INECE 7th Conference Site Visits

INECE has traditionally hosted a day of site visits during our International Conferences, to give participants an opportunity to observe enforcement projects in our host country. For the 7th INECE Conference, the Site Visits will take place on Wednesday, 13 April 2005. INECE will arrange transportation to and from the site visits.

1) The Ouled Ali Ben Ahmed Village site visit will present participants with alternative solutions to combat illegal logging. Moroccan households have traditionally been dependent on wood-burning stoves for cooking and heating, resulting in over 30,000 hectares of deforestation of native forest every year. This village of 21 households and one mosque, however, has pioneered the use of solar panels to provide "clean" electricity to its inhabitants. This site is part of a government initiative to expand renewable energy in Morocco from 0.2% to 10% of overall energy supply by 2010. This site is located 19 miles (30 Km) from Marrakech.

2) The Village des Potiers site visit will present participants with a case study on emissions reductions from pottery production facilities. In order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution emanating from the pottery production process, private and public groups replaced traditional ovens (which burned old tires and wood) with new gas ovens. With a goal of environmentally sustainable urbanization, this project has significantly reduced the harm to human health and the environment caused by the emission of fumes and thick ashes from culinary pottery production. This site is located in Marrakech.

3) The Ciments du Maroc (CIMAR) Marrakech site visit will introduce participants to an example of voluntary reductions in dust and gas emissions in Morocco. CIMAR is a ISO 14001-certified cement company which is a subsidiary of Italcementi Group, an environmentally progressive conglomerate. With the help of the Moroccan government, CIMAR recently was able to achieve a significant reduction in dust and gas emissions (from 240mg/Nm3 to 50mg/Nm3). CIMAR also carefully manages hydrocarbon waste to protect human health and to prevent pollution of natural resources. This site is located 28 miles (46 Km) from Marrakech.

4) The Jbilet site visit will give participants the opportunity to observe Morocco's environmental remedies to deforestation and desertification. Participants to this site will help plant an argan tree, a threatened species of tree with many traditional uses, including medicine and cooking oil. The argan tree also protects the soil against rain- or wind-induced erosion and promotes soil fertility. It is being planted to slow desert progress, as well as to sustain local populations. This site is located 22 miles (36 Km) from Marrakech.

5) The Sidi Kaouki site visit will introduce participants to Morocco's alternative energy strategies for rural areas. Wind generators have been built at the coastal village of Sidi Kaouki supply electricity. The two 25kW machines at Sidi Kaouki provide power to 120 inhabitants, 5 hotels, 2 campsites, and other small businesses. In each case, the turbines generate power for stand-alone systems, requiring battery storage and diesel backup for just 5% of generation. Sidi Kaouki is a small example of the growing wind energy industry in Morocco. Tangier, Morocco's northernmost town, has a 50 megawatt plant, which helps to power most of that region's grid. This site is located 105 miles (170Km) from Marrakech.