Sustainable Livelihoods

Through our work, we address threats to vulnerable plant resources in unique biodiverse Moroccan ecosystems, such as unsustainable harvesting. Sustainable management is essential to maintain the ecological integrity of Important Plants Areas (IPAs), ensuring the sustainable use for millions of herbal remedy users, and maintaining commercial trade that contributes to the livelihoods of thousands of collectors, vendors and traditional practitioners. Through assessments of conservation status of threatened plants, sustainable harvesting, the cultivation and protection of wild-crafted useful plants, and the distribution of fruit and nut trees in two High Atlas Amazigh rural townships, our approach seeks:

• Viable income increases for plant collectors and supplementary livelihood benefits for other community members;
• Conservation of vulnerable plant species in protected areas, forest domains and agdals (community-conserved areas) leading to effective management and governance of genetic, species and landscape diversity in Important Plant Areas representative of unique High Atlas Mediterranean vegetation types;
• Building of individual capacity and multi-institutional partnerships on conservation and sustainable livelihoods.

Best Conservation Practices in Biodiversity & Livelihoods

Through our participatory approach, we aim to enhance already existing cultural practises for the conservation of biodiversity, drawing from the pool of local ecological knowledge to lead conservation strategies and local actions. Combining botanical research with a thorough and scientific understanding of the ethnobotanical uses of plants as well as the social and cultural contexts in which they are used (knowledge, beliefs and traditional practices); our conservation plans seek to be an example of holistic resource management in Morocco.