USE OF URBAN WASTES (SEWAGE SLUDGES AND REFUSE COMPOSTS) FOR REFORESTATION ON LOW FERTILITY SOILS IN ARID ZONES

Sewage sludges from wastewater treatment plants or composts from munic ipal refuse composting plants will be increasingly available in southe rn Mediterranean countries. Land application of these organic wastes i s highly desirable since in these arid or semi-arid regions, soils are often low in organic matter and mineral nutrients. Agronomic and publ ic health arguments are used to advocate for recycling municipal organ ic wastes in reforestation since this solution is economically feasibl e and should greatly improve the transplantation success rate and init ial growth rate, while minimizing environmental and public health risk s. Rehabilitation of argan tree-based agroforestry systems in South-We stern Morocco is presented as an example.