MAINTAINING THE NATURAL LANDSCAPE OF OUED EL KANAR

Casablanca:

First round - August 07 - August 31, 2025

Volunteer project: Oued el Kanar valley is in the Moroccan High Atlas Mountains. It is considered a highly
preserved valley due to its nature and the traditional way of living of the local people.
The project was established by members of the local community with the aim to raise environmental
awareness. Its major focus is on mitigation of the effects of climate change and fostering intercultural
education among the local community. The project is based in Ouad Kanar village in the north of Morocco,
close to Chefchaouane and Tetouan. It is situated 90 km from Chefchaouane city, in an area that is famed for
its cultural diversity. The volunteers will be hosted in a hostel and will be able to experience the cultural
diversity and learn to live with and interact with members of the host community in an atmosphere of
cooperation and solidarity. This project has hosted previously both local and international volunteers and it has
great potential for replicating its activities in equally challenging circumstances in other regions of Morocco.
Volunteers will take part in various manual work and intercultural activities:
●Agroforestry including tree planting
●Landscaping and tending to bamboo trees in their natural habitat
●Cleanup activities, river cleaning
●Naming of trees
●Home visits
●Trekking in the mountain
●Intercultural learning coupled with home visits for exposure to development challenges.
●Possibility to visit nearby beaches
●Interaction with local farmers, sharing your knowledge, implementing your skills and experience in
the daily farm life
●Help to document interesting, local traditional practices
●Help to clean up the river and create awareness in the area and the local community on the importance
of nature
●Help to maintain the natural landscape
●Be part of an exposure visit to a farm and acquire hands-on experience in farming activities
●Meeting local farmers and learning about their methods of natural resource management
Language: English and French
Accomodation and Food: is provided by organization
Location:The El Kanar River, which has its headwaters in the western part of the Rif Mountain range, in the
heart of the Talassemtane National Park, joins the Bouhya shortly before it flows into the Mediterranean,
forming the vast Tighissasse delta. From its various sources, it crosses a rugged terrain made up of dolomites
and limestone, reaching spectacular proportions before emerging onto the shale terrain in the canyon of El
Kanar, patiently carved out by the flow of its cold waters over thousands of years. It is impressive for the
visitor to contemplate the immense limestone mass overlooking the wide alluvial valley and the wild river
flowing through the impressive gorge into the wide wadi surrounded by gentle cultivated hills and small
villages scattered all around.
The valley of El Kanar summarises, as very few in the Mediterranean area, the constructive characteristics, the
farming techniques and the use of water typical of the rural environment in which we find ourselves. Since
ancient times, man has occupied this territory and transformed it for agricultural and livestock use. In former
times, the valley was covered by Mediterranean woodland: holm oaks, gall oaks, kermes oaks... and a
predominantly mastic undergrowth, which is still harvested to stoke the oven. Despite the rational use of the
land, it should be noted that on some steep slopes, the loss of vegetation in favour of monoculture encourages
erosion of these very thin soils.

Accomodation and food : provided by the organization

Terminal: Tetouan Airport .