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 His Majesty 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 HerRoyal 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....
Awareness-raising and education work was carried out with all audiences: schoolchildren in Eco-Schools, 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.