Farm Trees as Cultural Keystone Species: Bridging Biocultural Conservation and Sustainable Development in the Morocco High Atlas Mountains

In many southern Mediterranean mountain areas, the livelihoods of subsistence farmers are threatened by increasing drought periods that affect agroecosystems and cause rapid socioeconomic deterioration. Current initiatives to address this through ecosystem restoration often overlook the cultural significance of different tree species that play an important role in farmers' livelihoods. This may result in the erosion of biocultural diversity and loss of local and Indigenous knowledge. We used the cultural keystone species (CKS) framework to appraise the cultural and livelihood importance of 5 farm tree species—almond, ash, holm oak, olive, and walnut—in Morocco's central High Atlas mountains. Twenty-five structured interviews with knowledgeable farmers revealed that olive trees remain central to local residents' culture. This species met all CKS criteria, whereas walnut and almond trees met many criteria, but they have increasingly lost their cultural importance. Ash and holm oak are prevalent fodder species but do not directly bolster household cash incomes, and they are absent from cultural narratives, ceremonies, and symbolism. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering farm trees' cultural status in developing a culturally sensitive approach to conservation, stewardship of existing trees, and sustainable development in the Mediterranean mountains.