Abstract

In the light of the negative repercussions of the physical environment exploitation in economic purposes, the geologic substratum was set up as a heritage to preserve and manage sustainably.  This new approach to debate the component of the natural environment holds its foundations of the experiences registered during the 1990s which made succeed in the decision taken by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote a world network of geosites presenting particular geological characteristics, by adopting the Geotourism as one of the important elements for regional development. Morocco has followed this international trend through the integration of a nature tourism development program as part of national tourism development strategy. The territory of Ida_Outananes constitutes one of the target experimental spaces of the Moroccan Western High Atlas; the main reason of its choice is its fascinating natural and cultural resources. In this territory, the valuation of this ecological support shows a state of deterioration what threatens as well the quality of Geosystems, Ecosystems and the tourist attractiveness. This deterioration is a result of the opening of this space for tourist activity without a mechanism of management integrating a geopreservation program with a sustainable financing. Today, the payment of the environmental services (PES) may be an effective mechanism for a sustainable valuation of the geoheritage.

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