Asides from its ongoing support of research and development in
sustainable agriculture and renewable energy, its powerful impact on Israel's water economy and its sustainable forest management policies, 2016 saw some very exciting new KKL-JNF developments in sustainability:
KKL-JNF made headway in getting local communities involved in its forests. Together with other environmental organizations and local Jerusalemites, KKL-JNF launched a campaign to
save Mount Heret from untrammeled development, and also, it developed a
Jerusalem Forest Master Plan to make it more accessible to the nearby Jerusalem neighborhoods. Together with the communities of Shaalvim and Nof Ayalon, it transformed the neglected wooded area in their backyard into
Shaalvim Community Forest. KKL-JNF continues to build lookout points and hiking and cycling trails, including the
new bike trail in Shoham Forest. The organization continues to make sure that every segment of Israeli society can visit its parks and forests, including those with limited physical mobility. In recognition of its efforts in making its sites accessible, the Access Israel Convention awarded the
Accessibility Prize to KKL-JNF's Hula Lake Park.
An essential part of sustainable development is getting businesses involved. This year, KKL-JNF and the Dan Hotels chain inaugurated the
Dan Hotels Scenic Lookout on Mount Carmel. Together with the Israel Electric Company, it also inaugurated the accessible
Renewable Energies Trail in Hagit Forest in the Galilee.
As part of its priority to work together with local authorities around Israel to advance comprehensive planning for towns, cities and villages, KKL-JNF, together with the Federations of Local Authorities in Israel, launched an
urban planning conference in Haifa to discuss the interface between the organization and local government in a variety of areas including education, welfare, transport, housing, green environment and culture, in order to promote citizens' daily life in Israel.
KKL-JNF also launched the
Center for Water Sensitive Cities in Kfar Saba together with the Kfar Saba Municipality, Monash University in Australia, the Technion, Ben Gurion University of the Negev and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
In addition, KKL-JNF and the Israeli Ministry of Housing and Construction funded the
first green renovation project in Sderot, as part of the Housing Ministry's Urban Renewal Program. It is hoped that the pilot's success in renovating an old apartment building to fit with green standards will extend the project to cities and towns all around Israel.
As part of its policy to work with natural systems rather than against them, KKL-JNF is taking a 'hands-off' approach to
forest rehabilitation in the wake of the November 2016 fires, encouraging the forests to regenerate themselves with only a little help along the way, such as clearing away dead trees and scrub, creating fire breaks and encouraging the growth of natural local species.