As increasing numbers of people explore the mountains which Pliny described as the most wonderful in Africa, so the Atlas itself might change. The damaging effects of tourists’ presence can be limited only if trekkers try to minimise their impact by considering how their actions and decisions might affect the people, environment and economy.
Unlike some other popular trekking regions, the Atlas has no organised environmental group striving to protect it, so no guidelines have previously been written with the Atlas trekker in mind. These below have been developed to help readers think about how they might minimise the impact of their visit. They have been devised with the help of the British Mountaineering Council’s Mountain Tourism Codes and the Himalayan Tourist Code published by the charity Tourism Concern.
For more information on responsible tourism, contact Tourism Concern, based in London, on tel 020-7753 3330.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Waste management
Don’t pollute the Atlas with waste. All waste has some consequence. Each individual trekker should play his or her part in disposing of waste or removing it from the mountains.
Minimise group size – The bigger the group, the more serious its impact.
Minimise supplies – Don’t carry more supplies than you really need.
Educate others – With diplomacy and tact, encourage others in your group, including locals, to help manage waste properly.
Burnable waste – Food, paper, card and wood waste can be burnt.
Toxic and non-burnable waste – Metals, plastics, foams, batteries, petrol, paraffin, methylated spirits, oil and medical waste should be carried out of the mountains.
Human waste – This should be buried in pits dug downhill of camps and water sources. Don’t relieve yourself within 20m (70ft) of a water source. Burn toilet paper.
Remove packaging – Get rid of excess packaging before setting off for the mountains. This will also help you to reduce the weight of your pack.
Don’t ignore others’ waste – Make the effort to clean up any other waste which you find on your trek.
Limit deforestation
Local Berbers are guilty of contributing to deforestation but that’s no reason why visitors should add to the problem. Locals tend to use firewood efficiently while visitors might provoke inefficient use of wood without realising it simply by demanding food or hot water at irregular times.
Avoid open fires – Only make a fire when you really need the warmth. Berbers will almost certainly build fires, since it is a part of local life, but you should at least make sure they use dead wood.
Don’t ask for boiled water for drinking – There are better, more efficient methods for purifying water (see p242).
Order food at the same time and keep it simple – Complicated orders cause problems for remote Atlas cafés which might use wood-burning stoves inefficiently in order to meet your demands.
Keep water clean
This is crucial. Simple ‘green’ routines will prevent water contamination which might lead to serious problems further downstream.
Human waste – Find a place away from the nearest water source and bury your waste. Burn toilet paper.
Washing – Fill a bucket or bowl to use soap or shampoo and dispose of the dirty water at least 20m away from the water source. Use biodegradable products and use them sparingly.
Protect plants
The effect of your removing one mountain flower might appear to be minimal; but the Atlas is a fragile environment which will not tolerate large-scale tampering with its plant and flower populations. Don’t pick flowers.
Don’t take cuttings – Never remove cuttings, seeds or roots from plants.
Avoid trampling plants – Watch where you walk.
Avoid erosion
Take care not to add to erosion any further than you can possibly help.
Stay on the main trail – Where possible, follow the trail to avoid creating new paths or shortcuts which might erode the landscape.
Respect fields and crops – Pay particular attention when walking near fields and crops to make sure you don’t damage the produce or any irrigation system which, while not always immediately obvious, might have been built around the field.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
Use local services
Think about where the money you spend will go – Where possible, inject what you’ve set aside for your holiday directly into the local economy.
Use guides and muleteers – Consider employing a local guide and muleteer rather than joining a trek organised by an international tour operator. There are a number of other very good reasons for doing this (see p10).
Lodges and refuges – Staying in lodges or refuges rather than camping is one way to invest some money in the Atlas economy.
Provisions – Buy locally rather than bringing supplies from home.
Observe standard fees
Remember to keep costs in perspective. Most Atlas Berbers are poor people who live hard lives working an unforgiving land. Pay a fair price for the goods and services they offer. Haggle for gifts and trinkets, it’s the Berber way, but accept standard prices for food, guides, muleteers and accommodation (see p10-11).
Don’t pay too little – Paying less than the standard price is exploitative.
Don’t pay too much – Paying too much creates dependency, promotes an inflationary cycle and sets a precedent for future visitors. It might also create resentment in the local community; the beneficiaries of your generosity will be envied by others.
Tips – Tipping is normally expected (see p71) but avoid overtipping for the same reasons as you should avoid overpaying. Give your tip separately from the payment.
Maintain good relations
Never let business negotiations lead to ill feeling. Be friendly and respectful.
Don’t lose your temper – Keep calm when negotiating. Berbers often become very animated when conducting business but are rarely rude.
CULTURAL IMPACT
Photograph with sensitivity
It’s all too easy to snap away without realising that your interest might appear voyeuristic, rude or even dangerous. Remember that, to most Berbers, to pose for your photograph is to give you something.
Ask first – Never take a photograph of a person or their property without first asking permission.
Send photographs – Many Berbers in the more remote Atlas villages will never have seen a photograph of themselves. If you photograph someone, ask whether they would like to be sent a copy of the photograph and be sure that you send it; this is a good way to reward their kindness.
Respect holy places
Regardless of your own views, extreme sensitivity should be shown to holy people and places. See p74 for more information.
Don’t give to beggars
You will be pestered with demands for sweets, medicine and money but you should not give in. Encouraging begging fosters a dependent attitude which, in the long-run, can be very damaging to the culture and economy. There are genuinely needy people in the Atlas but if you want to help you might do better to contact village leaders than to hand out money to strangers; village leaders will apply your gift to where it’s most useful.
Respect local customs
See p73-4 for more information about local etiquette and customs. Pay particular attention to this when in a public place, visiting a home, eating and drinking or negotiating with local people.
Don’t play doctor
Don’t hand out medicine. This is potentially harmful and sets a negative precedent. If you treat someone but make things worse, you could be blamed. It would be better to donate any spare medical supplies to someone in a position of authority than to offer treatment to strangers.
Don’t flaunt wealth
No matter how poor you might be by Western standards, to an Atlas Berber you are wealthy. Flaunting wealth is insulting and chips away at local pride.
Ask questions but never patronise
You will learn more and foster better relationships with the people if you are genuinely interested in their way of life. Don’t behave condescendingly.
Don’t expect special privileges
You are one of many thousands who visit the Atlas mountains. Never expect special treatment because you are from the West or because you are relatively rich.
Paint a realistic picture of the West and encourage local pride
Tell them what you enjoy about the Atlas mountains and what you respect about their way of life. Answer questions about the West in a balanced way. If you are asked what you earn, explain that the very high cost of living in the West makes your income rather less impressive than it might at first appear to be; make comparisons to which they can relate.
Don’t make a ‘home from home’
Engage in the local way of life and enjoy it. If you attempt to create a ‘home from home’ in your trekking party, you might just as well have stayed at home in the first place.
Don’t make promises you can’t or won’t keep
If you offer to do something for someone, do it. This is particularly pertinent with regard to photographs which you might offer to send (see above). It’s easy to forget promises when you get home, but failing to follow through breeds resentment and ill-feeling.
Keep your sense of humour
Trekking can be hard and uncomfortable and cultural gaps might prove frustrating. Humour will help everyone. You will notice that Berbers are an exuberant people who enjoy music, jokes and stories. Join in.
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