2Environmental Design Group, EDG Environmental Consultants, Planners, Architects,Landscape ArchitectsMustafa & Mohamed El-Khatibwww.edgegypt.com3Environmental Design Group, EDG Environmental Consultants, Planners, Architects,Landscape ArchitectsMustafa & Mohamed El-Khatibwww.edgegypt.comConsultants:Mustafa El KhatibArchitect and Head of EDGMohamed El KhatibTeam leader, ecotourism planner and trainerDr. Mohamed BasiounyEcologist, natural resources analysisMohsen RashadLocal handicrafts and Socio economic analysisHani ZakiEcotourism SpecialistCarman KwanEditorOsama YasinMap presentationAhmed AbulelaArchitect and head of eld workKhalil SalehField researcher and Maps preparationMahmoud NabetField researcher and Maps preparationMohamed HamamMaps preparationAkram HuseinMaps preparationMohamed SheplMaps preparation 456AcknowledgmentThe Fayoum Ecotourism Development plan 2005-2015 could not have been written without the supportof the EgyptianItalianEnvironmentalCooperationPrograms- Wadi Rayan Protected Area and Institutional support of SCA for Environmental Monitoring and Management, without the collaboration of Marco Marchetti - Italian Coordinator of the Egyptian Italian Environmental Cooperation Program-, of Carmela Grillone- CISS Project Manager, without the contribution ofCISSstaffinFayoum,andthesupportofFayoumTourism AuthorityGovernorateof Fayoum. TheEcotourismPlanwaseditedbyEDGConsultantsEnvironmentalDesignGroup-in December 2006. Special thanks go to Mohamed El Khatib for his advice and expertise. 891.INTRODUCTION Fayoum is Egypts foremost rural vacation destination that offers visitors an authentic and memorable experience. Fayoum uniquely combines spectacular lakes and scenery, history, culture and hospitality, anarrayofattractionsandlivingtraditionsthathelpshapeusintoanecotourismdestinationlikeno other.ThenaturalandculturalheritageresourcesoftheFayoumGovernorateareworldclass.Fayoums resources include rare fossil formations with international importance, extraordinary antiquities, unique cultural heritage, important biodiversity especially along the lakes, and remarkable scenic beauty. This region has the potential to attract a large tourist market and yet, the type of tourism that Fayoum currently receives is not fullling this potential.The local population and governorate also have concerns of thepresentminimaleconomicbenets of tourism.Appropriate access to these sites potentially offers asignicant departure from the conventional tourism development techniques currently being used byexisting tourism facilities now located along Fayoum.Traditional tourism and its diversication towardsecotourism can become economically important to the Fayoum governorate.Fayoum is one of the best destinations in Egypt for combining ecotourism with more popular forms of tourism.Visitors could be overwhelmed by the splendors of some of the world's best fossils recently designated in 2005 as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.Lake Qarun is also an Important Bird Area (IBA), internationally renowned for its wintering waterfowl.At the same time, Birders would enjoy the ancientpharaonicpyramids,tombsandtemplesnestledinthetimelesssceneryofthisdesertoasis. Fayoum has experienced signicant growth in the number of tourist visits in a short period of time afterthe declaration of Wadi El Hitan (Whale Valley) as a World Heritage Site in 2005.This escalation of the areaspopularitysuggeststhattheurgencytostudyandimplementtheplanningofdestinationsand individual attractions in a comprehensive and sustainable manner is becoming a priority to ensure that positive impacts from tourism are established for the people and natural resources of Fayoum. The Ecotourism for Sustainable Development in the Fayoum Governorate Project has been initiated todevelopecotourisminFayoumbasedonthesustainabledevelopmentofitsnatural,culturaland human resources in order to contribute to the poverty alleviation of the Governorate.The Project aims to preserve and increase the value of the environmental and cultural heritage of Fayoum while promoting theareaasanattractivedestinationforlocalandinternationalvisitors.TheproposedEcotourism activities focus on sustainable tourism development in the Fayoum Governorate and will contribute to the national efforts in promoting ecotourism and diversication of the existing tourism product of Egypt.The main purpose of this document consists of following four areas: 1. To explore the constraints and opportunities related to ecotourism development within the territory of Fayoum 2. To analyze priority elds of development3. To plan appropriate implementation strategies4. To provide a guidelines and regulatory framework for ecotourism development in FayoumTheecotourismplanisdesignedtoprovidetheFayoumGovernoratewithanoverallassessment ofparticularconditionsrelatingtoecotourismdevelopmentactivityandtoputforwardmajor strategiesandactionstepsnecessarytoincreasecapacityinecotourismdevelopmentinFayoum. Asaresult,theFayoumGovernoratewillhavethenecessarytoolstoplanandmanageecotourism, 10basedonabroaderunderstandingoftheresourcesandexistingconstraints.Thisalsoimpliesthat appropriate forms of promotion and monitoring for the existing and planned ecotourism activities will be developed,andthattheoverallmanagementandconservationofthenaturalandculturalheritageof Fayoum Governorate will be strengthened. TheprojectisimplementedbytheItalianNGOInternationalCooperationSouth-SouthCISS.The GovernmentalcounterpartoftheprojectistheFayoumGovernorate,asrepresentedbytheFayoum Tourism Authority (FTA).The planning process is coordinated by the CISS and FTA Steering Committee, andinvolvestheeffortsofmorethan50individualsrepresentingstakeholders.Theseincludethe AdministrationofNatureConservationSector,RegionalOfce of Tourism Development Authority,municipaladministrations,membersoftheEgyptiantourismfederation,NGOs,entrepreneurs,Local people, tourism businesses and investors. The planning approach is based on the principals of participatory planning. Therefore, the project team started the planning process with a workshop with the stakeholder representatives from local and national levels. Extensive discussions were conducted with public sector and governorate leaders, including the GovernorandSecretaryGeneraloftheGovernorate.Keyissueswereidentied, including the needfor an ecotourism plan infrastructure and service improvement, marketing support, and environmental education for the local population.The participants agreed that more cooperative action by the public and private sector is urgently needed.Also, the participants addressed recommendations for a sustainable tourism strategy that could be incorporated into the ecotourism plan.The Ecotourism Action Plan reects the priorities and strategic goals for the development of Fayoumas an ecotourism destination in general.The plan is a tool which local and regional authorities have the opportunity to monitor and ensure implementation of the strategic priorities in the eld of ecotourism.Itrequires working in partnership with the interested parties such as: governmental organizations, NGOs, businesses and local communities. 1.1 Value and Strategic Signicance of FayoumInternationally Important Fossil Site Fayoum contains globally important fossil deposits: one of Egypts most exciting and elusive treasures. Mainly from the Eocene and Oligocene periods, they include shells, sharks, whales, marshland creatures like sea-cows, giant turtles, crocodilians; trace fossils, and mammals, including primates.Most of these fossilsarefoundintheexposedstrataofthehillsandmountainswithinandsurroundingFayoums depression.According to Elwyn L. Simons 1986, a leading authority in the eld, Fayoum provides uswith an unrivaled view of the evolution of Africas early Tertiary plants and animals. Simons et al 1986.

11In July 2005 the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO nominated Wadi Al Hitan area as World Heritage Site (natural) and recommended to extend in the future the heritage site to include Gabal Qatrani for its rich mammalian fossils. Internationally Important Bird SiteIn1999,BirdLife,aninternationalfederationfortheconservationofbirdspeciesandtheirhabitats, recognized the international importance of the Lake Qarun and Wadi El Rayan for bird conservation by including it on its list of Important Bird Areas IBA (Baha el Din, 1999). The latter are dened as placesofinternationalsignicance for the conservation of birds at the global, regional or sub-regional level. LakeQarunispartofaRamsarwetlandsitesandaSpeciallyProtected Area,undertheBarcelona Convention, in Egypt and internationally renowned for its wintering waterfowl. More than 213 of resident and migratory bird species have been identied in Fayoum.

One of the rst settled communities in the worldThe prehistoric people who lived in Fayoum were, at rst, nomadic hunters and gatherers, but later beganharvesting plants near Lake Qarun. This developed into what is considered to be the earliest agricultural area in the world dated to over 7000 years, where fences were erected and guarded warehouses built. The basalt paved road in the northern part of Lake Qarun is renowned to be possibly the rst paved roadin the world and dates back to over 4,500 years.Also, the world's rst dam is speculated to have beenbuilt here in order to control the Nile oods into the area.Inaddition,theGreekmummyportraitsfoundinFayoumaregloballywellknownastheworld'srsttrue-lifeportraits.146FayoumPortraitswerefoundinthecemeterynorthofthepyramidofHawara, and examples can be seen at Kom Oshim museum and in the Egyptian Antiquities Museum in Cairo. Andnally, Fayoum is renowned for its special irrigation system served by numerous water wheelsintroduced by the Ptolemy in the 3rd century.12AccessibilityFayoum benets signicantly from its nearby location to Cairo and its easy access along several wellpaved highways for localand internationaltourists. Day trips for localexpatriatesand Egyptiansare a mere 45-60 minute travel time while the large numbers of international tourists arriving from Cairos international airport can travel conveniently en route from the Giza pyramids plateau. Cairo international airport which receive regularly scheduled commercial ights transport tourists from all over the world islocated approximately 90 kilometers north of Fayoum and this distance can be easily taken within one hour. An additional air route that is under consideration is the Kom Oshim military air base.There is intent from the government of Egypt to allow public airlines to use this military air base when the numbers of tourist reach the critical mass of economic operation. Kom Oshim military air base can easily receive directinternationalights with minimal costs (30 million Egyptian pounds) for improvements to therunway and passenger reception buildings. This decision will enhance the accessibility of Fayoum as a future active destination.Diversity of resourcesThe diversity of Fayoums ecosystems provides huge potential for combining different types of tourism products in the same area. A unique blend of climate and geology create a fascinating landscape in this desert region where the sandy desert, lush green oasis and lakes of Fayoum meet.In fact, the lush and varied life of Fayoums ecosystems far surpasses that of all other areas in Egypt.ThevarietyofecosystemsoffersagoodopportunitytodiversifythetourismproductofFayoumto include different types of unconventional tourism packages such as ecotourism, rural tourism, scientictourism,desertsafariwithmorepopularformsoftourism.Birdwatchers,amateurarcheologistsand paleontologolists,enthusiasts,adventurerscouldallnd an aspect of Fayoum to enjoy and discover. From pharaonic pyramids, tombs and temples to waterfowl in sensitive ecosystems and fossils unique to Egypt, visitors will have many options of activities and discovery in Fayoum.

