article · Sustainability
Urbanization in Bni Bouayach, Morocco, threatens vital irrigated areas and agricultural land, raising concerns about environmental sustainability. This study employs a GIS-based Analytical Hierarchy Process (GIS-AHP) framework to assess land suitability for sustainable development. It addresses knowledge gaps in urban planning as follows: (i) Evaluating land suitability for sustainable development: this analysis identifies areas appropriate for urban expansion while minimizing environmental impact. (ii) Balancing environmental and human needs: the framework integrates ten criteria encompassing accessibility, economic, social, geomorphological, and environmental factors. This comprehensive approach results in a Land Suitability Map with five categories: prohibited/unfit, extremely unsuitable, moderately unsuitable, adequately suitable, and highly suitable. Notably, 39.5% of the area falls within the adequately suitable or highly suitable categories, primarily consisting of accessible bare lands and pastures. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers to guide Bni Bouayach towards sustainable urban development, ensuring balanced growth that respects both environmental preservation and resident needs.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.3390/su16156497
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
