Moroccan authorities are conducting cleanup and stabilization operations in the Maâmora Forest, the largest cork oak forest in the country, following severe storms and high winds in early February 2026. Hundreds of trees have been uprooted or damaged across multiple provinces, including Kénitra, Sidi Slimane, Sidi Kacem, Khémisset, and Rabat, according to reports from the National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF).
ANEF officials have moved to reassure the public that the ongoing work is not a planned logging operation, but rather a necessary effort to clear fallen trees from forest paths, prevent accidents, and mitigate potential phytosanitary risks. “What we have is not an operation of planned felling or programmed forestry,” ANEF stated. The agency emphasized that the interventions are standard practice following extreme weather events.
As of mid-March, 594 uprooted or damaged trees had been recorded in the province of Rabat alone, with an additional 520 trees affected in Kénitra province. Damage assessments are ongoing in neighboring provinces. The cleanup focuses on removing debris from trails, securing access for forest users, and limiting the spread of potential tree diseases.
The Maâmora Forest is considered a strategically important ecological asset, requiring sustainable and scientific management. ANEF has affirmed its commitment to transparency and pledged to provide further information regarding the condition of the forest and ongoing protective measures. The forest experienced significant damage from the storms, with hundreds of trees falling across the region.
Separately, the city of Ifrane and its surrounding region also experienced a harsh winter in 2026, marked by heavy rainfall and significant snowfall, with wind gusts exceeding 80 km/h. These conditions led to devastating floods of the Oued Tizguite river, which runs through the Val d’Ifrane, a Ramsar site designated for international importance since 2019. Dozens of trees were felled into the riverbed, disrupting the waterway and causing flooding in nearby meadows. Following public concern, the Governor of Ifrane, Driss Misbah, authorized a cleanup campaign of the Val d’Ifrane, beginning on March 18, 2026, involving local and communal authorities, provincial delegations, ANEF services, and civil society actors.
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