13 In1989,thegovernmentofEgyptdeclaredLakeQuarunandWadiElRayanasprotectedareasto conserve the unique resources of Fayoum. Now, the two protectorate areas offer a good opportunity to support ecotourism development in Fayoum. The Gateway of the North Africa desert OasesFayoum is a representative example of the Oases of the great North African Sahara desert in its form, origin, geologic formation, culture and ecosystem. Thestrategic location of Fayoum as a separate Oasis on the western boundaries of the Nile Valley give it the opportunity to be the gateway to the region of the north Africa desert Oases extending from Egypt to Morocco.All trans-desert safaris for North Africa Sahara can end or start in Fayoum.Fayoum can be part of one package regional trans-desert safari exploring the Egyptian Oases (Baharia, Farafra, and Siwa), Libyan Oases (Gaghbob, Kofra) Tunisian Oases(Metmata,Tataween,Doz,NAFTA)AlgerianOases(WadiMozab)andtheMoroccanOases (Aghaylas, Fosht, Beir Anzran, Oyoun). 1.2 Previous Plans and Policies Oneofthemajorobjectivesoftheprojectistoassess,updateandmodifytheprevioustourism development plans and policies created in the last decade.The team has reviewed the previous plans, technical appendices as well as the work prepared for tourism development in the Fayoum Governorate including the following studies: "Indicative tourism development plan for Lake Quarun and Wadi El Rayan" prepared by TDA, 1991 "Horizon of the Development in the Fayoum Governorate" prepared by Cairo university, Fayoum branch and Fayoum Governorate, 1998."Ecotourism for sustainable development in the Fayoum Oasis" prepared by TDA and NSCE, 2000. "Preparatory phase for ecotourism in Fayoum", prepared by NSCE, 2004. Conservation management plan of Wadi El Rayan protected area, prepared by nature conservation sector, EEAA, funded by the Italian Cooperation, 2001 The preparatory phase for ecotourism in Fayoum. Prepared by Fayoum Governorate in cooperation with North South Consultants Exchange NSCE, funded by the Royal Dutch Embassy in Cairo, 2004.Tourism Development Plan For the northern Coast of Lake Quarun, prepared by TDA, 2004 Careful analysis has shown that very few of the above mentioned plans and its suggested approaches have been implemented.Issues of the regional economic crisis, conicts between relevant authorities,lack of nancial resources, environmental deterioration, language barriers, and availability of documents,local awareness and lack of specicity can be seen as some of the reasons for the difculty and inabilityof implementation.14In 1991 the Tourism Development Authority (TDA) prepared the tourism development indicative plan for Lake Quorun and Wadi El Rayan areas to utilize the unlimited tourist potential of the region, and create new tourism activities based on environmentally sound regulations to protect the environment of the two protectorates. The indicative tourism plan provided a comprehensive list of guidelines and regulations to control tourism development in Fayoum. In 1995 a new accord was signed between the TDA and the Fayoum governorate under the request of the governorate to change number of regulation items of the indicative plan to help the governorate to attract more investors. These changes included: Reduction of the buffer zone and the setback line of the southern shore of Lake Quorun on the birdhabitat zones to 30 meters instead of 250 meters Permission for limited number of motor boats in lake Quorun (10 boats) in a certain period out of the season of bird migration These modications caused a conict with the protection status of Lake Quarun. The tourism activitiesin the southern shore of the Lake caused a lot of damage to the bird habitats especially in the eastern part of the lake which include the critical habitats for water birds. Unfortunately, no more investors came to invest in Fayoum after these modications in tourism regulations.Instead, a lot of damage to birdhabitats was the result. In 2000, the Egyptian Tourism Development Authority and the Royal Netherlands Embassy commissioned a study on the potential benets of ecotourism in creating jobs and arresting environmental degradationin Fayoum. The study showed that the potential for community, nature and culture based ecotourism in Fayoum, with its lakes and bird sanctuaries, pristine desert areas that include fossil remains of world importance, varied cultural heritage sites and rural quietude, is very high. Yet, the type of tourism that Fayoum currently receives is not fullling this potential and the economic benets of tourismare minimalfor the local population and the governorate.In2001,theNatureConservationSectorofEEAApreparedthemanagementplanofWadiElRayan ProtectedArea(WRPA).TheprojectsupportingWRPAwasfundedbytheItalianCooperationwith technical assistance provided through the IUCN (The World Conservation Union). The management plan dened the key resources and habitats of the Wadi El Rayan Protected area and the relative sensitivityof its resources. Accordingly, the management plan dened the management of sub-zones accordingto the IUCN categories and identied the acceptable uses and activities within these management sub-zones. In 2004, the Fayoum Governorate in cooperation with North South Consultants Exchange (NSCE) carried out a preparatory phase for ecotourism in Fayoum. The project was funded by the Royal Dutch Embassy in Cairo and implemented by NSCE. The project aimed to test a number of ecotourism activities and promote a number of micro enterprises for local people in addition to implementing training courses for the local target groups. The project successfully managed the following activities: Developed 4 different ecotourism itineraries that were handed over to the private sector Put the village of Nazla on the list of tourism attractions of the Governorate Developedservicesanditinerariestoconduct14hourcamelexplorationtoursthroughrural Fayoum15 Developed 2 nature-based tourism products inside Wadi Rayan Protected Area Developed a network of trained bird watching guides Developed a network of trained ecotourism guides Documented geo-paleontological heritage, mapped out and pilot tested tourism itineraries in Gebel Qatrani/Wadi Hitan Mobilized and secured additional resources for ecotourism development in Fayoum CreatedawarenessonwhatEcotourismisandinitiatedimprovedplanningandmanagementof potential tourism resources. The project also addressed the challenges facing ecotourism development in Fayoum, but the project didnt give an answer for how to resolve these challenges and problems in a comprehensive approach. The scope of the project was only to test the potentials of ecotourism activities in Fayoum and apply a number of different activities with local people. The planning approach for ecotourism was completely absent from the project components.Map 1 the Tourism Development Centers in the northern coast of Lake Quarun, by TDA, 2004In2004,theTourismDevelopment AuthoritypreparedaTourismDevelopmentPlanforthenorthern coast of Lake Quarun in order to realize the development potential of this area.The plan aimed to create newgrowthcentersandnewinvestmentOpportunities.Theprimarytypesoftourismdevelopment encouragedfortheplanwerelakefrontresortsandtouristvillages.Thedevelopmentplanofthe northern coast of Lake Quarun dened three Tourism Development Centers TDC, the rst in the west,the second in the middle and the third in the east. The total carrying capacity of these centers is 2850 hotel rooms, and 4200 tourist housing units (villas, chalets, and apartments as secondary housing units). The target total investment will reach 4 billion pounds. The main target was poverty alleviation and job creation for the local people. The total number of job opportunities targeted by the development plan is 40000 direct and indirect employees. 16One of the major concerns of the proposed development pattern is the target market. The target market dependsonmasstourismwhichitsneedsandinterestsdonotmatchwiththetourismproductof Fayoum. The product image of Fayoum is based on fossils, bird watching, lake activities, desert safari and rural life. All of these resources may be of partial interest to the mass tourism market but not enough to establish a new destination for the clientele.The proposed mass development may result in signicant environmental costs.The mass growth oftourismdevelopmentandnaturalresourceutilizationinthenorthernpartofLakeQuarunwillhavea variety of negative environmental impacts.For example, the tourism development pattern will alter the shoreline, damage several fossil deposits of Gebel Qatrani in different locations, and reduce the land habitats of many bird species.The environmental deterioration caused by this mass tourism development demonstrates a pattern of unsustainable resource use that adversely affects both environmental quality, and economic investment.It is important and compelling to end on the note the international commitment and recognition of Fayoum areas environmental heritage signicance. From 2005, the Nature Conservation Sector and the ItalianCooperationincoordinationwiththeNationalCommissionofUNESCOpreparedthenominationleof Wadi El Hitan to be submitted to the International Heritage Center of UNESCO to nominate Wadi El Hitan as a World Heritage Site (WHS.) In Durban, South Africa 2005, UNESCO declared Wadi El Hitan asWHSandalsoproposedGebelQatraniasapotentialsiteforWHS. ThisdesignationofWadiEl Hitan and recognition of Gebel Qatrani by UNESCO is an opportunity for responsible and sustainable ecological renewal of Fayoum.172. THE MARKET PROFILE2.1 Current Demand TheexistingtourismdemandinFayoumtendstobeseasonal,withapeakperiodduringthecooler months between September and April. The demand essentially depends on short-staying and one-day tripsbecauseofitscloseproximitytoCairowithlessthan10%spendingthenightinthearea.The majority of visitors are domestics with foreign visitors forming a small fraction of the visitations.The vast majority of visitors come mainly on weekends and public holidays.For example, over 25,000 entered the Wadi El Rayan protected area during the one-day holiday of Sham el Neseem in 2000. Most visitors come in small family parties or in groups of friends, but larger groups from schools, companies and other organizations also visit the area. (Mindy Baha el Din 2001) Visitors to the protected areas of Fayoum dened as Egyptian and foreigner visitors, in general, havecompletely different interests.Egyptian visitors tend to engage in beach tourism and congregate in the waterfall area, where they patronize the cafeterias, have picnics, engage in sports, sh, swim andtakeboatrides.Foreigners,ontheotherhand,alongwithasmallbutgrowingnumberofupwardly mobileEgyptianprofessionals,avoidthecrowdsandvisitthemoreremotesectionsoftheprotected areas. These individuals are more outdoors oriented - camping, hiking, watching birds, viewing fossils and photographing nature. The table (1) representing the number of visitors to Fayoum in the last ten years.AccordingtothestatisticsoftheFayoumTourismAuthority2005,theGermantouristscomeinthe rst rate representing 13% of the foreign tourists in Fayoum, followed by the Italians and French withthesamerate11%.The Americansrepresent7%oftheforeigntouristsinFayoum.Thesedataare presented in Table (2) below.Table (1) visitors to Fayoum 1996-2005Year Foreigners Arabs Egyptians Hotel guests1996 14974 658 37448 247411997 17846 399 65843 290921998 7091 751 35132 