Palestinian flora is rich and diverse. Native plants are grown naturally on mountains, slopes, plains and valleys of the Palestinian land. Wild plants of eastern slopes of the West Bank face risks and challenges that make efforts of conservation very important to tackle not only natural threats like drought but also human actions. Climate change in the semi dry areas like the West Bank is obvious where drought, desertification and regional warming features are recorded. This makes the work of protection of plants is crucial through this project where targeted wild plants will be transferred to a natural site of a botanic garden. Live plants, seeds or plant specimens will be collected for growing, conservation, or exhibition. The botanic garden will be site of growing, propagation of plants and at the same time for scientific studies by researchers, students and experts. A botanic museum of the plant dried collections including herbarium specimens, wood, and other related materials will be exhibited for ecotourism. This will enforce the project objectives to enhance scientific community and public awareness on plants and environment.
The project is the first of its kind in the area where wild flora is targeted for conservation and ecotourism. At the same time researchers of Palestinian universities and scientific institutions will be involved actively to invest in natural resources like plant biodiversity. It is expected that undergraduates, botanists, ecologists and tourist experts will cooperate to protect nature in Palestine. It is aimed also to get benefits of the regional and international experience in dealing with conservation of nature to be employed locally. The project will have wide interactions, exchange of visits, activities and training to enforce achievement of the project goals of conservation of plants and ecotourism using nature.
Project Update: April 2009 The following is a summary of the major activities of the project.
• This report marks the annual anniversary of the day (30th March) of the Palestinian land where public, farmers, national institutes including schools and universities and activists are urged to work for protection of land and nature and to conduct projects and perform actions for the benefit of the Palestinian people.
• Museum of Nature: the hall (6m by 10m) was chosen within the main building of the natural park area which belongs to Bani Naim Charitable Society. It was prepared and repainted, then furniture, wood, metal cabinets and chairs were brought.
• Plant specimens were introduced into the museum: clay pots are used to exhibit plant materials, dried spikes of natural grasses and herbarium specimens to be used for education.
• A competition on use of native biodiversity specimens was launched in Bani Naim. The idea is to collect natural specimens for exhibition and to encourage local community to appreciate the beauty of nature and how to interact with nature through developing ideas of painting and other skills. The targeted groups are students of schools and universities, families, staff of institutions and lovers of nature. Consultation with Julia Willison of BGCI on this issue was made. This allowed a more mature and well organized activity to be performed.
• A group of propagated native plants was produced at the local nursery of Bani Naim (total 26 plants) representing 4 species (2 thyme species [Labiatae], wild iris [Iridaceae] and Achillea [Compositae]) were given to Al-Quds University Botanic Gardens. This is a regular relation to improve conservation and to conduct research using such native plants.
• A group of master students from the Rural Development Program of Al-Quds University made a field and scientific trip to the natural site of the biodiversity and museum of nature. I gave scientific and ecotourism outline of the major activities of the project.
• Collection of wild plants that are then air dried to be used as herbs, a source of folkloric medicines and for beauty and enjoyment.
• Mixed sizes of stones from nearby valleys were brought to construct natural beds for transferred plants like the wild iris.
• An Italian group headed by a specialist in the coordination of biodiversity projects visited the project site. They showed interest and possible cooperation in future.
• Through coordination and cooperation between the project and the hosting society of Bani Naim in propagation of wild plants, priority is given to produce resistant wild native trees due to their resistance to pathogens and adaptation to wild environment like in Palestine.
Project Update: May 2009 This spring season in mountains of Palestine was exceptional in natural beauty especially after a long period of drought of rain. The peak time of blooming of wild flowers was during March and April. This is a summary of activities undertaken by the project.
Field trips were organized in the wild of the mountains and slopes of Bani Naim. The participants were Al-Quds university scientists and students, school students, members of the public from the local community and local community leaders.
Establishing the biodiversity garden is under construction, using natural stones and introducing wild plants and conservation of native plants within the site of construction. It is highly important to note that natural topography was considered during the landscaping with the advice of specialized engineers, local builders and workers.
The natural museum was enriched with many plant and rock specimens. During the field trips, all visitors enjoyed the activities that are going on and performed scientific and social activities as part of the ecotourism. In every visit or trip I explained and offered detailed information on the project, questions, answers and discussions were fruitful. All participants showed their respect and appreciation to Rufford Small Grants Foundation for the support and to trigger such an important project in the conservation of nature in Palestine.
Project Update: July 2009 Summary of activities as continuation of the project to include:
1) The biodiversity garden and the natural museum were adopted by Bani Naim Municipality, the local authority, as one major project of the strategic plan being prepared in the last three months. The plan aims to boost the future development of Bani Naim town. The project is supported by the German GTZ to assist the local Palestinian authority for better planning and to meet the needs of local society. Dr Khaled Sawalha works as local consultant for the strategic plan, who emphasized the importance of investment in nature through the Rufford Small Grants project.
