As Israel's largest NGO with United Nations status, KKL-JNF is committed to international cooperation by addressing key global issues through mutual networking and knowledge sharing. On Wednesday, January 19, five senior foresters from Zhejiang province in China met with KKL-JNF foresters to learn about KKL-JNF’s afforestation policy and innovations.
KKL-JNF is regarded as a world leader in combating desertification, developing water resources, afforestation and agriculture in semi-arid regions, mitigating the effects of climate change, and more. Countries around the world are interested in learning from KKL-JNF, and this was the reason that five senior foresters from the Zhejiang Forestry Department in China arrived for a brief, two-day visit in Israel, which was devoted to discussions with KKL-JNF professionals on various aspects of forestry, with special emphasis on afforestation and water technologies in semi-arid regions.
Johannes Guagnin, Foreign Relations and Research Coordinator for KKL-JNF’s Afforestation Department, greeted the Chinese delegation at the KKL-JNF Eshtaol offices near Beit Shemesh. The group was joined by Victoria Barkagan from the KKL-JNF International Cooperation and Conferences Department, and Liat Itzhak-Herzog, who is responsible for KKL-JNF's USA Desk and developing Chinese ties. Guagnin showed the visitors a short film that described KKL-JNF’s work in Israel in general, and then focused on forestry specifically.
Yang Youping, Deputy Director of the Zhejiang Forestry Department, said that the areas where he and his fellow foresters live are “very green, and we have up to 1,700 mms of rain annually. However, Zhejiang Province is huge, and there are also semi-arid areas that have very low average rainfall and poor soil. We are concerned about the future, which is one of the reasons we want to learn from KKL-JNF’s experience, which we heard about in China. We would also be very happy to share our knowledge with you.”
The visitors asked many questions, such as whether KKL-JNF imported soil to regions with poor land, if desert plantings are irrigated, and many more. Mr. Youping also told the KKL-JNF professionals that in China, “everyone must plant at least one tree or shrub during the course of his or her lifetime. I think this is one of the most beautiful things about living in China.”
After the lively discussion in Eshtaol, the group travelled to the Sataf Springs in the Jerusalem mountains, where Johannes showed them restoration works carried out by KKL-JNF, such as the reconstruction of the pool for collecting water at the mouth of the historical Sataf spring, and the restoration of the terraces for recreating ancient modes of agriculture.
“Although I am only here for two short days, Israel has made a deep impression on me,” said Huangfu Zregio from Ningbo. “I was able to get a sense of the spirit of the people who live here, and their commitment to greenery and to planting trees. I look forward to future cooperation between KKL-JNF and the Zhejiang Forestry Department.”
Before the guests returned to their hotel, they exchanged contact information with the KKL-JNF representatives, and tentative plans were discussed for collaboration in the near future, including an invitation to KKL-JNF professionals to visit China to gain a firsthand impression of the challenges they are facing there.