Economic value of Morocco Oued BehtWatershedrangeland habitats in terms of forage production

Rangelands represent a potential resource with a high socio-economic value. this value remains unmonetarized andtherefore, not taken into account in public policies, which does not reflect the real value of this ecosystem services (es)and negatively affects the sustainable management of rangelands. this study was carried out in 2019; it aims to estimate theeconomic value of the supply service of the rangelands and to demonstrate its place in the local economy. the result reflectsthe socio-economic importance of this service, offering an average of 22.65 million forage units (fu/year = 1 kg barelygrain), with the gross economic value of 6.79 million usd/year. the study also illustrates the degree of pressure on thesepastoral ecosystems, represented by high overgrazing rates and negative net economic value. the comparison betweenthe supply and demand of forage units shows an average cost of degradation of 760 usd/ha in forests and 209 usd/haout of forests, which negatively affects the sustainable management of these resources. to this end, the strategies adoptedmust respond to all environmental and socio-economic challenges, based on the preservation of the fragile environment tobenefit the socio-economic development of local populations. these strategies must give users a sense of responsibility inthe process of setting up, monitoring, and eventually adapting the management systems practiced.