- National parks and nature reserves of Israel
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Masada National Park
Ruins of the Ancient Synagogue at Bar'am National Park
Natural warm water pool at Gan HaShlosha
Shivta National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site
Ashdod Nitzanim Sand Dune ParkThe national parks of Israel are declared historic sites or nature reserves, which are mostly operated and maintained by the National Nature and Parks Authority. Today, the national parks of Israel encompass 67 protected areas. Some of them are located in regions beyond the Green Line.
Some of the national parks have been undergoing many development processes through the years and the entrance to them requires payment of a fee and they are only open on specific times during the day time. Other national parks have stayed for the time being in its natural form, except for trails marks, fences and public safety rails which have been installed. Some of the National Parks include picnic sites and special designated places for grilling or igniting bonfires, or active recreational sites for children and adults.
Some of the National Parks are located at archaeological sites - such as Tel Megiddo, Beit She'an, Ashkelon and Kursi. Other national parks, such as the Alexander stream, Mount Carmel National Park or Hurshat Tal are concentrated on the nature and their main purpose is to allow the public to have recreation tours near water, trees and view animals in natural habitat.
Contents
History
Israel lies in the geographical area known as Palestine, or in Jewish culture as the Land of Israel. During the 19th century, this region was sparsely populated, with population ranging between 275-475 thousand people[1]. Waves of immigration that began in the middle of this century, expanded the local population needs. Forests were cut down to supply coal combustion, both for heating and industry. Turkish railway locomotives began operating towards the end of the century, are also consumed coal.
Templar, who came to Israel began in the seventies of the 19th century, brought with them sophisticated shotguns, quickly adopted by local peasants. Twentieth-century transition also not bode well for the animals caught in large numbers: the First World War was characterized by massive acquisition of firearms. Early 20th century, hunted last crocodile creek crocodile. Large animals such as ostriches, deer, fallow deer, Syrian Brown Bears, onagers and cheetahs were all extinct.
As a result, the Mandatory government eventually began making laws which were aimed at saving the flora and fauna in Palestine. In 1924 a Hunting Act was published and in 1926 a Forest Ordinance were published. Many sites, such as the forests of mount Caramel and Mount Meron, were declared as forest reserves; certain trees were declared protected.
With the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 the protection of wildlife did not change much. The newly created state focused mainly on its economic development and the immigrant absorption. Tens of thousands of acres of swamps, which attract many species of plants and animals, were dried out. Streams were contaminated following the agricultural and industrial development. Many Wilderness landscapes were doomed due to the accelerated construction and establishment of hundreds of new settlements.
In 1953 the Knesset passed the "Protection Law of Wildlife" (חוק הגנת חיות-הבר) and the Minister of Agriculture was appointed for its implementation. In 1955, the department for the improvement of the country's landscape (המחלקה לשיפור נוף הארץ) was established in the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, which was assigned the establishment of tourist infrastructure. The department established a number of well-known national parks, such as Gan HaShlosha, Caesarea, Shivta and Avdat. Following the drying of the Hula Lake and the public pressure, the Hula Reserve was established, which was the first declared nature reserve in Israel (in 1964). In 1963 the Knesset approved the "National parks and nature reserves act" (חוק הגנים הלאומיים ושמורות הטבע) (the legislation process of the law began already in 1956). As a result, two authorities were established: the National Parks Authority and the Nature Reserves Authority. In 1998 the two authorities were merged into one body - Israel Nature and Parks Authority.
Parks and reserves
National parks
Name Region Akhziv Beach National Park Northern district: Western Galilee Alexander River National Park Central district Ashkelon National Park Central district: Southern coast Avdat National Park Southern district: The Negev Arbel National Park and Nature Reserve Northern district: Upper Galilee Bar'am National Park Northern district: Upper Galilee Beit Alfa Synagogue National Park Northern district: Jezreel Valley Beit Guvrin National Park Central district Beit She'an National Park Northern district: Beit She'an valley Beit She'arim National Park Northern district: Jezreel Valley Caesarea National Park Northern district: Sharon plain coast Castel National Park Central district: Jerusalem corridor Cochav Hayarden National Park Northern district: Lower Galilee Korazim National Park Northern district: Upper Galilee National Park at Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion's Grave Southern district: The Negev Ein Avdat National Park Southern district: The Negev Ein Gedi Antiquities National Park Southern district: Judean Desert and The Dead Sea Ein Hemed National Park Central district: Jerusalem corridor Eshkol National Park (Besor) Southern district: The Negev Gan Hashlosha National Park Northern district: Jezreel Valley Hamat Tiberias National Park Northern district: Sea of Galilee Harod Spring National Park Northern district: Jezreel Valley Herodion National Park1 Southern district: Judean