[en] In northern Morocco, silvopastoral areas provide diverse needs for local population and livestock. These pasture represent the most important feed sources for goats in Rif Mountain. This study aims to evaluate biomass production and investigate the use of a silvopastoral area in two representative pastoral areas (Derdara and Loubare) exclusively used by goatherds. For biomass production, we used the method of the reference module. The surveys, on using pasture by breeders, were realized during the biomass evaluation period. The pastoral shrubs, mainly Arbustus unedo, Cistus crispus, Cistus monspeliensis, Erica arborea, Lavendula stoeches and Mentha pulegium, are the main diet of goats. Breeders
use pasture throughout the year, except on rainy days where they resort to limbing. The pasture was characterized by an average level of diversity of pastoral flora in Derdara (94 species) and poor floristic diversity in Loubare (65 species) dominated by shrubs . The phytomass productions at Derdara and Loubare were estimated at respectively 1867 kg and 373 kg for dry matter per hectare. The continuous use of pastoral resources and lack of pasture management has considerably reduced the palatable pasture species and has allowed the appearance of low pastoral value species. Statistically significant differences were observed depending on season, with a maximum in the spring and a minimum in the winter, and according to sampling sites are differentiating by intensity of canopy cover. Management actions and use of silvopastoral resources, including a reduction in grazing pressure, should be developed to ensure better productivity and sustainability of these resources.
