Israel leads Mediterranean countries in terms of nature reserves - Haaretz

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Mon., September 03, 2007 Elul 20, 5767

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Last update - 12:06 02/09/2007

Israel leads Mediterranean countries in terms of nature reserves

By Zafrir Rinat, Haaretz Correspondent

Israel leads Mediterranean countries in terms of the proportion of its territory that is protected, according to a report by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).

According to IUCN figures, the protected area in Israel constitutes 16 percent of the country's total area, as opposed to 11.7 percent in France, 7.7 percent in Spain, and 0.5 percent in Lebanon.

A protected open space consists of nature reserves, national parks, farmlands and forested areas. The numbers confirm that Israel has successfully allocated extensive areas to nature conservation.

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However, the report overlooks the fact that a large amount of the open space in Israel is in military use, mostly in the Negev. While the IDF activities are environmentally unsustainable, a special agreement between the IDF and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority limits the damage they inflict.

The IUCN report paints a bleak picture of nature conservation in the Mediterranean area. It points to a sharp decline of animal species, which are distinctive to this part of the world.

Despite the increase of protected areas in the Mediterranean in recent years, the dwindling of flora and fauna has not subsided. Two thirds of marine mammals, a quarter of amphibian species, nearly half of shark species, more than half of freshwater fish species, and more than 10 percent of reptiles are in danger of extinction.

According to the IUCN, the Mediterranean basin is one of the most distinctive ecological habitats in the world, containing more than 25,000 flora species, roughly half of which are unique. Most of these species are exploited in the production of food, medications, spices and other products. Also, about half of the reptiles and two thirds of the amphibians are unique.

Two factors shadow Israel's environmental achievements: it is one of the seven countries that suffer from an acute water shortage, and has a high level of greenhouse gas emission per capita.

According to the IUCN, the inaccurate estimation of local ecological systems' profitability as well as the unregulated exploitation of natural resources are among the primary reasons behind the poor nature conservation in the area.

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1.	Nature reserves	12:04	\|	MarkC	02/09/07

2.	Hmm, that also means a bunch of Arab countries besides Lebanon	12:28	\|	Michael	02/09/07

3.	NATURE RESERVES OR ARAB EXCLUSION ZONES?	12:52	\|	Bill	02/09/07

4.	nature reserves	13:22	\|	COLIN	02/09/07

5.	#1 and #2	13:41	\|	Dr Robert Frosch	02/09/07

6.	To # 2	13:42	\|	Samer	02/09/07

7.	The illiterate in pursuit of the protected species	13:49	\|	Justicia	02/09/07

8.	3. COLIN	14:19	\|	KUTW	02/09/07

9.	reply to No. 1	14:32	\|	Jackie	02/09/07

10.	Just wondering.....	14:41	\|	Esther	02/09/07

11.	Mankind is a deviant, greedy, short-sighted, violent species	14:49	\|	Clickfool	02/09/07

12.	MAZAL TOV Israel.Enemies and haters spin this one.	15:11	\|	PETER.SM	02/09/07

13.	to Dear Bill	15:40	\|	Even	02/09/07

14.	WHEN BUTCHERS PLAY VICTIMS	16:18	\|	Bill	02/09/07

15.	Apples and oranges	16:28	\|	arv	02/09/07

16.	BILL SHOUTING does not make your argument valid.	16:48	\|	PETER.SM	02/09/07

17.	BILL WHY do PAL cowards send their children to confront soldiers	17:05	\|	PETER.SM	02/09/07

18.	And you`re the only one Samer?	17:15	\|	Michael	02/09/07

19.	Bill #14 can`t stand Jews that fight back!	17:23	\|	US Citizen	02/09/07

20.	Colin # 4	18:00	\|	ChanahS	02/09/07

21.	Jackie # 9 - to add	18:03	\|	ChanahS	02/09/07

22.	Bill`s poppycock	18:05	\|	ChanahS	02/09/07

23.	OLD TESTAMENTS CALL FOR ETHNIC CLEANSING	18:12	\|	Bill	02/09/07

24.	Humor	18:32	\|	jjvanka	02/09/07

25.	No wonder, Israel is so clean	19:08	\|	Dav	02/09/07

26.	Keep Israel cleen, but dump the garbage in Palestine	19:12	\|	Dav	02/09/07

27.	Filthy colonists go home!	21:16	\|	Michael	02/09/07

28.	Peter #17	22:18	\|	jjvanka	02/09/07

29.	nature reserves = 16% of Palestine	00:09	\|	nobodysacred	03/09/07

30.	Dav #25	00:21	\|	jjvanka	03/09/07

31.	14. Bill: HAMAS, AL-AQSA MURDERERS=BUTCHERS	00:36	\|	KUTW	03/09/07

32.	to #9	11:02	\|	james	03/09/07

33.	but Israeli computer sites are with spy software especially	15:27	\|	r	03/09/07

34.	A protected open space consists ...	17:05	\|	Axel	03/09/07

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