194881999 14974 658 37448 247412000 18261 384 34195 236562001 16255 585 37295 281822002 16473 622 35696 262792003 13405 743 47380 275712004 15364 768 47315 322812005 18288 879 56026 32964Source: Fayoum Tourism Authority FTA 200518 Table (2) Foreign Visitors to Fayoum 1997-2005Years German French USA British Italian Israel Others total1997 4777 1111 959 527 1157 1290 8025 178461998 1053 640 574 367 668 448 3341 70911999 2304 1631 1000 492 1774 632 7141 149742000 3085 1679 1170 425 1654 348 9900 182612001 3264 1475 1193 720 1189 235 8179 162552002 2254 2359 852 581 1421 264 8742 164732003 1228 1888 599 588 1098 238 7766 134052004 2076 1641 1020 614 1638 244 8121 153642005 2345 1923 1387 800 1951 374 9508 18288Source: Fayoum Tourism Authority FTA 20052.2 Season of Use It is critically important to accurately dene the seasons of operation in Fayoum. The seasons of useare normally dened as a high, low, and shoulder season. The high season consists of the months thatare most attractive to visitors. The low season is the least attractive time for visitation. And the shoulder seasonsaredened as brief time periods in which a specic tourist market may be attracted to theregion. The duration of the seasons has a direct effect upon the investors ability to realize a positive return on their investment. Obviously, maximizing seasonal use of ecotourism facilities should contribute to increasing the return on investment.To improve the tourism industry, the shoulder and summer seasons need to be developed and enhanced. Underthesetwoseasonsanumberofdevelopmentopportunitiesexistandhavethepotentialof increasing overall visitation, length of stay and tourism revenues. Three elements dene the seasonal attractiveness of Fayoum destination including: 1. Climate assessment by: Temperature Precipitation Hours of daylight Climatic hazards - e.g. ash oods, sand storms, etc. 2. Environmental attractions by type and abundance of the following: Wildlife migration events by species - land, bird, marine Botanical changes, e.g. Foliage, blossoms, crops, etc. 3. National/religious holidays, cultural/art events and traditional festivals 2.2.1 High Season The high season in the Fayoum Governorate would extend from approximately November to the rstweek of April. The most popular month for tourism in the region has historically been November because of the favorable weather conditions and the greatest abundance of wildlife.The high season for water based recreational activities could conceivably extend all year. Currently, the 19highseasonforwater basedactivitiesthroughoutWadiElRayanandQuarunlakesisapproximately OctoberthroughMarch.However,asthewaterbasedactivitiesandfacilitiesatthelakesbecome operationalandintegratedwithotherecotourismactivitiesinFayoum,thewaterbasedrecreation season will most probably lengthen in duration.2.2.2 Low Season Asaresultoftheextremeheatandhyper-aridityduringthelatespringandthroughoutthesummer months, mid-May through mid-September, it would be extremely hot to conduct tours through dessert areas generally. TheambienttemperatureinthedesertareasoftheFayoumdepressionaverage40to50Cduring late June through August. The high temperature in summer makes it difcult for visitors to successfullyacclimate to these harsh conditions. The supply of water and medicines is another signicant concern.2.2.3 Shoulder Season Theverybriefshoulderseasonswouldbespringtime,dened as approximately mid- April throughmid-May,andearlyautumn,dened as late-September through October. These time periods maybeparticularlyattractivetolandscapeandnaturephotographerswhowishtotakeadvantageofthe extraordinarily pure light, tolerable temperatures and the absence of other people in the area.2.3 Current Supply The current tourism development in the Fayoum region is concentrated in the southern shore of Lake QarunandFayoumCity. Atthepresenttime,notourismfacilitiesexistatthenorthernshoreofthe Lake or in Wadi El Rayan except the desert safari camp on the lower Lake of Wadi El Rayan. In the last decade, the tourism pattern was depending on the market of secondary housing units for domestic touristsespeciallyfromCairo.Thismarkethasthreeprimaryareas.Therst area stretches alongtheeasternshoreofLakeQarun,thesecondareaislocatedinthemiddleofthelakeshorearound ShakshokvillageincludingOberghotel,militaryforceshotel,PanoramaandnewPanoramavillage, and the third one in the western part of Lake Qarun including Tunis, Al Roboaa, and the village of Misr company for construction.There is a lack of objective data on customer satisfaction in terms of value for money, service quality, safety and security, environmental conditions, health and sanitation, tour guide services, land and water transportation, operation of cultural heritage sites and monuments, and similar concerns. International best practices are not evident. Fayoum has a limited number of accommodation facilities; (370 hotel rooms) many operate with relatively lowoccupancyrates,oroperatingbelowtheircapacityespeciallyduringtheshoulderandsummer seasons. This indicates that there is still capacity within the existing accommodations base to absorb incrementaldemand,ratherthanbuildingnewhotelsatleastintheshoulderandsummerseasons. Table (3) representing the existing hotel rooms capacity in the Fayoum in 2005. 20Despitecurrentvacanciesinsummerandshoulderseasons,thequalityandquantityofexisting tourism facilities and accommodations are still inadequate to support the target tourism development in Fayoum. Table (3) the existing Hotel rooms in the Fayoum 2005 Hotel Name Category Location No. of roomsAuberge Du Lac 5 stars S. Lake Qarun 81Military Force Hotel 5 stars S. Lake Qarun 57New Panorama 4 Stars S. Lake Qarun 57El Waha village 2 Stars S. Lake Qarun 18Selien Chalets 2 Stars Ain Selien 24Duck Island 2 stars S. Lake Qarun 20Honey Day 2 stars Fayoum City 25Queen Hotel - Fayoum City 16Montaza Hotel - Fayoum City 20Palace Hotel - Fayoum City 25Teachers hotel - Fayoum City 20Zad El Mosafer - S. Lake Qarun 7Total370Source: Fayoum Tourism Authority FTA 2005

21The existing land ownership and authority of the shorelines of Lake Quarun and Wadi El Rayan Lakes in the Fayoum governorate are shared among several government jurisdictions and governed by different laws, Ministerial and Prime Ministerial decrees including1 : Presidentialdecreeno.445fortheyear1992fordelimitationofthearea3kmwideofthecoastal landsaroundtheshorelineofLakeQarunforTourismDevelopmentAuthorityTDA.Thisareais primarily dedicated to the development of tourism projects under the auspices of the TDA. Primeministerialdecreeno.943fortheyear1989accordingtolawNo.102/1983oftheprotected areasinEgyptfordeclarationofLakeQuarunandWadiElRayanasmultipleuseprotectedareas managed by Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency EEAA The decree of the Minister of Agriculture no. 1054, for the year 1986 for the allocation of 1000 feddan in Wadi Rayan for land reclamation projects managed by Agriculture Development Authority ADA. Supreme Council of Antiquities SCA. The Fayoum governorate - Authority of state ownership Previousexperienceprovesthatwhenanauthorityarbitrarilychangesruleswithoutconsultation, conict results2 . Map 2 Land Jurisdictions in the Fayoum 1See the map named land jurisdictions 2See the map entitled Land Jurisdictions in the Fayoum223. ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL SETTINGEssentially,theproductsthatecotourismoffersaretheuniquecollectionsofnaturalandcultural resourcesofferedbyaparticulararea.Therefore,environmentalinformationplaystwovitalrolesin ecotourism planning.First, an environmental inventory of natural attractions is essential for determining an areas potential for becoming a viable ecotourism destination.Second, environmental information concerning the sensitivity or vulnerability of different areas to human activity identiescritical environmentalmanagement issues that need to be addressed in order to achieve sustainability.Theextensiveeld work and literatures review identied, mapped, and researched Tens of uniquefeatures.These features include: 1. more than ( 55 ) ancient heritage, sites 2. more than (10) cultural sites, 3. Tens of fossils, and geological feature sites, 4. Tens of critical wildlife habitats andrich diversity of wildlife species including : i. More than (213) bird species. ii. more than ( 36 ) native plant species, and ( 108 ) agriculture plantsiii. more than ( 38 ) land mammal speciesiv. more than ( 37 ) sh and shrimp species3.1 Natural heritage resources3.1.1 PaleontologyWadiAl-Hitanisthemostimportantsiteintheworldtodemonstrateoneoftheiconic changes that make up the record of life on Earth: the evolution of the whales. It portrays vividlytheirformandmodeoflifeduringtheirtransitionfromlandanimalstoamarine existence.Itexceedsthevaluesofothercomparablesitesintermsofthenumber, concentration and quality of its fossils, and their accessibility and setting in an attractive and protected landscape. It accords with key principles of the IUCN study on fossil World Heritage Sites, and represents signicant values that are currently absent from the WorldHeritage List.The World Heritage CommitteeFayoum contains some of Egypts best fossil deposits laid down 30-40 million years ago, and marine sedimentary cretaceous period 70 million years ago in the ancient Libyan River.This includes some of international importance, which modern scholars have called "the best known Paleocene site in Africa". The Eocene Birket Qarun formation yields a diversity of reptile and mammal fossils, and in the rocks of the Pliocene are fossils of land animals, crocodiles and tortoises and petried wood.3See annex (2) Ecotourism Resources inventory of the Fayoum23Mangrove Fossil Fifteentypesofanimaltrailfossils(ichnofossils) hasbeenidentied and classied consist ofcommunalnestingsocialinsectsliketermites andants,burrowinginvertebrates,wormsand excavators.GebelQatranicontainsthe"most importantassemblageasyetdescribedfrom uvial rocks of the world".Also, further evidencethattheareawasacoastalplainatonetime isfoundalongthebaseoftheGebelQatrani FormationatMadwaral-Bighal,consistingof Mangrove rhizoliths.The petried wood is scattered in different areas in Fayoum.In particular, the north area of LakeQarun has very diverse and beautiful samples. This is certainly one of our clues that the region was at one time a tropical climate. Thirteendifferentbirdfossilfamilieshavebeenidentied in Fayoum, of which only two are extinct.These birds includeospreys(Pandionidae) and the giganticshoebilledstork (Balaenicipitidae).Other bird fossils discovered include the jacanas, herons, egrets, rails (Rallidae), cranes (Gruidae), amingos(Phoenicopteridae), storks (Cinconiidae), cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae), and an ancient eagle named Accipitridae.There are at least twenty orders of mammal fossils in Fayoum. Some of these animals were natives of Africa, while others migrated from Eurasia. While a large Hyrax (megalohyrax oecaenus) was probably the most common mammal of the Fayoum, some of the most interesting animals included the Arsinoiherium, various Elephants and mastodons, as well as the Zeuglodon, Fayoum's famous whale. Turtle fossils are the most common reptiles found in Fayoum, including Testudo ammon. Other interesting reptiles are the gigantic snake fossils, including Gigantophis, measuring some 9 meters (29 feet), found in the Qasr al-Sagha Formation with the sea snake Pterosphernus. Also, the Tomistoma, and crocodile type animal. 