Exploring the sustainability aspects of Biskra Oasis ecosystem: heritage based perspective

An important ecosystem in the Algerian Sahara, the Biskra oasis is significant historically and culturally as an example of sustainable existence. However, it has suffered significant deterioration throughout time due to urban, socioeconomic, and environmental stresses. This study tracks the oasis's evolution and evaluates its sustainability aspects using a multidisciplinary methodology that combines historical analysis, literature evaluation, and cartography. The results show the palm grove's ecological richness, the economic resiliency derived from customs like phoeniculture and local trade, the social cohesion promoted by group projects like Twiza, and the microclimatic advantages of the urban-architectural composition. These insights highlight the oasis’s potential as a paradigm for sustainable development in arid regions, emphasizing the need to preserve and adapt its traditional practices to contemporary challenges.