Walking through the courtyards of the Faculty of Sciences Semlalia of Marrakech (FSSM) of Cadi Ayyad University, I was excited to see the diversity of trees planted around the campus. Among the Mediterranean Cyprus and Persian Lilac were gazebos offering comfortable, shaded seating for students to congregate and share a meal.

Together with Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir, Mariam Ait Hfid, and the Dean of FSSM, Professor El Hassan El Mouden, we met with university groundsworkers at the garden management area to gather tools for our upcoming task. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they already had more than 20 olive tree saplings in containers for future planting.

The relationship between Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir and Pr. El Hassan El Mouden has been fostered for over three decades, culminating in their recent partnership, driven by shared goals of enhancing natural resources, promoting sustainable development, and encouraging innovation among young leaders.

After a stroll across the campus, we arrived at the planting location, a green space within the boulevard of the Faculty of Science, just to the north of the faculty’s central library. The choice felt appropriate as there are walking paths in all directions, with a refreshment stand nearby acting as a hub of student activity.

I think the sight of a group of people in formal office attire carrying seedlings sparked some of the students’ curiosity, so by the time the gardeners began digging, we had a small group of cybersecurity students talking to us about the initiative. Their participation was unexpected but wholly welcome as we worked side by side to unwrap the young plants and bury them in the freshly tilled earth. 

As I understand it, the vision for the area is to have a lush groundcover of herbs between the established olive trees. Transforming what would otherwise be a simple monoculture of planted olive trees into a diverse ecosystem supports a more resilient environment by fostering microhabitats and enriching biodiversity. The plants, soil, and microorganisms work together to sustain and improve one another, maintaining a natural balance. In nature, the more components a system has, the more likely it is to survive and thrive under changing conditions.

Planting a few trees and herbs may not seem like a big deal to celebrate, but it represents an ongoing commitment to fostering a culture of care and respect for the environment that sustains us. The students who participated will be able to look at the planted trees with pride and joy each time they pass by, feeling a sense of ownership and responsibility not only for these few plants, but also for the impact a small change can have.

Dedication to biodiversity, agricultural or environmental, manufactured or natural, is crucial in ensuring a healthy world now and for future generations. Upholding the seemingly separate mechanisms of biological life is the deeply interconnected web of relationships among all aspects of life, which is fostered by encouraging local, diverse plant life wherever possible, even on a small boulevard within a bustling university campus.