24Theremainsofninespeciesofprimate,includingthe Dawn Apediscoveredin1965,havebeenfoundinthe Oligocene Gebel Qatrani formation and existed between 28and35millionyearsago.Thesearethemost investigatedfossilsintheregion.Fayoumsprimates includeAegyptopithecuszeuxisandfourspeciesof Propliopithecus, consisting of P. chirobates, P. ankeli, P. haeckeli and P. markgra. Fayoums fossils provide key insights into many aspects of mammalian evolution in the Old World. The impressive list of Fayoum fossil vertebrates includes:1.Anthracotheres-agroupofartiodactyl(even-toedungulates),hippopotamus-likeungulates, 2.Arsinitheres(OrderEmbrithopoda-extinct)-large,rhinoceros-likeungulateswhichhaveno descendants, 3. Creodonts (Order Creodonta) - archaic, hyaena-like hunters and scavengers who constituted the main predators during the early Tertiary, but which later were replaced by modern carnivores, 4.Gianthyracoid(OrderHyracoidean)-primitiveungulates,someattainingthesizeofboars whose earliest representatives dated from the Fayoum Oligocene, 5. Proboscideans (Order Proboscidea) - including ancestral forms that shed light on the evolution of the mastodons and the modern elephants;6. Barytheres (Order Barytheria) - unusual elephant-like forms that left no descendants (their exact taxonomic position is unknown but they are generally placed closest to the proboscideans);7.Basilosaurs-ancestralwhaleswithexternallimbsthatlinkolderland-dwellingungulatesto modern cretaceans;8.Sirenians(seacows)(OrderSirenia),rodents(Rodentia),bats(Chiroptera),jumpingshrews (Macroscelidea), 9. Insectivores including the new order Ptolemaiida,10. Marsupials (Diprotodonta), the rst known fromAfrica,11.PrimatesincludingthegeneraApidium,Oligopithecus,Parapithecus,Propliopithecus,and Aegyptopithecus3.1.2GeologyThe present depression of Fayoum was formed at least 1.8 million years ago, probably by wind erosion in the desert. The basin then subsided relative to the Nile, allowing the river to break through in oodand deposit fertile alluvial sediments.25Theremainsofninespeciesofprimate,includingthe Dawn Apediscoveredin1965,havebeenfoundinthe Oligocene Gebel Qatrani formation and existed between 28and35millionyearsago.Thesearethemost investigatedfossilsintheregion.Fayoumsprimates includeAegyptopithecuszeuxisandfourspeciesof Propliopithecus, consisting of P. chirobates, P. ankeli, P. haeckeli and P. markgra. Fayoums fossils provide key insights into many aspects of mammalian evolution in the Old World. The impressive list of Fayoum fossil vertebrates includes:1.Anthracotheres-agroupofartiodactyl(even-toedungulates),hippopotamus-likeungulates, 2.Arsinitheres(OrderEmbrithopoda-extinct)-large,rhinoceros-likeungulateswhichhaveno descendants, 3. Creodonts (Order Creodonta) - archaic, hyaena-like hunters and scavengers who constituted the main predators during the early Tertiary, but which later were replaced by modern carnivores, 4.Gianthyracoid(OrderHyracoidean)-primitiveungulates,someattainingthesizeofboars whose earliest representatives dated from the Fayoum Oligocene, 5. Proboscideans (Order Proboscidea) - including ancestral forms that shed light on the evolution of the mastodons and the modern elephants;6. Barytheres (Order Barytheria) - unusual elephant-like forms that left no descendants (their exact taxonomic position is unknown but they are generally placed closest to the proboscideans);7.Basilosaurs-ancestralwhaleswithexternallimbsthatlinkolderland-dwellingungulatesto modern cretaceans;8.Sirenians(seacows)(OrderSirenia),rodents(Rodentia),bats(Chiroptera),jumpingshrews (Macroscelidea), 9. Insectivores including the new order Ptolemaiida,10. Marsupials (Diprotodonta), the rst known fromAfrica,11.PrimatesincludingthegeneraApidium,Oligopithecus,Parapithecus,Propliopithecus,and Aegyptopithecus3.1.2GeologyThe present depression of Fayoum was formed at least 1.8 million years ago, probably by wind erosion in the desert. The basin then subsided relative to the Nile, allowing the river to break through in oodand deposit fertile alluvial sediments.Fayoums depression is a closed triangular basin bounded by three faults. These faults are supposedly found on both sides of the depression (East and West) and along Lake Qarun. The land between these faults, dropped to form the depression.The geologic map of the depression reveals the following features: The oldest rocks in the depression are the Eocene limestone found in the north and the south where they are covered by blown sand. Oligocene deposits overlie Upper Eocene rocks at Qasr Al- Sagha. Pliocene deposits appear in several places on the western side of the Nile valley divided between the Nile and the depression. Pleistocene formations are distributed in a band around the whole depression. Basalt formations appear in a broad sector extending from East to West along the Northern edge of the depression. These formations are related to volcanic activities, which accrued in Egypt between the Eocene and Oligocene Epochs.The surface soils of Fayoum are heavy to light clays derived from Nile ood alluvium, with patches ofsandier soils towards the edges of the depression. Differences in soil type relate to topographic position relative to the central alluvial fan deposited by Nile oods. Soil are generally well-drained slightly salinecalcareous clays on the upper slopes of the fan, and poorly-drained saline to highly saline clays on the lower slopes and adjacent to the Lake Quarun.Map 3 Geological Map of the Fayoum263.1.3 LandformsFayoum is best characterized as a land of extreme contrasts.Most notably, this is one of the world's most arid regions, but within it you can nd three large lakes and green agricultural land covers largeportions of the region.High mountain peaks offer stark contrasts to the expansive coastal plains at the edge of the lakes.The abundance of water coming from the Nile via Bahr Yousef contrasts sharply with the hyper-aridity of the surrounding desert and its scarcity of biological species.The topography is a maze of cliffs, depressions, escarpments, plains, dunes, lakes and oases.The animal species that do inhabit Fayoum desert are exceedingly rare and therefore offer considerable attraction to tourists.The biologyoftheareaisfurtheraugmentedbyaremarkablediversityofbotanicalspeciesthatsurprise visitorswiththeirbrightcolorsandadaptabilitytoaridconditions.Contrastssuchasthesehavethe potential for providing genuinely unique ecotourism experiences.Fayoums depression is similar in many respects to the other depressions of the northern portion of the western desert. All are largely below the sea level, and they slope generally northward .The depressions areboundedbyscarpsandplateausinmostpartsandthusarebasinsofinternaldrainage.Butthe Fayoumdepressionhasadualpersonality;ithasthecharacteristicsofadesertdepressionwithno outlet to the sea, and it shares as well in the characteristics of the Nile valley and Delta.It is joined to the Nile via Bahr Youssef, which enters the depression from the east through the natural gap of Al-Lahun.There are numerous isolated hills, such as the roundish Gabal el Medawara facing the lakes, and Garet Gehannam, a good landmark on the way to Wadi el Hitan. There are many earth pillars and strange-shaped hillocks sculpted by the weathering action of blown sand and rain at Fayoum, such as Akhwat el Talata (Three Sisters Hill), while curious huge globular masses are met with in many places, especially Wadi el Battikh (Valley of Water Melons). These masses are weathered concretions that were worn by the water of the prehistoric Lake Morris (ancestor of Lake Quarun) when its level was falling. A large belt of longitudinal seif dunes occupies the oor of many parts of Fayoum. All of these natural and sculpturedlandscapes are unique features for nature photographers and provide scenic value for the ecotourism experience that can be offered to eco-tourists. Among major physiographic features of Fayoums depression are the following three sub-basins: Fayoums depression covers an area of about 12,000 sq. km, the surface of the depression slopes generally toward the north west where Lake Quarun is located. Lake Quarun occupies its northwestern section; the lake is 45m below the sea level. The rest of the depression slopes toward the lake from an elevation of 33 m above the sea level.27 Wadi El- Rayan depression is an uninhabited desert depression that covers an area of about 706 sq. km.The depression lies southwest of Fayoum, and is separated from it by a limestone ridge. A tunnel completed in 1973 transfers drainage waterfrom Fayoum to the lower parts of Wadi El- Rayan,formingthetwolakesofWadiEl-Rayan,coveringanareaofabout200squarekm.The surface of the depression slopes generally toward the southwest where the upper and lower lakes are located. The Lakes occupies the middle section of the depression and the upper lake is 5m below the sea level while the lower lake is still lling. Wadi Muwellih depression covers an area of about 9.5 sq km. The depression lies south of Wadi El Rayan and is separated from it by a dune eld comprising of sand dunes up to 30 m high.3.1.4 ClimateThe climate of the Fayoum depression is fairly typical of hyper-arid desert climates: scanty winter rainfall, hot and dry with bright sunshine throughout the year, extremely high summer maximum temperatures and moderately low winter minimum temperatures. According to climate norms from the meteorological stations in Fayoum, the average annual rainfall is 10.1 mm but this statistic masks great variability from year to year. In some years no rain falls, while asmuchas44mmhasbeenrecordedinoneday. Temperaturesintherainlesssummeraverage28 Cbutcanreachnearly48.8C. Adegreeormoreoffrostispossibleinwinternights.Highratesof evapotranspirationthroughouttheyearmakeFayoumoneofthemostaridplacesontheearth. The prevailing winds are north-west, north or north-east, resulting in the formation of extensive sand dunes.3.1.5 FloraFayoumislocatedinanextremelyaridregionandischaracterizedbyplantlifeadaptedtoextreme conditions. At least 36 native plant species and 108 agriculture plants have been recorded in the Fayoum governorate. Fayoum contains several types of vegetative communities including: Desert shrub community: Occuronminorvariationsduetosoilandmoisture conditions, throughout the area. Its plants share a number of adaptationsthat enable them to survive in this hostile environment. This community distributed as sparse desert ora in small patches in the low lands of the interduneanddesertplainareas. Thedesertshrubandsub-shrub plantsincludes:halfa,nitrariaretusa,Tamarixnilotica, Zygophyllum album, Phoenix dactylifera, alhagi maurorum, and Desmostachya bipinnata. 28Salt marsh community: Along the adjacent lands to the shoreline of the lakes of QarunandWadiEl-Rayanandaroundthesaltmarshes of Oyoun El Rayan springs, the wet Sabkha communities of salt tolerant plants (halophytes) prevail. A characteristic elementofthiscommunityistheTamarixspecies.The Salt marsh plants includes: Phragmittes Australis, Typha domingesis, Juncus sp. and Imperata cylindrica. Agriculture plants: The agriculture land of the Fayoum Governorate covers an area of about 330000 acres.Theagriculturalproductionbasedonfruittreesrepresents8.6%ofthecultivatedfruitlandof Egypt. The fruit trees in the study area include gs, olive, palmtrees as well as the other traditional cropssuch as vegetables, cotton, and wheat which are produced mostly for local consumption.

