Royal Activities
Monday 17 June 2013

Botanic Tests Park In Rabat: Royal Will To Promote Education To Environment And Preserve The Capital City’s Natural Heritage

Botanic Tests Park In Rabat: Royal Will To Promote Education To Environment And Preserve The Capital City’s Natural Heritage

The Royal will to promote education to environment, preserve the capital city’s natural legacy and secure integrated and lasting development in all of the Kingdom regions was reflected this Monday in the dedication by HM King Mohammed VI of the botanic tests parts after it underwent major restoration works.

 The project falls in line with the Royal message sent to participants in the 7th world congress of education to environment (June 9, 2013, in Marrakech) in which the Sovereign underlined that education and awareness-raising to environment issues are “as essential requisites for a successful transition towards a green, solidarity-based, inclusive, eco–friendly economy”.

     The Rabat Botanic tests park ambitions to be at the same time a center for education to environment for the public, an ideal location to promote the national ecological legacy, a venue of biological resources for scientific research and a site harbouring vegetal collections geared to preserving bio-diversity.

    Set up in 1914 on an area of 17 ha, the project which underwent major renovations at the High instructions of HM the King, boasts a priceless biological wealth. Over 650 ornamental and fruit species from local, tropical, subtropical and desert origins. The Arboretum alone contains a large genetic diversity of 27 families and 44 species.

     The park is also considered as key in developing the Moroccan fruit trees activity, particularly exotic trees and also in enriching national and world vegetal genetic resources, given its flower riches.

     The renovation works, which required 55 million DH in investment, consisted mainly in setting 27 thematic squares, renewing the irrigation system, building an exhibition green house and an eco-museum, revamping a Moorish house, introducing new endemic rare or endangered exotic or economically-interesting species.

   Located in the heart of Rabat, the botanic tests park, included in 1992 on the list of national historical heritage list, is a genuine oxygen source for the capital city, considered by the UNESCO in 2012 as part of Humanity universal heritage.

    In addition to its initial partners (Wilaya of the Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer region, the Urban commune of Rabat, the National agronomical  research institute and the Hassan II fund for social and economic development, the park has established partnership with the Foundation of Islamic culture and the Botanic parks of Singapour, of Albacete (Castilla-la-mancha University), of Lyon and of Madrid.

   The Rabat botanic part is also member of the network of francophone botanic parks, and of the network of botanic parks in the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

    A haven of history, architecture, culture and sciences, the Botanical park of Rabat combines sobriety and modernity to become a venue of leisure and relaxation for Rabat inhabitants and visitors.

   In addition to this renovated green space, the leisure and sports facilities in Rabat and Sale will be consolidated thanks to a program of seven stadiums for the practice of skate, roller and petanque.

   Projected to cost around 6 million DH, the project, to be completed in five months, will consist in building four stadiums in various neighbourhoods of Rabat, in addition to three stadiums in Salé.