and wild boar populations
Resources
- Learn more about the PROZHUM project
Funding
Agence Française de Développement (AFD) implements France’s policy on international development and solidarity. Through its financing of NGOs and the public sector, as well as its research and publications, AFD supports and accelerates transitions towards a fairer, more resilient world. It also provides training in sustainable development (at AFD Campus) and other awareness-raising activities in France.