About the Unit

The Chief Scientist in KKL-JNF is the supreme scientific authority in all scientific and professional aspects of the organization's work and is responsible for planning the scientific activity, determining its directions and strengthening the professional basis of KKL-JNF's activity.

The purpose of the Chief Scientist's unit in KKL-JNF is to serve as a kind of scientific-professional spearhead for the organization, which will result in better use of its abilities, strengthen the professional decision-making infrastructure and give scientific knowledge to the units on the ground. For this purpose, the Chief Scientist is in charge of planning the directions of KKL-JNF's research activities. The unit is in professional contact with academic institutions and with Israeli and international research bodies, and also represents KKL-JNF in professional and managerial forums, such as the Inter-Ministerial Administration for Climate Change, the Inter-Ministerial Administration for Combined Drainage Basin Management, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority plenum, the Israeli World Heritage Committee, the Government Names Committee, the Israeli Committee for Humans and the Environment, etc.

The Main Subjects of Activity of the Chief Scientist’s Unit

Responsibility for leading the subjects of KKL-JNF activity in the following fields by means of the professionals active in the Chief Scientist's unit.

Environment and sustainability
- Coordinating the subjects of environment and sustainability in KKL-JNF including environmental education, branding KKL-JNF as a green body, environmental monitoring, public campaigns, energy efficiency and environmental innovation.
- Leading research and innovation in these fields, while collaborating with sustainability and environmental bodies in Israel and abroad.

Uses of land and water
- Advising and controlling processes of rehabilitation of land, rivers and bodies of water such as the Hula Lake and winter ponds.
- Advancing the biofilter as a means of managing urban run-off.
- Leading monitoring and research in these fields.
- These subjects will constitute a continuation of the activity of the Land Policy and Land Use Research Institute while directing it to the above professional subjects.

Birdwatching and heritage interpretation
- Coordinating the planning, development and operation of KKL-JNF's national birdwatching network, which consists of birdwatching sites from the Hula to Eilat.
- Professional guidance in the field of birdwatching for KKL-JNF employees and guides in sites that receive visitors.
- Coordinating surveys and research on the subject and international connections in the field of birdwatching; developing heritage interpretation in KKL-JNF.
- Managing the bird database in KKL-JNF and promoting the "Waze to Nature" app.

The history and heritage of Zionism
- The Chief Scientist's unit, by means of the Institute for Research of the History of Zionism and Settlement, which is subordinate to the Chief Scientist, supports research, conferences and seminars, publication of books and journals on the subjects of the history of Zionism. and settlement.
- In addition, the Chief Scientist's unit issues a call for proposals for scholarships for outstanding students in these subjects.

Information science and scientific information
- Managing scientific information online for KKL-JNF employees and the public.
- Collecting scientific information and arranging it in online directories, coordinating the subject of research and foreign liaison, coordinating the subject of technological innovation.

Academia and innovation
- Coordinating connections with academic institutions in Israel and abroad, including accompanying and supporting study programs that are relevant to KKL-JNF and awarding scholarships to students in these fields.
- Coordinating the connections with innovation centers in academia, technological incubators, accelerators and nurseries.
- Coordinating the subject of academia and news in the framework of "Israel 2040."
- Coordinating support for research centers and academic research institutes.

  • Advising the management of KKL-JNF in scientific professional fields for the purpose of decision making and determining policy.
  • Cultivating the connection and collaboration with academic institutions and research institutes in Israel and abroad, Chief Scientists in other organizations and different professional entities.
  • Coordinating and encouraging research and development (R&D) on KKL-JNF's core subjects and carrying out professional and budget control of the regional agricultural R&D centers.
  • Responsibility for creating, retaining and sharing knowledge in scientific professional fields in collaboration with all the administrative units in KKL-JNF.
  • Initiating and advancing research to expand the knowledge base of the organization, including by means of issuing "calls for papers."
  • Partnership in training and promoting professional personnel in KKL-JNF by means of organizing professional courses and in-service training in collaboration with the training department in the human resources and administration division.
  • Establishing mechanisms of professional collaboration and discourse with internal and external interested parties to increase the professional and scientific status of KKL-JNF.
  • Leading multidisciplinary professional subjects in the entire organization and carrying out additional tasks according to the instructions of the CEO.