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Name
Ouarensis
IUCN
Management Category Current category unknown (ex National Park)
Biogeographical
Province 2.17.06 (Mediterranean Sclerophyll)
Geographical
Location The site is found in the massif d'Ouarsenis in the
Tellian Atlas range. It is situated 50km west of Theniet el Had
and 60km south of the town of Ech Cheliff (south west of Alger).
35°35'N, 03°50'E
Date
and History of Establishment Originally designated a parc national
under French colonial occupation on 16 April 1984 (Chalabi, 1987).
Current category unknown (ex National Park).
Area
1,030ha
Land
Tenure State ownership
Altitude
1,000-1,985m
Physical
Features THe site is situated on a mountain range which is
part of the calcereous and schist massif of the Ouarsenis. Geological
bedrocks are of limestone, sandstone and marls. The highest point
is at Djebel Ouarsenis at 1,985m. The site is associated with the
gorge and dam of Chelif in the north. The Ouarsenis separates the
Tellian region from the Haut plateau, resulting in a climatic boundary
between the Chelif and Sersou areas (Drucker, 1986).
Climate
Mediterranean humid bioclimate. Snow is not uncommon in winter.
Vegetation
The woodland od Ouarsenis is composed of cedar Cedrus atlantica,
with Aleppo pine Pinus halepensis and also juniper Juniperus phoenicea.
at lower altitudes there is an increase of the pines Pinus pinea
and P. pinaster. There are also stands of the oak Quercus afares
(Q. chrysolepsis) in association with lentisc Pistacia lentiscus,
rosmary Rosmarinus officinalus, Genista acanthoclada and rockrose
Cistus, spp. (Drucker, 1987). In the gorge de Chelif the perennial
river is surrounded by maquis vegetation of lentisc Pistacia lentiscus,
strawberry tree Arbutus unedo, Juniperus phoenicia, carob Ceratonia
siliqua and pine Pinus halepensis (Zeraia, 1983).
Fauna
The fauna is typically represented by the wild boar Sus scrofa and
hedgehog Erinaceus alginus. The Cuvier's gazelle Gazella cuvieri
is still present in the ravines of the massif (Drucker, 1986). Birds
tend to be palearctic woodland and maquis species and include the
raven Corvus corax, serin Serrinus serin, cirl bunting Emberza cirlus,
Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus, black kite Milvus migrans,
yellow wagtail Motacilla flava, shrike Lanius spp., subalpine warbler
Sylvia cantillans and nightingale Luscina megarhynchos (Fraissinet
et al, 1984).
Reptiles
include the ocellated lizard Lacerta lepida and Greek tortoise Testudo
graeca (Drucker, 1986).
Cultural
Heritage Ouarsenis translated from the local dialect means "nothing
higher".
Local
Human Population No information
Visitors
and Visitor Facilities No information
Scientific
Research and Facilities No information
Conservation
Value No information
Conservation
Management Nine nationally rare plants found in the area
include Silene pseudovestita, S. mollissima ssp. velutina, Hedysarum
nawlinianum and Plantago subulata (Zeraia, 1983).
Management
Constraints No information
Staff
No information
Budget
No information
Local
Addresses
No
information
References
Chalabi,
B. (1987). Exposé sur la protection de la faune et de la
flore. Exposé présente en 1ère année
de magister option amenagement. Institute National Agronomique,
El Harrach, Algers.
Drucker,
G.R.F. (1986). National Parks and reserves of Algeria. Unpublished
report. Sussex, England.
Fraissinet,
M., Massa, B. and Milone, M. (1984). Les Pays Mediterranéens.
Larouse, Paris.
Zeraia,
L. (1983). Protection de la flore, liste et localisation des espèces
assez rares, rare et rarrissimes. Station centrale de recherche
en ecologie forestière, Alger.
Zeraia,
L. (1984). Etude phytosociologique des groupements vegetaux forestiers
du parc national de Chréa. Institut National de Recherche
forestière. Algeria.
Date
February 1988
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