Action to save the Marrakech palm groves

King Mohammed VI drew attention on Monday to the dangers faced by the famous Marrakech palm groves, due to human and natural factors. He called for action to preserve them as they are part of the Moroccan cultural heritage.

In a speech, read by his sister, Princess Lala Hasna, chairwoman of Mohammed VI Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, on the occasion of the launch of the program to safeguard the palm groves of Marrakech, the monarch called for an-all out mobilization to protect the palm groves.


"This legendary and emblematic site that gives the city of Marrakech its identity and specific mark is nowadays exposed to incessant degradation, due to the combined factors of drought, human activity pressures, the lack of maintenance and the aging of palm trees, and the absence of replanting," said the king. He called upon all the agencies concerned to work together in order to protect the city's palm groves.

Protection of such an environment is only possible through the joint efforts of replanting, improving techniques for management and maintenance, and awareness raising of the environment and sustainable development, in addition to the creation of an eco-museum, which, according to the monarch, will give the saving action an international scope as part of an international exchange network.

The king also stressed the importance of continuous monitoring and evaluation of the project in order to better assess results and shift priorities if necessary, highlighting the critical role played by the civil society and citizens, along with governmental organizations, in carrying out the palm groves safeguard project.

With a sum estimated at MAD 96 Mn (USD 11,5), the palm groves protection project, launched by the Mohammed VI Foundation for the Environment, extends over six years and provides for the building of a natural ecosystem covering an area of 12000 hectares, planting 430000 palm trees in a 6-year long period, and building a waste water purification station. The project also aims at strengthening the judicial arsenal relating to the protection of the palm groves.


Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news