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The argane tree and wood production The argane tree has been considered for a long time as a social resource, or perhaps more accurately, a family resource, either through its fruit production from which argane oil is produced for the rural population's consumption, or by its leaf production, consumed by tens of thousands of goats. It's wood production is considered secondary and is limited to the energy needs of the populations living in argane areas. Although it is considered a secondary use, the use of the wood is at the source of the disappearance of large stretches of argane trees. The augmentation of charcoal production (the argane tree is known for its hard wood and the quality charcoal that comes from it) started in the beginning of the century. To furnish large urban areas such as Casablanca, Marrakesh and Safi, the production reached 70,000 quintaux. This irresponsible use had as a consequence the disappearance of nearly 200,000 hectares (Monnier, 1965). In 1925, facing the threat of a complete disappearance of the argane forest, legislation was put in place to regulate use of the forest's resources. During the colonial period, and particularly during WWII, the need for charcoal grew and the use of the forest grew as well. A surface area of 40, 000 hectares was used for the production of 1,672,000 quintals of charcoal (Boudy 1950). Since then, the production of charcoal has dropped off and is usually limited to an average of 400,000 steres per year, or 13% of the nation's production of combustible wood.
The argane tree and environmental protection The functions and the uses of the argane tree already described to not constitute all its interesting aspects. There is another aspect, indirect, but very important for certain areas in the argane region, which is soil and environmental protection. This species, so vigorous and admirably adapted to the climate and the soil, conditions the existence of the rural population. Its disappearance brings the sterilization of this region and transforms it into a desert steppe. The the most simple and classic function is the protection of the soil by the shade the dense branches of the tree provide in this semi-desert regions where the principal enemy to vegetation is drought and the sun's intensity. The argane tree can actually be considered a type of "water elevator". Sending its powerful roots to a great depth in search of water, the tree restores water to the soil's surface through evaporation and condensation, where it can be used by vegetation. It's not rare to see condensation running, produced by the tree's branches. In the mountains, the argane region, with its trees and undergrowth, protect the soil against water erosion. It also helps the entrance of rain water into the soil, which helps augment the water table in the Souss plains. Before transforming the argane region into a commercial farming area by repeated harvests and massive investments, it's prudent and conforms to the legitimate interests of the local population to examine the possibility of a more progressive development which would be more profitable in the long run. The presence of the argane region in the immense plain that constitutes the gulf of the Souss, the mass of water corridors between the High Atlas and the Anti- Atlas, assures the protection of the soil against wind erosion, always a threat in sublittoral zones exposed to frequent winds. However, the commercial investment in the Souss valley and the considerable increase of land prices poses serious problems to the conservation of the argane region.
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