3.1.6 FaunaAlistof38landmammalswasidentied. (Basyouni1992) Several are now very rare or extinct, including the slenderhornedgazelle,Gazellesleptocerosleptoceros. The Fayoum population of this sub-species may represent the only survivors in the world and is now probably locally extinct(IUCN,2000).Otherkeywildlifespeciesinclude Gazellesdorcas(listedasanendangeredspecies), ubiquitousSandfox,Vulpesrueppelli,andFennecfox, Vulpeszerda.Themainfactorsofdecliningmammal's populations are loss of habitat, hunting and the widespread use of rodent poison. 29Salt marsh community: Along the adjacent lands to the shoreline of the lakes of QarunandWadiEl-Rayanandaroundthesaltmarshes of Oyoun El Rayan springs, the wet Sabkha communities of salt tolerant plants (halophytes) prevail. A characteristic elementofthiscommunityistheTamarixspecies.The Salt marsh plants includes: Phragmittes Australis, Typha domingesis, Juncus sp. and Imperata cylindrica. Agriculture plants: The agriculture land of the Fayoum Governorate covers an area of about 330000 acres.Theagriculturalproductionbasedonfruittreesrepresents8.6%ofthecultivatedfruitlandof Egypt. The fruit trees in the study area include gs, olive, palmtrees as well as the other traditional cropssuch as vegetables, cotton, and wheat which are produced mostly for local consumption.

3.1.6 FaunaAlistof38landmammalswasidentied. (Basyouni1992) Several are now very rare or extinct, including the slenderhornedgazelle,Gazellesleptocerosleptoceros. The Fayoum population of this sub-species may represent the only survivors in the world and is now probably locally extinct(IUCN,2000).Otherkeywildlifespeciesinclude Gazellesdorcas(listedasanendangeredspecies), ubiquitousSandfox,Vulpesrueppelli,andFennecfox, Vulpeszerda.Themainfactorsofdecliningmammal's populations are loss of habitat, hunting and the widespread use of rodent poison. Table (4)Threatened Mammalian Species in the FayoumCommon nameScientic name IUCN statusHabitatNational GlobalGiant Musk Shrew Crocidura avescensVUCultivated landsFlower's shrew Crocidura oweriENCultivated landsFennec Fox Vulpes zerdaENSand areasHyena Hyaena hyaenaENDesert marginsJungle Cat Felis chausVUSwampy and farmlandsWild Cat Felis silvestrisVUWadi and rocky areasDorcas Gazelle Gazelles dorcasENWadi and rocky areasSlender-Horned Gazelle Gazelles leptocerosCR ENWadi and rocky areasDuringthespringandautumn,aremarkablediversityofbirdsmigratesalongFayoumslakes.This migratory corridor represents a critically important primary route for birds traveling between the northern andsouthernhemispheres.LargenumbersofbirdstravelbetweenEuropeand Africa.International recognition of the importance of this yway has been established by Bird Life International, which hasdened 34 Important Bird Areas in Egypt.Fayoumwetlands, specially Lake Qarun has been describedas a wintering area of international importance for breeding, passing and over wintering migrating water birds.Nearly214birdspecieshavebeenrecordedintheFayoumarea,threequarteroftheseare migratory. Bird populations have been declining since the beginning of this century. The main reasons are illegal falconry and hunting. In 1989, a prime ministerial decree made the areas of Lake Qarun and Wadi El-Rayan as nature protectorates.All the common aquatic species found in the Nile occur also in Fayoums waters, although Lake Quarun has an impoverished freshwater fauna because of its high salinity.30Map 4 Wildlife habitats and bird watching spots in the Fayoum3.2 History and ArcheologyFayoum has an extremely interesting history linked with its function as a miniature Nile Valley, a garden inEgyptwithanimportantagriculturalfunction.FayoumhasseenhumanhabitationsinceNeolithic times, and a large number of signicant antiquities exist in this important Oasis. In Neolithic times (c.5500 to 4000 B.C.) two distinct groups existed around the lake shore: Early Neolithic Fayumian and Late Neolithic Moerian. During these periods the rst known agricultural communities ourished in Fayoum.The history of Fayoum is closely connected to that of the earliest stages o f what now is Lake Quarun. In the Pleistocene the lake was much larger than at present. Large basketry grain silos have been found to the north of Lake Qarun, dating to a period in which the pharaohs did not even exist.31DuringtheOldKingdom(c.2686-2181B.C.)Fayoum wasknownasTa-sheorShe-resy(theSouthernLake) and was dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek.The rstrealpyramidofEgyptwasbuiltattheborderofFayoum inMediumandseveralMiddleKingdomkingsbuilttheir pyramids in the shadow of this great example. The Middle Kingdom saw an enormous bloom of life in Fayoum. Efforts to control the swampy area resulted in some magnicentbuildings and statuary. Today there are only traces of the pedestals of two giant statues that once stood in Biahmu.During the 12th Dynasty's King AmenemhetI's rule, the area's importance was elevated because of his ingenious scheme to regulate the Nile oods using Fayoum as a regulator reservoir. At that time therewasanaturalcanalbetweentheNileandthelakeofQarun,Muslimsbelievethatitwasthebiblical Josephwhowidenedthecanal(Joseph'sCanalorBahrYoussef),andbuilttheworld'srst dam atEl Lahun to regulate the ow of water. During the Pharaoh time, Fayoum became Egypt's most fertileagricultural area and Amenemhet III loved the region to such an extent that he abandoned his pyramid at Dashur to build his colossi at Biahmu, Narmuthis, a temple dedicated to Sobek, and at Hawara, his new pyramid and the famous and then very popular Labyrinth 4. During Greek times (332-30 b.c) Fayoum was known as "the Marsh," before it was named the Arsinoite nome by Ptolemy Philadclphus in honor of his second wife (and sister). It was divided into a number of merides (districts), including Heracleides in the north. Themistos in the west, and Polemon in the south. NewsettlementsgrewthroughoutFayoumincludingKaranis,Bacchias.PhiladelphiaandDionysius. UnderGreekruletherewere114villagesinFayoum(onlysixtyexistedin1809).Therewasrivalry between villages and sometimes open hostility. They stole crops, good soil, and water rights from each other,justlikeGreekcitystates,medievalEuropeantowns,andmodernnationseverywhere.Bythe time of Ptolemy Euergetes II, Fayoum was in decline. The land was being reclaimed by the desert as canals clogged and the population diminished. The Greeks, under Ptolemy II, populated Fayoum with Greek veterans, Macedonians and other foreigners who began systematically improving the irrigation methods. TheyusedGreekinventionssuchasthe Archimedessscrewandthesakiyatoirrigatethe farmlands. 4See the map entitled Ancient Pharaoh and Greek-Roman sites in the Fayoum32

During the Roman Period (30 b.c.-a.d. 323), Egypt had to produce one third of the grain needed by Rome each year and Fayoum, with nearly ten percent of the cultivable total, earned the epithet "breadbasket of the Roman empire." Eventually Rome exacted too much from the farmers of Fayoum. Always rebellious, its population declined and the people, unpaid and overtaxed, were forced into serfdom. In 165, a plague descendedonEgyptandthemajorvillagesinFayoumsufferedconsiderably.Bythethirdandfourth centuries,communitieslikePhiladelphiaandBacchiasstoodabandoned.Bythemiddleofthethird century(323-642)therewasalargeChristiancommunityinFayourn. Thirty-ve monasteries existedduring the middle Ages, many secluded in the surrounding deserts. The Fayoum Portraits are the rst knownart of Portraits discoveredinFayoum.Theseglobally renownedpaintings are life-like and once bandaged in place over the faces of mummies, dating usually between the 1st and 3rd centuries A.D. Most of these portraits have now been detached from their mummies. Yet, they provide a wealth of information about the clothing, adornment and physical characteristics of Egypt's wealthier inhabitants. Many ancient mosques and water constructions (i.e. bridges) were built in Fayoum during the Islamic era (642-1798). The hanging mosque and Qaitbay Mosque are good examples for the Islamic building style in Fayoum.Two major ancient routes have been identied in Fayoum, the rst is oldest paved roadin the world dated as Old Kingdom, with a possibility of a Neolithic age and the second is the route of the Alexander the Great to Siwa passing through the western desert oases via Wadi Rayan, Baharia, Bahr Balama, Qasr, Zabu, and Sitra 5. 5See the map entitled Ancient Coptic and Islamic sites in the Fayoum33More than 55 ancient heritage sites have been recorded in Fayoum.Fayoum has made a signicantcontribution to our understanding of the history of ancient empires of Fayoum such as Pharos, Greek-Roman, Coptic and Islamic empire.Table (5) Major periods in human antiquity in the Fayoum 6.Human period Years agoPre-Acheulen 900000Acheulen 50000Pleistocene 10000HoloceneTerminal Paleolithic 9000Neolithic 6000Bronze 2000Pharaonic B.C.Old Kingdom B.CMiddle Kingdom B.CNew Kingdom 1570-1070B.C.Late Period B.CGreek period B.CRoman period 30 BC to 323A.D.Christian Era 323 A.D. to 641 A.D.Islamic Era 641 A.D. to 1798French occupation 1798-1811 A.D.Rule under Muhammad Ali 1811-1848 A.D.British Occupation 1882-1954A.D.6 Modied from (Vivian, 2000)34Map 5 Ancient Pharaoh and Greek- Roman Sites in FayoumMap 6 Ancient Coptic and Islamic sites in the Fayoum353.3 Handicrafts and Local CultureFayoumoffersvisitorsaglimpseintotraditionalEgyptianrurallifestylewithrichandcomplexethnic culturalgroupscontainingfarmers,Bedouins,andshermen living together in the same region. Thetourprogramscancombinetheexperienceoflocallifestylesanditsrelatedtypesofproductsand activitiessuchaspoetry,basketry,traditionalstorytelling,falconryexhibitions,andtraditionalshing.Many villages in Fayoum have outstanding traditional handicrafts expressive of the history and traditions of local people in Fayoum. The abundance of palm trees and clay found in Fayoum are the reasons how the basketry industry began here. Travelers will visit local villages such as Nazla, and Tunis the master craft centers of pots and open heritage museums that explains the culture, traditions, and many uses of pottery.Intensive eld investigations have been carried out with the craft producers in Shakshok, Tunis, Kahek,El-Nazla, Fedimin, El-Agamyin, El-Nassariyah and El-A'lam. Also, many vendors in various locations in the road of Lake Qarun, Fayoum city and in Ein-Elsellin were investigated during the eld visits.Investigationswiththeindividualsandgroupshavebeencarriedoutusingtheparticipatorystrategic planningmethodology.Thisapproachhelpsthecrafts'producerstoeffectivelyproposemanyideas focusingonthedevelopmentofthecraftsinthecontextofplannedecotourismdevelopmentinthe Fayoum. The Fayoum governorate has long been known for its distinct handicrafts and specically thefollowing products 7 .3.3.1 Basketry and Palm ProductsSince the beginning of history, Palm trees played an important role in the life of the Fayoum farmers. Some call it "the life tree" due to its various uses specically to farmers. The farmers use the palm treesin making many products. The areas planted with palm trees in Fayoum reach 7500 feddan. These areas contain almost 1.7 million fruitful palm trees spreading in most of the villages of Fayoum especially those in the villages of Snnores, Ebshuay, Etsa and Tami. During the long life of the palm trees, the farmer trims them to help them grow. The harvesting of the trimming process is used in basketry products. Made of rice straw and date palm leaves, the coiled baskets of Fayoum come in a large variety of shapes varying from large laundry baskets to dainty ones for little trinkets. This basketry technique has been found in Fayoum since the Neolithic period, long before the pharaohs came into power. The baskets are made by women working at home. El-Alaam and El Kaabi villages are centers of the famous Fayoum basket making tradition.

