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Al-Ahram Weekly 20 - 26 January 2000 Issue No. 465 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 20 - 26 January 2000 Issue No. 465
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Profile Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Nature's gift still costs
By Mahmoud Bakr
Wadi Al-Rayyan is the habitat of numerous species of wildlife and a sanctuary for migrating birds in spring and autumn each year. Until recently, the area was monitored by a single superintendent and a few guards, but it is now being cultivated into a major tourist site; one that will hopefully be placed on the map of Egypt's nature reserves. Situated in the Western Desert south of the Fayoum depression, the protected area will stretch over roughly 1,800 square kilometres.
Development and conservation efforts at Wadi Al-Rayyan began in March 1989 and will last through March 2001 -- and perhaps beyond. In a joint Egyptian-Italian project, the Italian government has undertaken to aid development and conservation of the natural resources there at a cost of $1.2 million.
"We initiated the project by training ten superintendents," said Mohamed Farrag, the information adviser to the project, "and two of the trainees were chosen for further training in Italy. Bird-watching centres have been developed and tracks for cars and visitors marked. Equipment, including telescopes, computers and wireless communication devices, has been purchased," he added.
According to Farrag, there are numerous economic activities that could hinder conservation efforts at the wadi. Foremost among these is the agricultural land reclamation project, which began in 1995. The project aims to cultivate 4,000 feddans near what is known as the "Reclamation Village", located in the heart of the protected area. Farrag says that 1,200 residents of the village will be trained to participate in projects within the protected area.
An aqua-cultural project in the area is also at odds with conservation efforts. Seventeen fish farms will provide some 250 job opportunities, but Farrag warns that the ponds "are a source of water contamination, due to the residue of fish fodder deposited in the lakes. This alters the components of the water, adversely affecting the chemical composition and increasing the content of metal waste, which affects marine life". Farrag urged that fish farms be placed under the control of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA). "The harm done by polluted water is a hazard to human health and also reduces fish production," he said.
An additional concern with regard to the natural environment of the reserve is an oil condenser at the northwestern entrance of the protected area. However, after investigations into the operations there, Farrag commended the environmentally friendly systems used by the company digging for oil.
Gamal Gomaa, an instructor at Suez Canal University, believes that the Wadi Al-Rayyan protected area is distinguished for many reasons and could be a showcase for all the resources Egypt's nature reserves have to offer. At a mere two-hour drive from the reserve, wide scale excavations were prompted a few years ago following the discovery of sharks' teeth and whale skeletons dating to 40 million years ago. Also, Wadi Al-Rayyan's wetlands -- including two lakes, one 55 square kilometres and the other 110 square kilometres -- accommodate a number of indigenous birds, which breed in the reserve, and attract flocks of migrating birds seeking sanctuary.
Fishing will be controlled so as not to contaminate the environment
photo: Emad Abdel-Hadi
Although the area's wildlife is among its chief attractions, Gomaa does worry about damaging the delicate balance between nature and man. "The desert environment is teeming with some 15 species of wild animals, such as Egyptian gazelles, white gazelles, pink foxes, sand foxes, wildcats, wolves, etc.," he said. "While we are by no means opposed to development, we are trying to maintain the reserve by urging locals to observe the standards set by the nature reserve management in collaboration with the EEAA." Gomaa explained that the standards address practices like overgrazing and casual waste dumping, which pollutes the reserve.
Hossam Kamel, the director of Wadi Al-Rayyan protected area, outlined future plans, including the completion of the visitors centre "within a month". The centre will have a conference room, video facilities and a tourist centre for bird watching. "The plan includes the provision of boats for bird watchers, and a large vessel for large groups," says Kamel. "Three camp sites have been identified and a geological open museum will be established," he added.
Kamel affirmed that environmental impact assessment studies are under way looking into the building of cafeterias and camps in the region. The studies, conducted by the EEAA in collaboration with Italian project experts, are aimed at ascertaining the impact of such facilities on the natural environment. "Once the present facilities have been demolished -- in accordance with a decision already passed to this effect -- the EEAA will undertake the building of the three cafeterias, in accordance with environmental safety standards for the nature reserve," Kamel said. The new cafeterias will be built at a distance of 150 metres from the edge of the lake and will be rented, with priority given to residents of the region based on a commitment to safeguarding the environment.
Presently, an estimated 134 species of birds use the Wadi Al-Rayyan sanctuary. Among them are the much-sought-after shaheen hawk, which sells for $80,000 per bird; the free hawk, worth around $120,000; and other various bird species, such as pelicans, quails and ducks. Nestled in the heart of the desert, the acacia forest (the "silent forest") covers some 100 square kilometres some distance from the springs of water and is home to gazelles. A trained hawk is said to fetch a quarter of a million dollars and the valuable birds that migrate to the reserve are endangered by overhunting -- a practice which conservationists are trying hard to curb.
Mohamed Marzouk, who is fluent in English, French, German and Japanese, works with tour agencies that specialise in desert safaris. He calls Wadi Al-Rayyan the "Western Desert entrance to the oases of Dakhla and Farafra". Marzouk lauds the numerous tourist attractions of the area, like natural water springs, warm water wells, waterfalls, geological rock formations and the exotic sand-formations created by sweeping winds. There are sand dunes, rich flora and fauna -- not to mention the natural landscape of the desert hills surrounding the springs and the hill known as Gabal Al-Medawwara.
"With all this, I felt the need to establish a safari camp," explains Marzouk. The camp, Jannat (paradise) Wadil Rayyan, has been built at a "reasonable distance from the edge of the lake", using wood and other natural materials available. Says Marzouk, "Only half of the camp area has been built so far. I plan to use the remaining area for the exhibition of Western Desert objects. We have already obtained the licence and hope to get under way soon".
Entrance fees to the reserve is LE1 for an Egyptian, US$1 for a non-Egyptian, and LE5 per vehicle. The reserve receives roughly 150,000 Egyptians and 5,000 non-Egyptians a year, including one-day tours and safaris.
