<p>It's an effort to help stymie sand dune erosion. It appears this photo was taken early before the grass or straw took root.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.dw.de/grid-of-straw-squares-turns-chinese-sand-to-soil/a-15182754" rel="nofollow">http://www.dw.de/grid-of-straw-squares-turns-chinese-sand-to-soil/a-15182754</a></p>

<p><a href="http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/120110/Worker-stabilizing-sand-dunes-near-Lingwu-northern-Hui-Autonomous-Region" rel="nofollow">http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/120110/Worker-stabilizing-sand-dunes-near-Lingwu-northern-Hui-Autonomous-Region</a></p>

<p><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/picturesoftheday/4978795/Pictures-of-the-day-12-March-2009.html?image=23" rel="nofollow">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/picturesoftheday/4978795/Pictures-of-the-day-12-March-2009.html?image=23</a></p>

<p><a href="http://www.permaculture.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/sand-dune-stabilization-by-carl-wachtmeister1.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.permaculture.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/sand-dune-stabilization-by-carl-wachtmeister1.pdf</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-15T22:19:55.007Z
The pictures accompanying these articles do not match grids of 5-6 meters wide.
Jan Doggen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-16T10:06:13.153Z
The Chinese use grass but the Moroccans use trees, but the idea behind seems the same. Thanks for these links!
MagTun
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-16T15:51:56.987Z
@JanDoggen Fair enough. Your answer was spot on.
ckoerner
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-15T21:51:02.533Z
2014-12-15T21:51:02.533Z
ckoerner
<p>They are not perfectly straight. Making them with modern GPS equipment should not be too difficult, you just keep a fixed distance to the previous line. They are only 5-6 meters wide.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=cape+juby+tarfaya+sand+beach+experiment" rel="noreferrer">Googling for cape juby tarfaya sand beach experiment</a> I found this <a href="http://www.wanderingoverland.com/?p=1397" rel="noreferrer">16 Jan 2013 entry</a> from the blog <a href="http://www.wanderingoverland.com/" rel="noreferrer">An overland adventure</a> mentioning:<br>
<em>"Between the road and the sea is another experiment to save Tarfaya from being swallowed up by the Ergs (=sand dunes), mangrove. These trees have been introduced here from the tropics as one of the few salt loving, sand rooting toughs. They seem quite young from the window of the truck so I am guessing it is too early to tell if the project has been a success."</em></p>

<p><strike>Maybe this is what you are seeing. I have contacted the blog writer to ask for confirmation.</strike> Update: The author confirmed that this is indeed what you're seeing: "<em>Yes. Shame there is no picture.</em>"</p>

<p>Subsequent <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=tarfaya+mangrove" rel="noreferrer">Googling for tarfaya mangrove</a> turns up more info (often in French, where <em>palétuvier</em> is indeed mangrove), e.g. this <a href="https://books.google.nl/books?id=YgvV2tzf1vMC&amp;pg=PT141&amp;lpg=PT141&amp;dq=tarfaya+mangrove&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=Pp_OZhckIC&amp;sig=u2mB7OoUrvwC0rtOMULxakq2sNs&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=-lmPVM9fhP9Sl4OBMA&amp;redir_esc=y#v=onepage&amp;q=tarfaya%20mangrove&amp;f=false" rel="noreferrer">Les mangoves du Sahara</a> chapter from the Book <em>Maroc 8 - Sud du Maroc et Sahara Occidental</em>. This <a href="https://books.google.nl/books?id=6KHiXeJcNyMC&amp;pg=PA434&amp;lpg=PA434&amp;dq=tarfaya+mangrove&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=qyQYgoTJ_Z&amp;sig=5EO93J2Vbrp01OLOo4QY9Jkb5gg&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=-lmPVM9fhP9Sl4OBMA&amp;redir_esc=y#v=onepage&amp;q=tarfaya%20mangrove&amp;f=false" rel="noreferrer">Lonely Planet E-Book PDF Marokko Reiseführer</a> which is almost a literal translation, mentions a 900 meter long strip, but the artifact in the picture is approx 3.2 km.</p>

<p>The planting project was named <a href="http://themanzanarproject.com/PNAS.html" rel="noreferrer">The Manzanar project</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-16T09:59:38.293Z
Thanks a lot for this answer and the link to the overland adventur blog. When I saw the [picture](http://www.wanderingoverland.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/IMG_2327-1024x682.jpg) of this old building, I understood why they are fighting against erosion. So much to learn from a simple question about strange squares!
MagTun
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-15T22:18:54.647Z
2015-03-28T10:37:16.403Z
2015-03-28T10:37:16.403Z
Jan Doggen
<p>At Cape Juby, Morocco, we can see with <a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/@27.9527574,-12.898903,1330m/data=!3m1!1e3" rel="noreferrer">Google Maps</a> a rectangle of 3 km long, in which there is hundreds of little squares. What method was used to draw these squares on the sand? More importantly, why are these square drawn?</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/gPT3D.jpg" alt="Google Maps image of area"></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-15T18:21:24.737Z
Not sure this isn't off-topic, but FWIW I added an image and a better link. I'd add that for me the bigger question is the 'why' rather than the 'how'.
Matt Hall
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-15T19:34:47.310Z
I can think of several wild ideas.  Most of them are on-topic here.  So, in my opinion, unless the answer proves otherwise, I think it should be on-topic.  +1 for an interesting question!
Richard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-15T19:43:03.687Z
My first thought is that it could be a low-tech way of trying to measure beach erosion. I'd imagine they'd have to retrace the grid often, but it probably is a lot cheaper than commissioning orthophotography over the area.
Jason Bellino
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-15T20:06:10.237Z
@Jason I thought perhaps it was a way to keep track of shipwreck material recovered.  Just a guess though.  Your idea is better and would make sense since there are dunes there that could be studied.  There are some funky houses at the edge of some of the squares too.
f.thorpe
<geology><human-influence><satellite-oddities>
Why did people draw so many continuous squares in the sand on the beach at Cape Juby?
MagTun
# Why did people draw so many continuous squares in the sand on the beach at Cape Juby?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-12-15)