7 See the map entitled handicraft community centers in the Fayoum363.3.2 Pottery PotteryhasalonghistoryintheFayoumsincethepharaonictimes. AbuBallas,FatherofPots,was animportantcenterofpotteryhistoryintheFayoum.LocatedonthecaravantrailthatlinkedWadi El Rayan and points south with Wadi Natrun and points north, Abu Ballas was a major station where caravansstoppedtorest. ThepotsscatteredaroundthisareadatefromtheRomaneraandconsist mainly of smashed amphorae. The pottery encountered there can be dated back to the Roman times. Pottery art continued in the Fayoum history and now is reinterpreted in two great pots centers, El Nazla and Tunis. In the small hamlet, Tunis, there is Evelyn, a Swiss potter who decided to live and work from around 40 years. She uses a variety of different clay types and glazes. Evelyn, exports her art around the world. She has established a pottery school for children who make beautiful designs, primarily of animals in warm earth tone glazes. The school teaches many of the local village youth pottery as an art, and not as a craft. Some of the pottery school students have even displayed their work outside Egypt. The school attracts and hosts potters from Egypt and all over the world. The Tunis pottery is more up market and arty. It is sold in galleries and craft shops in neighborhoods of Cairo where there is a high concentration of well to-do Egyptian and foreign residents. PottersofNazlauseaveryparticulartechniquetomakeasphericalpotbasedonacombinationof wheel-thrown and hammer-and-anvil.Work is carried out according to very old and traditional methods of producing pottery that have not changed much since Pharaonic times. The potters village at Nazla itself is built completely out of pots. Inside the 20 workshops, there is a hole, a kind of hemispherical scoopintheground.Strawandclayaremixedtogether,sometimeswithash.Thematerialisinthe hole, and it is hammered and turned at the same time to make large globes. The big pots are allowed to dry a little, and it is only then that the vessels are nished on the wheel. There is no wheel involved,no mechanical process. Only the rims of the large round pots are made on the throwing wheel. These vesselsarenotaresultofmechanicalturningbutoftheturningofthebody,therhythmofthebody and the hole in the ground. The pots of Nazla are archetypes, and are therefore living history. Here the history is walking alongside the vessel, on a different but parallel path. At present, the pots from El-Nazla are sold in Cairo at the pottery centers like that of Fustat. 373.3.3 Handmade TextilesTextilemanufacturingwasknown5000yearsB.C.inFayoum.Theinstrumentsvaryfromvery complicated machines to very simple manual looms. There are three kinds of fabrics: the rst is Naturalbers taken from plants and animals like the bers taken from linen, Jute and Calyx. Other bers aretaken from animals such as: wool, the hair of the camel, goats and rabbits. The second is the Synthetic bers like copper silk and the synthetic silk. The third is bers made from natural and synthetic bersmixed together.Thetextiles'manualinstrumentsformakingtraditionalcarpetsSeggad,matsHaseerandrugs KeleemaremainlyusedintheruralareasofFayoum.Rugmaking,carpetmakingaswellasmat making are considered traditional crafts that depend on simple looms. This is popular in many villages in Fayoum such as "Desya", "Sonbat", "Fedemeen" and "Tatoon".3.3.4 Rowboat ConstructionKahkisoneoftheknownplacesofconstructingthesmallshipsthatrangesfrom8-10meters.Only threefamiliesfromthevillageareinvolvedinthisactivity.Theysufferfromthelackofdemandfor their products due to poor sh production from Lake Qarun in the last decade. Many of the shermencomplain about the lack of funding from the Fishermen Co-operative of Kahek.TheConstructionofeachshiptakesfromonetotwomonths.Woodfromberrytreesisusedin manufacturing the ships. This kind of wood costs about LE 600/ton. As for the eight-meter ship, it requires approximately 2 tons of wood. Bani-Suef, about 85 km from Fayoum, and 135 km from El-Minya, are considered the main markets for this wood resource.3.3.5 Fishing nets manufacturingMany shermen of Kahk manufacture the nets they need themselves. Women and children participate inthis process in their houses. They get the raw ber materials from Cairo or Fayoum.Funding concernsregarding the Fishermen Co-operative of Kahk are also raised by those making the shing nets.3.3.6 Mats made from El-Samar plantThe Fayoum governate has two kinds of Samar Plant; the sweet Samar plant which is used in making mats and the Sour Samar plant which has no use in Fayoum till now. Samar plant is a local cheap and available resource. Samar grows along the banks of the water canals, swamps and ponds in different places in the Fayoum. Not only are mats are made from Samar plant but the containers of the "karesh" cheese are also produced, which is an ancient product. This is popular in many villages in Fayoum such as "Agamiein", "Al Nasaryyah", and "Sobeihy".383.3.7 Cordage (Dobarah) made from ax plantGarfas village is famous for its production of the cordage (rope) made from the ax plant. This craft isthreatened to disappear due to the increase of the prices of the ax plant and also because few leaderscontrolthelinentrade.Simpletoolsarerequiredandcanbemademainlyinsidepeopleshouses. These tools consist of a wooden frame and three long nails xed in one of the walls. Only two membersof the family can participate in making these cordages.3.3.8 Handicraft assessment in FayoumSignicant decline in the production of crafts in Fayoum has taken place during the last century.Craftsmanship has ceased to be a public need and has become a tourist industry. Due to the decrease in demand of the handicraft products, many of the crafts' producers have abandoned their profession. This led to the loss of many job opportunities in the crafts.Crafts were also a part of the structure of society in some locations where the whole family; children, women and old men practiced handicrafts.Most of craft producers are poor, low skilled, and live in rural areas. The women and children represent a large percentage of craft producers. They are increasingly marginalized due to the social, economical and cultural changes through the last decades. They have no strong channels to nancial, human andsocial support. The low sales of the products cause low income, causing in turn a drain on the time of theproducersintermsoffurtherdeteriorationoftheirincomeandtheirskills.Exceptthehandicraft producers in Nazla and Tunis, they earn an average of LE 1600 - 1000 per year. Most of the men are involvedin practicingthe handicraftsactivitiesas a secondaryjob,while manyare mainlyfarmers or have other jobs.The decreasing of the local demand for their products is due to their lack of capital, knowledge and skills to access new markets. Although the local private traders help in linking the producers to the markets, their concern is to maximize their own prots at the expenses of the already marginalized producers.Most of them work in informal work places which are not subject to health laws and standards. They are not organized enough due to the shortage of participation in the representative organizations. Job opportunities created in the handicrafts eld are decreasing due to the deterioration of the profession ingeneral.The main weakness of the recent status of the handicrafts in Fayoum is that the products are unt forsale due to the lack of quality assurance. In addition, the producers' skills in management, production process, trade, marketing, pricing and decision making are very weak.Smallinvestmentsinqualitycontrolandpromotioncanhelpimprovethesuccessandrevivalof handicrafts in Fayoum.Creation of job opportunities and resultant income generation for thousands of people that at present do not have access to market or alternative income sources can be harnessed throughhandicrafts.Handicraftsareadynamicindustrywithrelativeadvantagesforthepoorpeople ofFayoum.DevelopingthehandicraftsofFayoumisastrategicoptionforpovertyalleviationofthis ecotourism plan for the following reasons: Mosthandicraftactivitiescanbecarriedoutatthehouseholdlevel,oratthecommunitylevel beneting the social relations existing in such rural areas.39Mostofthehandicraftsareoftenlinkedtotheagriculturalproductioncyclesandcontributeto strengthen rural economies. Handicraftactivitiesindirectlystimulatetheproductionoflocallyavailablerawmaterialsneededfor craft products. It triggers processes of socio-economic awareness and independence for women who represent big percentage of the producers. By providing an additional income source for the family, handicraft activities could facilitate access to better education and healthcare services for children, hence improving their quality of life.Itplaysavaluableroleinfunctioningthesparetimeofthefamilies'membersinacreativeand protable work.Traditionalhandicraftactivitiescontributetothepreservationoftheculturalheritageandidentityof producers. Handicraftactivitiesareoftenenvironment-friendlyastheyarecharacterizedbyverylowenergy consumption and often use scrap materials of other productions.Map 7 Handicraft Community Centers in the Fayoum4041 4. CONTEXT ANALYSES: OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTSTheFayoumGovernorateofferssignicant opportunities for tourism development because of itsunique natural and cultural attractions.The beauty and recreational opportunities created by the diverse characterofFayoum'senvironmentalsoconstitutesubstantialconcernsandconstraintsfortourism development.Withcarefulplanningandconsideration,allofthesechallengescanbesuccessfully accommodated.Thepurposeofthissummaryistoprovidevaluableinformationtodecisionmakers about the opportunities and constraints of the ecotourism development that accurately characterize the facts about the Fayoum Governorate.4.1 Constraints 4.1.1 Land jurisdiction issueOne of the major issues facing tourism development in Fayoum is the conicts between the governmentalauthorities on the local and national level on land jurisdiction. There is difculty to proceed in tourismdevelopment in Fayoum without resolving the problems of jurisdictional and licensing issues between differentMinistries(e.g.Tourism,Environment,Agriculture,Irrigation,Antiquities,Security,andthe Fayoum governorate).Thelandjurisdictionamongseveralauthoritieswithdifferentpurposes,managerialtargets,feesand process make development incompatible, contradictory and sometimes has irreversible impacts. This situation does not help the development in Fayoum