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Last update - 10:22 08/12/2008
'JNF using trees to thwart Bedouin growth in Negev'
By Zafrir Rinat
Tags: Negev, Bedouin, Israel News 

The Jewish National Fund is planting increasing numbers of trees in the northern Negev. The organization says it is doing essential work to prevent desertification and to assist in the rehabilitation of the ecosystem, and even presented the work proudly at a workshop on desertification held in Israel last week for experts from around the world. However, environmental protection specialists contend that the forestation causes serious and irreparable damage to nature and the landscape. Critics suggest that one goal of the planting, rather than being environmental, is actually to prevent illegal Bedouin construction or grazing.

In recent months, preparation for planting and the planting itself has been going on east of the Bedouin town of Hura. Heavy mechanical equipment belonging to the JNF has uprooted existing vegetation to make way for the new planting. An expert on soil conservation who visited the area recently said that following the work the area looked like "a quarry after blasting" has taken place.

According to Dr. Yehoshua Shkedi, director of the science division of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, the JNF does important work in combating such problems as soil erosion. But he says the work in the Hura area and elsewhere in the northern Negev is damaging the land by the use of heavy equipment.
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"This is done in many cases without proper planning and changes areas containing a rich variety of unique plants and animals," Shkedi says. "We've spoken to the JNF people about this a number of times and have tried to persuade them to change the way they work, but nothing helps."

Another major contention of ecologists is that the trees the JNF is planting serve as a convenient base for "biological invasion" - the moving in of species that are not indigenous to the area, such as mice, rats, crows and other bird species. They take advantage of the comfortable conditions provided by the trees, prey on local animals and dominate the food sources.

"The Yatir area is one of the last remnants of an area of plants and animals typical to the edge of the desert," says Yoav Perlman, an ecologist with the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel. "All the animals that developed there have gotten used to an environment in which there are only shrubs. When trees are planted there, birds of prey like shrikes or kestrels come in and finish off the local animals. Everything that's special about the area is hit."

Shkedi gives the example of the leopard fringe-fingered lizard, a rare species that lives only in the Be'er Sheva area, and which is devoured by invading species.

Some experts note that the purpose of the planting is to keep illegal Bedoin construction at bay. This might be logical for the state in terms of land management policies, they say, but it has no ecological justification.

JNF experts say in response that the areas undergoing forestation have already been degraded by overgrazing, and the goal of the planting is to "restore the ecosystem to proper functioning."

The spokesman's office of the JNF responds that, "Most of the areas in question are included in the national master plan for forestation, and are being planted by the JNF because it is the body responsible for this work. The planting has also been approved by the Agriculture Ministry. A soil and vegetation survey is implemented before planting in coordination with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. As part of the work, the JNF saw to the protection of the sternbergia flowers there."

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      1.   Yeah right 05:37  |  Gili 08/12/08
      2.   Bedouin Over Grazing Created Desert 06:45  |  Baruch Gold 08/12/08
      3.   What does Israel do that`s positive? 08:43  |  BBSNews 08/12/08
      4.   Who writes these headlines? 08:47  |  Ofer 08/12/08
      5.   When politics masquerades as ecology 09:39  |  FOX 08/12/08
      6.   If the Jews do it, it must be bad 10:02  |  ERSB 08/12/08
      7.   Zero need for int`l approval to plant on state land as it chooses 10:26  |  Dr. L. Brnd 08/12/08
      8.   Confession: I changed the environment 11:29  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 08/12/08
      9.   Adaptation. 11:29  |  Colin 08/12/08
      10.   Most of Negev Beduins are illegal settlers from Egyptian Sinai 11:40  |  Absolute Sweden 08/12/08
      11.   bbs-what does Israel do that`s positive? 12:13  |  nina 08/12/08
      12.   More ersatz science from HaAretz 12:19  |  Zev Davis 08/12/08
      13.   To #3 BBSNews 13:07  |  Gershon Reed 08/12/08
      14.   bedouin culture & Israels small size are not compatible 13:27  |  zionist forever 08/12/08
      15.   There are other areas for bedouin to live - 14:43  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 08/12/08
      16.   Do your homework, before you resort to ignorant comments 15:26  |  MSC in Polit.history 08/12/08
      17.   Regarding "environmental consciousness" of Israel 15:49  |  MSC in Polit.histo 08/12/08
      18.   to the degree hound 16:02  |  x-ray 08/12/08
      19.   MSC in Political History, we share a problem, too . . . 16:33  |  Zev Davis 08/12/08
      20.   Mr Anti-Knowledge 16:38  |  MSC in Polit.history 08/12/08
      21.   Margie, nice to read but the matter is more serious 16:41  |  Jew- and Bookburner 08/12/08
      22.   Margie in TA (#15) On that issue I totally DISagree 16:45  |  Gil 08/12/08
      23.   Zafrir Rinat needs to decide what sort of piece to write 18:28  |  Jacob Blues 08/12/08
      24.   Further environmental discussion; Israel Nature and Parks Authori 18:33  |  Jacob Blues 08/12/08
      25.   Unfortunately, in regards the the environtmental critiques, 18:39  |  Jacob Blues 08/12/08
      26.   Apparently though, Ha`Aretz editors don`t see a need to discuss 18:44  |  Jacob Blues 08/12/08
      27.   "Plant a tree in Israel". I was few times apporached by an 18:51  |  Jozef 08/12/08
      28.   Margie calls the Bedouin "cockroaches"... 18:54  |  BBSNews 08/12/08
      29.   Nina, let me clue you in on reality... 19:05  |  BBSNews 08/12/08
      30.   To "MSC in Polit.history" - I`m not impressed 19:10  |  Raymond in DC 08/12/08
      31.   BS you`re so limited 19:41  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 08/12/08
      32.   BBSNews (#28) No she did not call them cockroaches 19:52  |  Gil 08/12/08
      33.   Ofer (#4) Good Question 00:08  |  Gil 09/12/08
      34.   JNF O that JNF 00:09  |  Gil 09/12/08
      35.   JNF Using Trees to Thwart Bedouin Growth in the Negev 03:33  |  Pamela Frydman Baugh 09/12/08
      36.   JNF Using Trees to Thwart Bedouin Growth in the Negev 03:34  |  Pamela Frydman Baugh 09/12/08
      37.   JNF Using Trees to Thwart Bedouin Growth in the Negev 03:36  |  Pamela Frydman Baugh 09/12/08
      38.   Bedouin sheep - the only eco friendly way 11:32  |  Dr. Yeela Raanan 09/12/08
      39.   Dr Raanan 14:08  |  x-ray 09/12/08
      40.   Yet another comparison, Mr. Blues 09:12  |  Zev Davis 10/12/08
      41.   bbs-multiculturalism+human rights 21:39  |  nina 11/12/08
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