2) The biodiversity garden is under construction with more practical steps achieved, following engineering consultation; a) the natural stones from Bani Naim valleys were used to build lines and walls to establish small beds for plantation of the wild plants; b) local workers were employed to spread sandy soil brought from the Palestinian coast; c) the garden is fully enriched with sandy soil ready for introduction of new wild flora .
3) More specimens were introduced or checked for the natural museum: a) a natural beautiful stone from Bani Naim wild b) conifer cones were collected; c) wild seeds belonging to wild plants of umbelliferae were collected.
Project Update: August 2009 The project activities are progressing well and more participation from the local community was recorded. The following achievements can be outlined:
1) The months of summer (June – September) are usually hot and dry and most of the wild plants disappear (i.e. the annuals) leaving naked nature as attractive with green challenging plants like Sarcopoterium spinosum and Thymelaea gussonei which are adapted to drought.
2) Palestinian-made glass pots were introduced to the natural museum to conserve and exhibit dried wild plants from the biodiversity garden and Bani Naim wild.
3) The competition on biodiversity was concluded. Local schools, staff of institutions and individuals were involved. The staff of Life sciences at Al-Quds University were the jury to announce the results. Four prizes were offered to winners. The participation and collaboration of the local community was evaluated as active and directed towards increasing environmental awareness and conservation of nature. This competition was the first of its kind in the area.
4) Plant specimens were collected and introduced to the museum and herbarium with focus on dried seeds for conservation, exhibition and/or propagation. Among the seeds collected were: thyme, Persian thyme, sage, Salvia and Atriplex. Participation of members of the public was recorded for the first time in Bani Naim.
5) Irrigation system was introduced to the biodiversity garden to meet the challenge of drought, while the water source is to be secured through wells or tap water.
6) Visits by public, engineers and staff of local and national institutions were made to the biodiversity garden and natural museum.
Project Update: September 2009 The project activities during September 2009 were:
1) Group of native Palestinian plants was introduced to the biodiversity garden; the plants included Rosemarinus officionalis and Teucrium capitatum (Labiatae), Ziziphus spinachristi, and Retama raetam.
2) Cactus plants were introduced to the biodiversity garden.
3) Cones of conifers were collected for the natural museum.
4) More plant specimens were introduced to the herbarium.
5) Documentation of botanical information on collected or planted specimens.
Project Update: November 2009 The project activities during October were:
1) Maintenance of the biodiversity garden: irrigation, trimming of plants as preparation for the winter season and spreading soil.
2) The hall of the natural museum was painted from outside for protection of botanical preserved specimens from rain water and moisture.
3) The achievements of the Rufford-funded project were presented at a botanical gardens seminar held in Granada, Spain: focus was on establishing a biodiversity garden and community participation in seed collection for propagation and conservation at the natural museum. Dr Sawalha, as Assistant Professor at Al-Quds University, was invited to give a presentation on conservation of natural heritage in Palestine through botanic gardens.
4) The following native Palestinian plants were introduced: Dittrichia viscosa and Retama raetam to the garden; ripened red fruits with seeds of Pistacia palaestina were collected from the wild for conservation in the natural museum.
Project Update: December 2009 The project activities by mid-December 2009 were:
1) Documentation of botanical and natural information on both live and dried specimens. For example, preparation for a poster publication and to introduce botanical plates into the biodiversity garden.
2) The project receives attention of local, national and tourist visitors, who paid attributes to the activities of the project, mainly conservation of nature, one comment says: "It is valuable to save plants and nature at the time of conflict like the case in Palestine". Many visitors follow also the progress and updates of the project on the webpage of both Rufford and Bani Naim and contacted Khaled Sawalha for appreciation and asking for further information.
3) Live botanical specimens were collected: group of black iris was introduced to the garden, red branches of Arbutus shrub of Ericaceae were collected for propagation and herbarium; bryophytes (i.e. mosses) were collected form the wild of Bani Naim and used for practical session for teaching botany students at Al-Quds University.
4) Fossils believed to be plant and animal specimens were collected from Bani Naim natural sites; five distinctive pieces were introduced to the natural museum. These specimens have a very important scientific and tourist value, since the area is rich with such fossils. Also group of mixed colored stones were collected and introduced to the museum.
Project Update: March 2010 The project activities during the past two months included:
1) Documentation and recording the effects of dry environment on plant growth in Bani Naim wild. The rainfall this season was rich but interrupted with dry and hot weeks. This follow up of climate change in the area is important since this winter is also warm compared to previous years.
2) Collection of specimens for the natural museum, where insect cells were built on wild thyme in the biodiversity garden site of the Rufford project.
3) Exhibition of mixed dried plant material (aromatic of wild origin herbs) in glass container with conifer cones for decoration in the natural museum.
4) Growth and maintenance of introduced plants into the biodiversity were followed and evaluated to show satisfactory progress for all plants transferred from the wild to the beds of the garden.
Final Report Read about the activities undertaken and findings of this project in the final report below.
