The inhabitants of Casablanca are fed up with palm trees

Anyone who has been to Casablanca cannot have missed the many palm trees along the roads. A group of activists, led by landscape architect and teacher Salima Belemkaddem, are fed up with the palm tree and are calling on the town hall to put an end to the “biodiversity massacre”.

These include the Washingtonia, a species of palm native to the American continent. In Morocco, the tree has become extremely popular, but now more and more people are beginning to wonder what it actually offers. Nothing really, says Belemkaddem Magazine 360. Compared to other tree species, they don’t even provide shade, which is much needed for moisture and heat protection, according to Belemkaddem.

Belemkaddem and his organization approached the municipality. He says he supports the case. “The people of Casablanca are against palm trees,” a senior official told him. “And U.S. too.” The council has already promised to help “turn the tide” and plant trees in their own right.

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