Combating desertification and reclaiming eco-systems damaged by desertification

Rehabilitation of desertified ecosystems in Israel

The multifunctional cultural landscape in the southern arid and semi-arid region in Israel (the Northern Negev) has been shaped by human activity over the millenia.

These anthropogenic ecosystems, common to the northern Negev, are degraded systems that regularly lose soil and water resources necessary to support the ecosystem in its entirety.

David Brand, Chief Forester, Head of the Forestry Department, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund;
Itshack Moshe, Deputy Director, Southern Region, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund; and
Moshe Shachak, Ben Gurion University of the Negev

Published in the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Living Land journal, 2015, pp.88-92

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Water harvesting plays a major role in sustainable afforestation in Northern Negev's arid zone.

Afforestation in Israel – reclaiming ecosystems and combating desertification

Humans have lived in all regions of Israel since before Biblical times, with varying degrees of success.

However, in the last hundred years, human activities and overexploitation of natural resources have produced severe land degradation, erosion and salination.
 
David Brand, Itzhak Moshe, Moshe Shaler, Aviram Zuk & Dr. Joseph Riov, Department of Forestry, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund

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Hiran Forest, 1998 (left); 2008 (right). Photo: KKL-JNF