News from MED_net’s Spring meeting – a view from North Africa

As a new member of IFLA Europe’s Med_net working group, I was thrilled to participate in the activities as a full member for the first time this year. Previously, I had stepped in occasionally to represent Morocco, but without fully grasping the valuable work done by the Network or having the pleasure of attending a physical meeting.

With members from both the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean as well as the Middle East, it was fascinating to exchange ideas and realise that we all face similar challenges and concerns. The current theme, Coastal Landscapes - From Protection to Production, made Italy’s capital, Rome, an ideal location for my first Spring Meeting. AIAPP (IFLA’s Italian national association) hosted us with incredible hospitality and organised walking tours around the city.

We shared in the excitement of global history by coming close to witnessing the election of Pope Leo XIV, passing by the Vatican just a couple of hours before the white smoke appeared.

In between working meetings and a full day conference sponsored by IFLA Europe, Bauhaus4Med, Interreg Euro-Med and AIAPP, we were able to explore Rome’s landscapes, from archaeological parks to new urban landscapes along the Tiber River, and of course lose ourselves in Rome’s rich network of urban spaces steeped in so many centuries of history.

One of the common threads when addressing Coastal Landscapes From Protection to Production was the production of spaces for tourism along the beautiful Mediterranean coast. Problems on both sides of the Mediterranean included the artificialisation of the coast, and the loss of local cachet in favour of international-style resorts somewhat removed from local culture and the possibilities of immersion into local life. An interesting case study of Cap de Creus which involved deconstructing previous tourist infrastructure (a Club Med) and restoring the natural landscape, demonstrated how political will can be a vital part of enabling landscape architecture to “do the right thing.” (From a presentation by Manuel Sánchez Hernández, Spanish Association of Landscape Architects)

I was also fascinated to hear about the Masseiras (bread kneading tray) technique which is a unique form of traditional farming practised on the north coast of Portugal., Using fresh underground water for irrigation, agricultural yields are increased. Regulated by the level of the land relative to the water table, no additional irrigation is required. Sargasso - seaweed (gathered from the nearby Atlantic Ocean during the summer) added for fertilisation allows the soil to retain moisture. This method was created in the18th century by Benedictine monks and continued to be widespread until the middle of the 20th century, declining after the end of World War II. This technique inspired the design of the Esposende City Park. (From a presentation by Magarida Cancela d’Abreu, Portuguese Association of Landscape Architecture).

While all the presentations were very informative and had their “wow” moments, it is not possible to mention each one in this short article. However, closer to home here in Morocco, and because of its similarities with the Portuguese example of Masseiras, Tunisa’s example of Erramli – literally meaning sandy - deserves a mention. This ancestral system relies on a film of sweet water floating on the seawater for irrigation. The movement of the tides means that the plant roots are never saturated as the water level rises and falls. The Ramli agricultural systems in the lagoons of Ghar El Melhhas been recently recognized by the  Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) programme designed by FAO to preserve traditional yet innovative agricultural practices.

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The Med_net has produced some useful booklets which communicate key aspects of making change in the urban landscape. They are very readable and are aimed at communicating to city officials, civic organisations and professions other than landscape architects. They are available in many languages.