and continue to increase the obstacles and difcultiesfacing investors due to the contradiction and multi-process for different authorities.4.1.2 Intrusive security management SecurityrestrictionsarecurrentlyamajorchallengeindevelopingecotourismintheFayoum.Before reaching the Fayoum on the desert road from Cairo, foreigners are asked to wait and often outnumbered by the police escort and are made to wait until police escorts are ready to leave and for the rest of the day they are accompanied by police car. For most visitors it is enough to turn around and cancel a visit altogether.Othersovercometheproblembyturningofftheroadintothedesertbeforereachingthe police post. All foreigners visiting the Fayoum nd that their visit is hampered by the police protection.Both international and local tour operators complained that the intrusive security management and one of the British tour operators stopped their trips to Fayoum for the same reason. However, it is important the tourism protection should be carried out in a non-intrusive manner and is well coordinated.TheFayoumGovernoratenowisseriouslyplanningtoallowentryofforeignersintodesertregionof Fayoum.Securityissuesneedtoberesolvedinordertorealizetheregionstourismpotentialand introduction of less intrusive security management is needed.4.1.3 Water pollution Water pollution by agriculture land drainage and sewage drainage in Lake Qarun can cause irreparable damage to the lakes ecosystem.Agriculture drainage water reaching Lake Quarun and Wadi El Rayan isloadedwithchemicalpollutants.Hugequantitiesofchemicalfertilizersandpesticidesandsome 42industrialchemicalsendupintheagriculturaldrainagesystemandeventuallyinFayoumslakes.In addition, partially treated and untreated sewage is known to drain into the agricultural drainage system and eventually in the lakes. The extent and effect of this type of pollution on the lakes and their biota is not clear.Environmental pollution of the lakes, however, may possibly have contributed to the gradual decline in the sheries, at least in Lake Qarun. In addition, this pollution greatly impedes the use of the lake forwater sports or swimming and reduces the chances of success for tourism development of the southern shore of Lake Quarun.4.1.4 Negative impact on critical habitats Major alterations in the natural habitats and biota of the unique and scientically important areas of theFayoum Governorate have already taken place causing serious deterioration of the fragile environment. The over-exploitation of limited natural resources and uncontrolled development of large sectors of the southern shore of Lake Quarun has resulted in the destruction of extensive areas of salt marshes and mud ats which are important habitat for a variety of birds and breeding areas for commercially importantshes and crustacean.Although, the eastern and western tips of Lake Quarun are specially designated as core zones of the bird sanctuary, tourism facilities and other buildings have been constructed directly on the shore line of the lake within the declared buffer zone. The construction work, site clearing, on-site wastewater and solid waste disposal, noise, obstruction of view to the lake causes a lot of damage to the bird habitats. In addition, these pollutants spread into the shallow water of the lake. Critical Habitat should be identiedandenvironmentaleducationtechniquesshouldbeimplementedtopreventfurtherdestructionofthe Fayoum critical habitats.4.1.5 Fossil and Heritage Sites excavationThere are literally tens of Pharaonic, Greek/Roman, Coptic and Islamic heritage sites as well as fossils andprehistoricremainslocatedthroughoutFayoum.ManyunexploredruinsfromPharaonic,Greco-RomanandChristianeras,especiallyinthepartsofnorthLakeQuarunandOyounEl-Rayan,are underthreatbytheillegalexcavationbyvisitorsandpeoplefromneighboringareasinFayoum.For example, people come to the Fayoum fossil beds on the weekends and cart away enormous quantity of fossils and prehistoric artifacts. These actions are devastating the area while scientic study is still inprogress (Cassandra 2002).All of these sites must be protected and remain undamaged to preserve the historical resources of Fayoum. Digging for fossils434.1.6 Modern Mines and QuarriesFrom the perspective of ecotourism development, there are several concerns about mining activities in the desert areas and its impact on the quality of the ecotourism product of Fayoum.The impact of air and noise pollution and disturbance of truck trafc produced by mining operations are incompatible withthetourismactivities.MiningandquarryoperationsremainveryactiveintheFayoumGovernorate. Numerous mines and quarries are located in the north of Lake Quarun to approximately Wadi El Rayan in the south.It is acknowledged that the mines and quarries represent a continuation of approximately 6,000 years ofeconomichistoryinthisregion.TheancientquarrylandscapenorthofLakeQuarunincludingthe Ancient Quarry Road and the harbor at Qasr el-Sagha, Widan el-Faras are large archaeological sites that can only be properly understood and appreciated as an integrated ancient quarry zone. The site bears witness to one of the most important traditions in Egyptian Antiquity the procurement of massive amountsofstoneforthebuildingoflastingedices in the 3rd millennium BC. The modern quarryindustry represents one of the major threats to both ancient quarries as one of the major attractions and ecotourism activities in the desert areas of the Fayoum.4.1.7 Traditional Use AreasBoththepeopleandthelivestockoftheBedouin,farmersandshermen in Fayoum depend upontheir marginal and scarce resources for their subsistence. Consequently, no competitive use of these resourceswillbeallowedwithtourismactivities.Accesstolakeshoreandopenwater,vegetation essential for grazing livestock of the local people in the marginal areas must be respected.444.1.8 Potential threats to humansHorned ViperThepotentialthreatstohumanintheFayoumdesert areasinclude:extremeheat,scarcityofwater,sand storms,poisonousinsects/snakes,androughness oftheterrain.Mostofthethreatstohumansresultin medicalemergenciesintheFayoumdesertareathat present many challenges.These risks can be reduced by effective communication systemswithmedicalpersonnelandthestrategic stationingandmobilizationofemergencyresponse vehicles. Anti-venoms must be refrigerated to maintain their effectiveness due to the extreme temperatures. 4.1.9 Human resources and local work forceOne of the main challenges facing ecotourism development in Fayoum is the limited human resources capacity to meet the requirements of quality ecotourism product. There is a gap between the needs of tourism employers and the supply of personnel trained including private training providers, colleges and universities.The high illiteracy rates, minimal well-trained staff available locally for guidance and hotel services, limited number of multi-lingual people, deterioration of the quality of handicrafts are all major concerns regarding the human resources that can serve ecotourism in Fayoum.For these reasons, the local communities in Fayoum still have not benetted substantially fromthe tourismdevelopment in theirregion.Ecotourism seems to offer more opportunities for the direct involvement of local communities, especially as ecotourism establishments are often more willing to invest in local development.454.1.8 Potential threats to humansHorned ViperThepotentialthreatstohumanintheFayoumdesert areasinclude:extremeheat,scarcityofwater,sand storms,poisonousinsects/snakes,androughness oftheterrain.Mostofthethreatstohumansresultin medicalemergenciesintheFayoumdesertareathat present many challenges.These risks can be reduced by effective communication systemswithmedicalpersonnelandthestrategic stationingandmobilizationofemergencyresponse vehicles. Anti-venoms must be refrigerated to maintain their effectiveness due to the extreme temperatures. 4.1.9 Human resources and local work forceOne of the main challenges facing ecotourism development in Fayoum is the limited human resources capacity to meet the requirements of quality ecotourism product. There is a gap between the needs of tourism employers and the supply of personnel trained including private training providers, colleges and universities.The high illiteracy rates, minimal well-trained staff available locally for guidance and hotel services, limited number of multi-lingual people, deterioration of the quality of handicrafts are all major concerns regarding the human resources that can serve ecotourism in Fayoum.For these reasons, the local communities in Fayoum still have not benetted substantially fromthe tourismdevelopment in theirregion.Ecotourism seems to offer more opportunities for the direct involvement of local communities, especially as ecotourism establishments are often more willing to invest in local development.4.1.10 Quality and quantity of the tourism servicesBoththequalityandquantityofthetourismfacilitiesinFayoumarestillunderanadequatestandard forsuccess.Lackofservicesisoneofthemajorproblemsconfrontingecotourismdevelopmentin Fayoumtheseincludeinadequatehealth/emergencyservices,inadequateaccommodation,lackof touristfacilities,informalurbangrowtharoundtouristsites,hygieneandsanitaryproblemsandsolid waste in the street.Ecotourism development in Fayoum needs overall improvement of basic services.All of above mentioned concerns\problems about the current context create a negative image for the visitors and investors of Fayoum. This can explain the reason for the lack of investment and nancialresources.4.2 Opportunities4.2.1 Diversity of resources\attractionsThetourist'spersonalexperiencesincludesomecombinationofnature,culture,andheritage-based activities that are further reinforced by accommodations that accurately reect the culture and heritageof the locality, cuisine, amenities, and various personal services that characterize the host community. TheecotourismattractionsoftheFayoumGovernoratecanbedividedintothreecategories:focal, secondary, and supporting attractions.The focal attractions of the Fayoum Governorate refer to distinctive features of the local and regional natural and cultural heritage; they are the basic assets of Fayoum that the local community can offer to tourists and are attractive enough to motivate a tourist to come to visit.The focal attractions in Fayoum include the following: Scientic excursions to the world heritage site of Wadi El-Hitan and fossils of Gabal Qatrani and petried forest north Lake Qarun to explore its international signicance Bird watching