Desert/West bank Hermon National Park1 Northern district: Golan Heights Kursi National Park1 Northern district: Golan Heights Hurshat Tal National Park Northern district: Upper Galilee Mamshit National Park Southern district: The Negev Masada National Park Southern district: Judean Desert and The Dead Sea Mount Carmel National Park Northern district: Mt. Carmel Nimrod Fortress National Park (Qal‘at Namrud)1 Northern district: Golan Heights Qumran National Park1 Southern district: Judean Desert and The Dead Sea Ramon Park Complex Southern district: The Negev Sharon National Park Central district: Sharon plain Shivta National Park Southern district: The Negev Shomron National Park1 Central district: Samaria/West bank Tel Arad National Park Southern district: Judean Desert and The Dead Sea Tel Be'er Sheva National Park Southern district: The Negev Tel Hazor National Park Northern district: Upper Galilee Tel Megiddo National Park Northern district: Jezreel Valley Yarkon National Park Central district: Yarkon River, and central Israel Yehi'am Fortress National Park Northern district: Upper Galilee Zippori National Park Northern district: Lower Galilee and the valleys Nature reserves
As of May 2007, there are 190 Israeli nature reserves.[2]
Name Region Alonei Yitzhak Northern district Alonei Abba Northern district: Jezreel Valley Nahal Amud Northern district: Upper Galilee Ashdod Nitzanim Sand Dune Park Central district: Shephelah, southern Israeli Coastal Plain Avshalom (Stalactites) Cave Central district: Central Israel Nahal Betzet Northern district: Upper Galilee Balfouria Northern district: Jezreel Valley Bitan Aharon Northern district: Sharon plain Carmel Hai-Bar Nature Reserve Northern district: Mt. Carmel Coral Beach Nature Reserve Eilat region: Eliat and the Arava Dor and Ma'agan Michael beach islands Northern district: Mt. Carmel coast Ein Afek Nature Reserve Northern district: Western Galilee Ein Gedi Nature Reserve Southern district: Judean Desert and The Dead Sea Ein Tzukim Nature Reserve Southern district:Judean Desert and The Dead Sea Gamla Nature Reserve1 Northern district: Golan Heights Hurshat Tal Northern district: Upper Galilee Hula Valley Nature Reserve Northern district: Hula Valley Kerem Ben Zimra Northern district: Upper Galilee Nahal Kziv Northern district: Upper Galilee Mount Arbel Northern district: Lower Galilee Mount Gilboa Northern district Mount Meron Northern district: Upper Galilee Mount Tabor Northern district: Lower Galilee Nahal Tavor Northern district: Lower Galilee Nahal Me'arot Nature Reserve Northern district: Mt. Carmel Nahal Ayun Northern district: Upper Galilee Neot Kedumim Central district: near Modi'in and the Ben Shemen forest Pa'ar Cave Northern district: Upper Galilee Nahal Poleg Central district: Sharon Plain Rosh HaNikra Northern district: Western Galilee Shimron Northern district: Jezreel Valley Nahal Taninim Northern district: Mt. Carmel coast Tel Dan Nature Reserve Northern district: Upper Galilee Tel Anafa Northern district: Upper Galilee Yehudiya Forest Nature Reserve1 Northern district: Golan Heights, Sea of Galilee, and Galilee Yotvata Hai-Bar Nature Reserve Eilat region: Eliat and the Arava Zakum (Maoz Haim) Northern district: Beit She'an valley 1Located in the Israeli-occupied territories.
See also
References
- ^ Benny Moris, "Righteous Victims - A History of the Zionist-Arab Conflict, 1881-2001"
- ^ http://www.parks.org.il/BuildaGate5/general2/data_card.php?Cat=~~~660964978~Card13~&ru=&SiteName=parks&Clt=&Bur=351331723
External links
National parks of Israel Jerusalem District Bayt 'Itab · Canada Park · Castel · City of David National Park1 · Ein Hemed · Judaean Mountains · Tomb of Samuel1North District Achziv · Bar'am National Park · Beit Alfa Synagogue · Beit She'an · Beit She'arim · Belvoir Fortress · Capernaum · Chorazin · Gan HaShlosha · Hamat Gader · Hamat Tiberias · Harod Spring · Hermon National Park1 · Hexagons pool · Horns of Hattin · Hurshat Tal · Hurvat Minia · Kursi1 · Montfort Castle · Mount Arbel · Mount Tabor · Nimrod Fortress1 · Rosh HaNikra · Sde Amudim · Sussita · Tel Hazor · Tel Kedesh · Tel Megiddo · Tzalmon Stream · Tzippori · Yehi'am Fortress · Hula ValleyHaifa District Central District Alexander stream · Arsuf · Hof HaSharon · Mazor Mausoleum · Migdal Afek · Palmachim beach · Rubin Stream · Sidna Ali · Tel Afek · Tel Gezer · Tzur Natan park · Yarkon National ParkSouthern District Ashkelon National Park · Avdat · Besor Stream · Beit Guvrin National Park · Ein Avdat · Ein Gedi · Eshkol Park · Mamshit · Masada · Monument to the Negev Brigade · Nitzana · Semekh caves · Shivta · Tel Arad · Tel Be'er Sheva · Tel Lachish · Tel ZafitJudea and Samaria Area 1 Located in the Israeli-occupied territories
Nature reserves of IsraelNorthern District Ein Afek · Akhziv Islands · Alonei Yitzhak · Alonei Abba · Amud Stream · Nahal Ayun · Balfouria · Bitan Aharon · Nahal Betzet · Nahal Dishon · Dor Beach and Ma'agan Michael Islands · Ein Avazim · Ein Elah · Ein Nymphit · Ein Te'oh · Ein Yehuda · Nahal Gamal · Gamla nature reserve† · Snir Stream · Hermon nature reserve† · Nahal Hermon† · Hula Valley · Hurshat Tal · Hurshat Zakum · Kerem Ben Zimra · Nahal Kziv · Mount Arbel · Mount Carmel · Mount Gilboa · Mount Meron · Mount Tabor · Pa'ar Cave · Rosh HaNikra · Shamir-Nahal Rachum · Shimron · Nahal Taninim · Tel Anafa · Nahal Tavor · Tel Dan · Tel Shikmona · Nahal YehiamCentral District Adullam · Ashdod Nitzanim Sand Dune Park · Bnei Zion · Avshalom Cave · Ein Hemed · HaMasrek Reserve · Neot Kedumim · Nahal Poleg · Nahal Sorek · Tel Yitzhak · Te'omim Cave · UdimSouthern District Eilat Region Coral Beach Nature Reserve · Timna valley · Yotvata Hai-Bar† Located in the Israeli-occupied territoriesCategories:- National parks of Israel
- Conservation in Israel
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