DAHSHOUR ECOLOGY
Lake Dahshur certainly represents a rare and unique example
of the natural (or semi-natural) landscape of the Nile Valley worthy of protection
merely on its natural merits, which is scarcely represented in the existing protected
area network in Egypt. However, it is the extraordinary cultural and natural mosaic
that the site offers, which makes it so outstanding and so attractive to all of
its visitors.
The Lake Dahshur site perhaps represents the only remaining setting that resembles
the historical natural landscape of the Nile Valley within which the ancient Egyptian
civilization took root and flourished. The preserved cultural-natural gradient present
at the site provides a unique opportunity to envisage and better understand the
ancient Egyptian heritage. Besides the importance of preserving the Lake Dahshur
site for purely moral and scientific reasons, the proper management of the site
in its integrity (as a world heritage site) would provide tourists and visitors
a uniquely different and original experience of Egyptian antiquities presented within
their natural context. This is something that has been lost in many (if not most)
of the Pharaonic antiquities which are usually presented as objects without context.
Although the protection and management of Lake Dahshur as a natural heritage site
would fall under the auspices of Ministry of Environment, while the cultural heritage
resources fall under the administration of the Ministry of Culture, the site with
both its natural and cultural elements should ideally be seen as a single integral
unit and should be managed as such. This would maximize benefit from this wide spectrum
of resources, by streamlining and synchronizing management arrangements and procedures
(e.g. for managing visitors, or developing ecotourism in the site).
Many of the management issues affecting the Lake Dahshur site are widespread and
some represent common practice throughout the modern Egyptian landscape today. Under
the prevailing “normal” circumstances some of these practices do not appear to represent
significant or notable issues that warrant specific interventions. However, from
the perspective of nature conservation and in the context of the World Heritage
Site status of the Giza Plateau and its planned expansion into adjoining parts of
the Nile Valley, these practices represent significant management issues that require
effective and in some cases prompt management measures.
Urban encroachment, infilling the Lake with solid waste and quarrying are very rapidly
evolving issues that can drastically and irreversibly change the ecological character
of Lake Dahshur and its landscape value. These issues need urgent action to address
them.
The existing natural resources management setup does not have much provision in
terms of biodiversity or landscape management and is largely focused on agricultural
lands and urban centers. Throughout Egypt landscape conservation is a major issue,
which is not addressed by any legislation except within protected areas.
Establishing a protected area under Law 102 for 1983 would provide an excellent
legal framework through which to manage the natural resources of Lake Dahshur and
maintain its landscape values. Protected areas have proven to be one of the most
effective tools to manage landscape wide natural resources in Egypt in an integrated
and comprehensive way
Certainly the resources encompassed within the Lake Dahshur site are worthy of inclusion
in the Protected Area Network of Egypt. In fact Lake Dahshur fulfills eight out
of 13 criteria proposed for protected area selection in Egypt’s Protected Area System
Plan (Baha El Din 1998). These criteria are the following:
1- Presence of habitats that are not, or are poorly represented in existing Protected
Areas in Egypt.
2- Esthetic landscape value.
3- Presence of cultural heritage sites (historic or prehistoric).
4- The area and its resources form an important part of the traditional life style
of a native population.
5- Value for ecotourism and recreation.
6- Value as a tool for regional planning and the promotion of sustainable development.
7- Area offers excellent educational and public awareness opportunities.
8- Value for scientific research.
Most of the management issues are symptomatic of larger issues
and root causes that affect the entire Egyptian landscape, such as limited urban
and land use planning, ineffective solid waste management, etc. These root causes
are unlikely to be addressed effectively at the local level, but the symptoms can
be remediated locally. Again the protected area frame work would provide an excellent
opportunity to effectively treat some of these symptomatic issues at the site level.
At the regional level the establishment of a protected area at Lake Dahshur will
complement and support the world heritage status of the Dahshur Pyramid archaeological
site and augment the conservation of the site in its integrity, providing an excellent
natural and ecological context for the invaluable archaeological treasures.