Algeria is 90% desert which contributes to why it is easy for desertification to occur. In the 1800’s and the early 1900’s the European-style continued to accelerate. Using simple gardening tools over large areas can easily lead us to dusty soil which blows over with the wind. In the 1980’s, there was a “green line” which separates Northern-Algeria from the Sahara Desert. This was created as a line of vegetation, from coast to desert in attempts to stop the expansions along the borders of the Sahara. http://desertification.wordpress.com/2007/03/28/desertification-in-algeria/
The “green line” has now been given up on because it was a complete failure. Algeria has lost 40,000 hectares of its more fertile land due to desertification each year. Seven million hectares of steppe are still in needs of being restored. Over the past decade, desertification has affected more than 130,000 sq km of land in Algeria. Forrest fires are one of the main causes of this problem. In attempts to restore Algeria’s land against desertification, environmental organizations work in places where desertification contributes to extreme poverty. These organizations focus on educating the local population about their dangers and sometimes employ them to grow seedlings.
http://desertification.wordpress.com/2007/03/28/desertification-in-algeria/ explains that ADRECS is a specific organization that rapidly delivers soil stabilization and re-forestation techniques. Aside from organizations, sand fences are another way Algeria is attempting to improve deforestation. Sand fences are also used to control drifting soils.
