Scientists from France, Morocco and Spain gather at ICTA-UAB as part of the Geopark project

A group of twenty scientists representing several universities and research institutions in France, Morocco and Spain took part in the first edition of the Winter University organized by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA-UAB) in collaboration with the Faculty of Sciences of the UAB, in the framework of the Geopark Project, which is funded by European Union through the Program for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020.

From 18 to 22 January, the ICTA-UAB hosted thirty conferences on issues related to socio-environmental heritage conservation and some presentations of the initial results of geological, hydrographic and botanical studies developed in the Zat Valley, in Morocco.



The aim of the project, granted €1.2 million, is to reflect on integrated and sustainable management and conservation strategy of natural and cultural heritage in these areas characterized by a remarkable geological, ecological and social value, from an interdisciplinary approach.

Project members will study the biodiversity, geology, prehistory, social context, heritage and tourism in geoparks based on empirical surveys, field collecting data and shared experience.



The project aims to define scientific criteria to present to UNESCO in the future an inscription process of a Geopark in the Zat Valley. This candidature would be presented by competent institutions. It is led by the ICTA-UAB with the participation of the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle (MNHN) and Patrimones Locaux et Gouvernance (UMR SWAP) from France, the Université Cadi Ayyad in Morocco and Cerdan Engineers from Spain.