Natural Wonders - Morocco - page 952

Creative Conservation
The only thing more natural than the wonders of Morocco is the impulse to preserve them.
Morocco is in a fortunate position: to envision a more sustainable future, it can look to its
recent past. Ancient khettara irrigation systems, still in use, transport water from natural
springs to fields and gardens in underground channels, without losing precious water to
evaporation. Although certification is still a novel concept, most small-scale Moroccan
farming practices are organic by default, since chemical fertilisers are costly and donkey
dung pretty much comes with the territory. Community hammams use power and water for
steamy saunas more efficiently than individual showers or baths. Locally made, detergent-
free savon noir ('black soap' made from natural palm and olive oils) is gentle enough for a
shave and effective as laundry soap, without polluting run-off - and leftover 'grey water'
can be used for gardens and courtyard fountains. With Morocco's traditional mudbrick ar-
chitecture, metre-thick walls provide natural insulation against heat in summer and chill in
winter, eliminating most street noise and the need for air-con and central heating.
The Sahara Conservation Fund ( www.saharaconservation.org ) is dedicated to preserving the
wild creatures of the Sahara, and provides a preview of wildlife you might spot in this vibrant
desert ecosystem.
Morocco is also thinking on its feet, becoming an early adopter of resource-saving new
technologies. The pioneering nation is already harnessing wind power in the Rif, and Ouar-
zazate now produces a combined 500,000 megawatts of electricity at five sites, making it
one of the world's largest solar-electricity generators.
To tackle challenges still ahead, Morocco will need all the resourcefulness it can muster
- and all the support it can get from visitors. Due to the demands of city dwellers and tour-
ist complexes, 37% of villages around Marrakesh now lack a reliable source of potable wa-
ter. Damming to create reservoirs frequently strips downstream water of valuable silts
needed to sustain farms and coastal wetlands. Forests are also under threat, with around
250 sq km of forest lost each year, including Moroccan pine, thuya and Atlas cedar. Pollu-
tion is a weighty concern, literally: Morocco's cities alone produce an annual harvest of 2.4
million tonnes of solid waste.
While Morocco is considering legislation on a host of environmental measures from wet-
lands protection to mandating biodegradable plastic bags, changes are already afoot in
communities nationwide. Everywhere you travel in the country, you'll notice minor modi-