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Restoration of Historic Parks and Garden
The safeguarding and development of the palm grove of Marrakech
The Palm grove of Marrakech, a millenary heritage site, has been undergoing a preservation program at the request of the HM. King Mohammed VI in 2006 and has since been entrusted to the Foundation.
Rescued from decay
The renowned palm grove of Marrakech, stretching its beauty over more than 12,000 hectares, was threatened despite several legal texts protecting it. In response to this observation, His Majesty King Mohammed VI entrusted Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa with the task of protecting and developing it in 2007.
The safeguarding and development program, launched in March 2007, began with cleaning up the site and rehabilitating the plantations: cleaning, pruning, selecting suitable varieties, setting up a communal nursery and planting over 600,000 young palm trees. Irrigation facilities were installed: wells, re-use of treated water from the city's treatment plant....
Awareness-raising and education work was carried out with all audiences: schoolchildren in Eco-Schools, Green Key labeling of hotel establishments, educational trails and walking paths.
A pilot project to support farming families is under way to stabilize long-established populations in the area, by introducing practices that are both more respectful of the environment and more profitable.
The Goals
- Introduction
- Implementation
- Achievements
Objectives of the program for the Safeguarding and Development of the Marrakech Palm Grove are to:
Protect the Palm Grove of Marrakech from damage
Provide it with sustainable means of survival and renewal
Contribute to stopping the degradation of the Palm grove and activate legal and regulatory protections
Rehabilitate, regenerate and maintain plantations
Sensitize and educate local residents and visitors
Promote sustainable agriculture to settle populations and maintain the palm grove
Implementation
The Foundation brought together public institutions, administrations and private partners to immediately rescue the endangered palm grove, with a long-term strategy.
Establishing institutional mesures of coordination: high-level steering committee, framework agreements with institutional partners, observatory, etc.
Awareness building and education as part of the Foundation's programs: Eco-Schools, Green Key and educational trails.
Regeneration of the palm grove: communal nursery, plantations, irrigation.
Inclusion of local populations by means of a pilot agro-ecology program.
