ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at cultural practices of conservation in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. It focuses on two rural communities who inhabit the cultural landscapes of this mountainous region and finds that most conservation practices are associated with agriculture, food, pastoralism, and soil and water management. These multifaceted practices help in developing the High Atlas cultural landscapes and support the biodiversity they harbour by: (1) creating mosaics of cultivated and grazing areas supported by communally-managed water sources; (2) managing plant resources in a way that enriches floristic diversity; and (3) regulating interactions between people and their local environment in ways that embody local values on access to lands and resources.
