The Site is a rare human-made wetland created on the remains of a “fossil” wadi; over time, the diminution of the water in the wadi required the construction of a “fouggara” system for the capture and distribution of groundwater. The water, distributed in small open-air channels within the tradition of an ancestral social organization, is shared out equitably to individual gardens for the cultivation of date palms, cereals and other fruits. The Site also includes important remains of ksars (fortresses) from the 14th century. The Site attracts large numbers of migratory birds, and abundant gazelles. The fouggara method in use at Ouled Saïd is said to be an outstanding illustration of the Ramsar wise use principle, but because the oasis requires constant human maintenance and is slowly but surely being overtaken by the sand, Algerian authorities requested at the time of designation that the Site be placed on the Montreux Record.