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Economic Value of Desert Plants: Acacia Trees in the Wadi Allaqi Biosphere Reserve

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 August 2009

Irina Springuel  and
Abdel Moneim Mekki
Irina Springuel
Affiliation:
Faculty of Science, Aswan Branch, Assiut University, Aswan, Egypt
Abdel Moneim Mekki
Affiliation:
Regional Planning Centre, Aswan, Egypt.
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Extract

Acacia trees form a principal element of desert plant communities in Egypt's Southeastern Desert. They are widespread in remote desert areas but sparse near settlements and urban areas as a result of human impact. However, sustainable use of Acacia trees remains an important component in the livelihood of nomadic people living in remote desert areas.

The present paper discusses the economic and ecological value of Acacia trees in the Wadi Allaqi basin. The total population of Acacia trees in this area is estimated at approximately 13,000 trees. What will be the fate of this population, from which the annual production of charcoal amounts to 10–15 tons? The present work attempts to answer this question by analysing the economic system of the local nomadic population and the ecological characteristics of Acacia trees, coming to reasonably optimistic conclusions.

Type
Main Papers
Information
Environmental Conservation , Volume 21 , Issue 1 , Spring 1994 , pp. 41 - 48
Copyright
Copyright © Foundation for Environmental Conservation 1994

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