around the lakes and in the agriculture landsDesertsafariactivities(mountainclimbingandhiking,deserttrekking,trails,horseandcamel riding, etc.).The secondary attractions also refer to the natural and cultural heritage elements, but do not possess the degree of distinctiveness of focal attractions.In other words, they alone are not enough to motivate a tourist to visit the Fayoum.They constitute reasons for further interest and added value to the tourist, contributing to richer and more diverse tourism experiences (Saballous 1997).The secondary attractions in the Fayoum include the following: Wildlife observation (fauna and ora). Direct contact with communities lifestyles (i.e. the Bedouin, shermen and farmers).Watersportsactivitiesinthelakes(smallsailboats,feluccas,kayaking,single-lineshing, andswimming in the lower lake of Wadi El-Rayan). Strictly regulating duck hunting in the shery ponds.46 Tours to the ancient quarries of north Qarun Visitation to the archeological sites (Qasr El Sagha, Madinat Madi, Demieh, etc.). The geologic and geomorphologic features of the desert areas are especially appealing to nature photographers and geologists.Thesupportingattractionsareman-madeelements(facilitiesandservices)thatservespecic needsoftouristsandsatisfypracticalrequirementsofeco-tourists.Theexistingtourismfacilitiesinclude localhandicrafts,existingaccommodationfacilitiesinthesouthernshorelineofLakeQarunsuchas Auberge, Panorama and New Panorama hotel, Zad El Mosafer lodge in Tunis, and Safari Camp in Wadi El Rayan.4.2.2 AccessibilityFayoums close proximity to Cairo, which is a central transportation and destination hub in Egypt, can benet substantially as a desert escape complete with an experience of village lifestyle away from thebustle of the urban density of Cairo.With local and international tourist markets available to Fayoum, air and ground transport makes Fayoum an accessible and potentially attractive destination.With the improvementofhighwaysandmasstransitoverthelastfewyearsinCairo,Fayoumisonlyashort distance away from the citys centre. 4.2.3 Willingness of the host communityThereisagoodopportunitytoinvolvelocalpeopleintheecotourismprocessinFayoumandthe Fayoum people are interested in participating in ecotourism activities.The areas of participation include producing and market handicrafts, cooperating with hotels in tourism activities, guiding tourists through theregion,hostingvisitorstotheircommunities,willingtolearnforeignlanguages,andacquireskills related to tourism, marketing, and environmental awareness.4.3 Ecological zones and critical habitatsTheenvironmentalcharacteristicsthatareuniquetoFayoumneedtobedened and understood interms of complete ecosystems or key habitats.This need exists because the natural environment of Fayoum is the foundation upon which ecotourism experiences rely.Successful ecotourism development will,therefore,dependuponsustainingtheareasenvironmentalintegrityandpreservingitscultural resources.Consequently, the eco-tourist plan begins with an evaluation of the environment in terms of viable habitats and ecosystems.Four ecological zones and key habitats have been identied based on extensive eld research. Thesezones are distinguished by the ways in which topography, climate, and geology inuence the developmentand prosperity of plant and animal populations within each zone.Each of the ecological zones requires ecotourismdevelopmentandenvironmentalmanagementtechniquesthatarebestsuitedtoprotect their unique conditions. The following are the main ecological zones/critical habitats of Fayoum. The key habitatsare illustrated by the map entitled Ecological Zones and Critical Habitats of Fayoum474.3.1 Zone One:Desert areasThe desert ecosystem has always had a romantic appeal due to its extreme living conditions and has become an attractive ecotourism destination. Fayoum contains almost all the main land form features of the western desert including, the Hamadas (rocky desert), Ergs (sandy desert), Regs (gravel desert), as well as the natural desert oasis.The Rocky Desert Hamadas TheFayoumdepressionisboundedfromthenorthernsidebyGebelQatranisandstoneescarpment running parallel to the northern shore of Lake Qarun and bounded from the south west side by Monqar El Rayan cliffs.The escarpment is strikingly beautiful with rich fossils and unique geological formations and phenomena. Vegetationcannotsurvivetheextremetemperatures,unstablesoils,andaridityoftheupper elevations.The desert lands of the Fayoum is Characterized by two main rocky mountains formations : Therst is Gebel Qatrani to the north-west partofLakeQuarun.ThisformationofEoceneand Oligocene limestone deposits, as well as the Qasr El-Saghaformations,isfamousforitswealthof terrestrial and marine mammalian fossils, including those of mammals and the earliest known ape.The second is Gebel Minqar El-Rayan bounded on the south and south-east.Wadi El-Rayan depressions vertical scarp rises to 184 m above sea level. The eastern ank of the scarp is carved just south-west ofthe depression into a hollow forming the area of Oyoun El-Rayan. Althoughlittlefoodisavailableforanimals,therockyoutcropsofcliffs,ridges,caves,ledgesand bouldersprovideshade.Shadeisanextremelyimportantcommodityinahotdesertenvironment, and it acts as day-time shelter for certain nocturnal animals, such as jackals, various bats and horned vipers (Cerastes cerastes.)These rocky outcrops also offer secure nesting sites for the Sooty falcon, the Brown-necked raven and probably Pharaohs eagle owl Bubo ascalaphus. Moreover, they are home to Andersonsfan-toedgeckoPtyodactylus(guttatus)siphonorhinaandtheEgyptiangecko Tarentola annularis. (Baha el Din 1999)Over much of the Sahara, rocky outcrops provide the only shelter available for migrants on their long trans-Saharanjourney.Thousandsofmigratorybirdsdescendtorestunderanyobjectthatprovides some shade, and large outcrops. In the shade among the rocks lie the Saharan sand snake Psammophis aegyptiusandthehornedviper,awaitingthenextrecklessmigranttocometheirway.(BahaelDin 1999)48The sandy desert ErgTheergisane sand formation with rich environment in water compared with the hamada and reg. Desert sand plains are extensive at areas covered by sand. The mobile and abrasive nature of sandplains means that few organisms can live on them. The sand plains act as running and linking corridors forwildlifebetweendifferentecologicalzones.ThesandyformationsaredistributedintheFayoum region in three main areas:1- A gently sloping sandy plane extends parallel to the Northern shoreline of the Lake Quarun.2- The areas around the lakes of Wadi El-Rayan are among the important sites for the deposition of eolian sand in the western desert.3- Extensive dune elds and a series of longitudinal parallel sand dunes running from North-West tosouth-EastdirectionintheSouth-westernpartofWadiEl-Rayandepression.Thedunesvaryin length from few hundred meters to thirty km and may reach the height of 30 m. Sanddunesareoneofthemostdistinctive ecologicalandmorphologicalfeaturesofdesert ecosystems. In hollow inter-dune valleys that vary inwidthfromlessthan100mtomorethantwo km,evidenceofmoistureisfoundatadepthof onlyofafewcentimeters,andontheslopesat approximately80cm.Thereareafewannual plantsininter-duneareaswherethesupercialstratum is always powdery. The uniqueness of the sandduneshabitattypeisillustratedbyahost ofanimalsandplantsthathaveevolvedspecial adaptations to life in sandy biotopes and are often conned to this habitat type. Adaptations includemorphologicalfeaturesthatfacilitatemovement inoronloosesand,suchasthewedge-shaped snout and highly polished skin of Audouins skink SphenopssepsoidesandtheSandsh Scincusscincus (for sand swimming) or the

PaddedsolesoftheFennecfoxVulpeszerda(formoreefcient locomotion on sand). Baha el Din1999The distribution and density of various ora and fauna on dunes are closely related to their morphology.Saleh et al. (1988a) noted that little vegetation is found on top of larger mobile dunes. Faunal diversity is similarly low in such places. Much of the vegetation is conned to inter-dune troughs and sand sheets,where sand often accumulates around shrubs and bushes, forming phytogenic mounds. The mounds formed around Nitraria retusa and especially Tamarix nilotica bushes sometimes reach remarkable sizes (over 10 metres high). They represent an important structural component of the desert ecosystem of Wadi el Rayan and provide crucial microhabitats for numerous invertebrates and vertebrates. Characteristic faunaofsandybiotopesinWadielRayanincludedominobeetles(familyCarabidae),theSaharan fringe-toed lizard Acanthodactylus longipes, the lesser sand viper, the Hoopoe lark Alaemon alaudipes, the Fennec fox and the lesser jerboa Jaculus jaculus. (Baha el Din 1999)Plantcoverinthedesertplainsispoorandtherearesometimeslargeareaswithnovegetationat all.UnlikemanyotherdesertregionsinEgypt,noephemeralgrowthhasbeenobservedinthese 49The sandy desert ErgTheergisane sand formation with rich environment in water compared with the hamada and reg. Desert sand plains are extensive at areas covered by sand. The mobile and abrasive nature of sandplains means that few organisms can live on them. The sand plains act as running and linking corridors forwildlifebetweendifferentecologicalzones.ThesandyformationsaredistributedintheFayoum region in three main areas:1- A gently sloping sandy plane extends parallel to the Northern shoreline of the Lake Quarun.2- The areas around the lakes of Wadi El-Rayan are among the important sites for the deposition of eolian sand in the western desert.3- Extensive dune elds and a series of longitudinal parallel sand dunes running from North-West tosouth-EastdirectionintheSouth-westernpartofWadiEl-Rayandepression.Thedunesvaryin length from few hundred meters to thirty km and may reach the height of 30 m. Sanddunesareoneofthemostdistinctive ecologicalandmorphologicalfeaturesofdesert ecosystems. In hollow inter-dune valleys that vary inwidthfromlessthan100mtomorethantwo km,evidenceofmoistureisfoundatadepthof onlyofafewcentimeters,andontheslopesat approximately80cm.Thereareafewannual plantsininter-duneareaswherethesupercialstratum is always powdery. The uniqueness of the sandduneshabitattypeisillustratedbyahost ofanimalsandplantsthathaveevolvedspecial adaptations to life in sandy biotopes and are often conned to this habitat type. Adaptations includemorphologicalfeaturesthatfacilitatemovement inoronloosesand,suchasthewedge-shaped snout and highly polished skin of Audouins skink SphenopssepsoidesandtheSand