Assessing human impacts on degradation of Maâmora forest (Morocco)

The Mamora forest, the world's largest contiguous cork oak (Quercus suber) ecosystem, plays a crucial role in protecting Morocco's Atlantic coastal region from desertification.However, rapid population growth, urban expansion, and overgrazing have significantly degraded this forest, reducing cork oak coverage from 60.71% in 1989 to 44.42% in 2022.Despite prior studies on land-use changes, the direct correlation between demographic expansion and forest degradation remains insufficiently explored.This study employed geographic information systems (GIS) to analyze the spatial relationship between population density and forest decline in the western Mamora region.Using satellite imagery and spatial interpolation techniques, it was investigated how urban sprawl, rural settlement growth, and anthropogenic pressures accelerate deforestation, alter soil composition, and threaten the forest's regenerative capacity.The findings revealed a strong association between high population densities and intensified forest degradation, particularly near urban centers like Kenitra and Sidi Bouknadel.The obtained results demonstrate that unsustainable land use, coupled with the fragile sandy soils of Mamora, exacerbates soil erosion and desertification risks.The study underscores the urgent need for sustainable land management strategies to mitigate further environmental degradation and preserve the ecological integrity of this vital forest ecosystem.