Beach scenery at Nador Province, Morocco

Twenty-one beach sites from 19 locations in Nador Province, Morocco, were analysed for coastal scenic beauty via a 26 parameter (natural and anthropogenic) checklist assessment and rated on a five point (1-bad, 5-good) attribute scale. A weighting index to which fuzzy logic mathematics was applied, enabled a scenic decision value ‘D’, to be calculated, resulting in a five scale classification: CLASS 1: Extremely attractive natural site with a very high landscape value, having a D value >0.85; CLASS II: Attractive natural site with high landscape value, having a D value between 0.65 and 0.85; CLASS III: Many natural with little outstanding landscape features and a D value between 0.65 and 0.4; CLASS IV: Mainly unattractive urban, with a low landscape value, and a D value between 0.4 and 0); CLASS V: Very unattractive urban, intensive development with a low landscape value with a D value <0. Differentiation showed that there was one site in Class 1 (Kamkoum El Baz); three in Class II; eight in Class III; nine in Class IV, and none in Class V. This semi-quantitative assessment eliminates much of the subjectivity involved in assessment of scenery for management/zoning purposes, as scenery is a fundamental component of what drives the tourism industry. Management efforts to improve scenery should concentrate upon anthropogenic parameters, for example, litter, as these are ‘easier’ to change, than the more obvious physical parameters.