On January 23rd and 24th 2024, the Tour du Valat is delighted to welcome its Moroccan and Tunisian partners for a study visit on the theme: “Exchanges & sharing our experience and best practices for the management and preservation of Mediterranean wetlands”. In addition to representatives from OSS [1], WWF-NA [2], SEMIDE [3] and Tour de Valat, there are also representatives from national institutions in Morocco and Tunisia, working in the environmental, agricultural, water and forestry sectors.
Context
At a time when North Africa is under severe water stress, any water found there is precious: not only because it sustains the economies and societies in these countries, but also because of the incredible endemism and species diversity of the region’s water-related ecosystems.
Against this backdrop of water-related tensions, it is important to remember that healthy, functional wetlands underpin the economies and societies of all communities in the Maghreb countries. They provide essential ecosystem services, free of charge, to guarantee access to good quality water (direct supply, groundwater recharge, water purification, flood protection, fishing, grazing, maintenance of biodiversity, etc.). Urgent action is therefore needed to better preserve and manage natural wetlands that are still in good condition, and to restore and rehabilitate those that have been degraded and/or lost.
Goals
The main aim of the study visit was to bring together Restore NAW project partners and stakeholders from Morocco and Tunisia with experts from Tour du Valat and SEMIDE, in order to exchange experiences and share best practices in NFS (Nature-based Solutions) for the protection and restoration of wetland ecosystems and better adaptation to climate change. Discussions focused on techniques and approaches tried and tested in various wetland monitoring, conservation and restoration projects carried out by Tour du Valat and SEMIDE, with their partners, in Camargue and elsewhere in the Mediterranean basin.