At Cape Juby, Morocco, we can see with [Google Maps](https://www.google.ca/maps/@27.9527574,-12.898903,1330m/data=!3m1!1e3) a rectangle of 3 km long, in which there is hundreds of little squares. What method was used to draw these squares on the sand? More importantly, why are these square drawn?

![Google Maps image of area](https://i.sstatic.net/gPT3D.jpg)

**Tags:** geology, human-influence, satellite-oddities

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Not sure this isn't off-topic, but FWIW I added an image and a better link. I'd add that for me the bigger question is the 'why' rather than the 'how'.  
> **username_2**: I can think of several wild ideas.  Most of them are on-topic here.  So, in my opinion, unless the answer proves otherwise, I think it should be on-topic.  +1 for an interesting question!  
> **username_3**: My first thought is that it could be a low-tech way of trying to measure beach erosion. I'd imagine they'd have to retrace the grid often, but it probably is a lot cheaper than commissioning orthophotography over the area.  
> **username_4**: @username_3 I thought perhaps it was a way to keep track of shipwreck material recovered.  Just a guess though.  Your idea is better and would make sense since there are dunes there that could be studied.  There are some funky houses at the edge of some of the squares too.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2014-12-15. Score: 15 | Accepted answer

They are not perfectly straight. Making them with modern GPS equipment should not be too difficult, you just keep a fixed distance to the previous line. They are only 5-6 meters wide.

[Googling for cape juby tarfaya sand beach experiment](https://www.google.com/search?q=cape+juby+tarfaya+sand+beach+experiment) I found this [16 Jan 2013 entry](http://www.wanderingoverland.com/?p=1397) from the blog [An overland adventure](http://www.wanderingoverland.com/) mentioning:  
*"Between the road and the sea is another experiment to save Tarfaya from being swallowed up by the Ergs (=sand dunes), mangrove. These trees have been introduced here from the tropics as one of the few salt loving, sand rooting toughs. They seem quite young from the window of the truck so I am guessing it is too early to tell if the project has been a success."*

Maybe this is what you are seeing. I have contacted the blog writer to ask for confirmation. Update: The author confirmed that this is indeed what you're seeing: "*Yes. Shame there is no picture.*"

Subsequent [Googling for tarfaya mangrove](https://www.google.com/search?q=tarfaya+mangrove) turns up more info (often in French, where *palétuvier* is indeed mangrove), e.g. this [Les mangoves du Sahara](https://books.google.nl/books?id=YgvV2tzf1vMC&pg=PT141&lpg=PT141&dq=tarfaya+mangrove&source=bl&ots=Pp_OZhckIC&sig=u2mB7OoUrvwC0rtOMULxakq2sNs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=-lmPVM9fhP9Sl4OBMA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=tarfaya%20mangrove&f=false) chapter from the Book *Maroc 8 - Sud du Maroc et Sahara Occidental*. This [Lonely Planet E-Book PDF Marokko Reiseführer](https://books.google.nl/books?id=6KHiXeJcNyMC&pg=PA434&lpg=PA434&dq=tarfaya+mangrove&source=bl&ots=qyQYgoTJ_Z&sig=5EO93J2Vbrp01OLOo4QY9Jkb5gg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=-lmPVM9fhP9Sl4OBMA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=tarfaya%20mangrove&f=false) which is almost a literal translation, mentions a 900 meter long strip, but the artifact in the picture is approx 3.2 km.

The planting project was named [The Manzanar project](http://themanzanarproject.com/PNAS.html)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks a lot for this answer and the link to the overland adventur blog. When I saw the [picture](http://www.wanderingoverland.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/IMG_2327-1024x682.jpg) of this old building, I understood why they are fighting against erosion. So much to learn from a simple question about strange squares!  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2014-12-15. Score: 4

It's an effort to help stymie sand dune erosion. It appears this photo was taken early before the grass or straw took root.

<http://www.dw.de/grid-of-straw-squares-turns-chinese-sand-to-soil/a-15182754>

<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/120110/Worker-stabilizing-sand-dunes-near-Lingwu-northern-Hui-Autonomous-Region>

<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/picturesoftheday/4978795/Pictures-of-the-day-12-March-2009.html?image=23>

<http://www.permaculture.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/sand-dune-stabilization-by-carl-wachtmeister1.pdf>

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: The pictures accompanying these articles do not match grids of 5-6 meters wide.  
> **username_0**: The Chinese use grass but the Moroccans use trees, but the idea behind seems the same. Thanks for these links!  
> **username_5**: @username_6 Fair enough. Your answer was spot on.  

---

