Jordan Valley Project  

Together for BIRDS and PEOPLE

 in the JORDAN Valley

    Background

The Jordan Valley is situated along the northern edge of the Great Rift Valley . this region represents a rich blend of stunning geologic formations , diverse plant animals species, and ancient human history . with thousands of years of human presence, the Jordan Valley has historical, religious and political importance for many people around   the world Today the valley is divided between  three political authorities : Israel ,Jordan and Palestine .

The Jordan valley is home to an amazing diversity of flora and fauna . this great biological diversity is due in part to its location between three continents ( Asia ,Europe and Africa), being situated along major bird migration corridor, and supporting a wide variety of habitat type such as riparian, marsh grassland ,scrub and arid desert the project area includes the Hula Valley in the north,  which is defined as a " wetland of international importance " by the Ramsar Convention on wetlands ( 1971)

Three tributaries enter the Valley from Lebanon and Golan Heights here and from the famous Jordan River .the Jordan River cuts through mountainous, hard Basalt terrain to lake kinneret ( Sea of Galilee) that is 200 m below sea level flowing on to the Dead sea, this is the lowest elevation riparian ecosystem in the world (400 meters below seas level ) from the Palestinian side .the project area includes the arid Arava Valley down to the Gulf of Aqaba, with its twin cities and ports, Aqaba ( Jordanian)  and Eliat ( Israeli).

The long depression of the valley, with its low altitudes and warm climate  serve as a penetration path  to the north, for African ( or "Sahero-Sindian") species As a result, desert species, such as the Brown-necked Raven and Nubian Ibex, reach their northern rang limit here and mix with the southern most Mediterranean species such as Sardinian Warbler and River Otter .

In addition to resident species, the valley is host to a continual flux of migrating birds . At least 500 million birds of over 500 species pass through the Jordan valley in autumn and spring Many of these species breed in mid and Eastern Europe and a significant portion  of their entire population pass through the region Indeed, the entire population of some species such as the lesser-Spotted Eagle and the White Stork passes through the area twice  a year. Many of these species depend on open spaces , using both natural and agricultural ,to rest and forage, other species spend an entire season ,such as wintering birds of prey pelicans and stokes, and summering bee-eaters and warblers . Dozens of these species are listed as globally threatened by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Clearly, the Jordan Valley supports a high Biodiversity that is important regionally and globally .

Reasons for the selection of target groups

The target groups are: Birdlife International-UK in cooperation with their Partners in the Middle East ,working individually in their national Level with some of assistant of Bird life Middle East and Central Asia Division - Jordan Office .

The Royal Society for Conservation of Nature-Jordan (RSCN) ,the society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) ,and the Palestine Wildlife Society (PWLS) .

These groups were chosen on the basis  of their outstanding work in nature conservation there of  these nongovernmental organizations represent each of the three countries that are present in the Jordan Valley Bird life International was chosen to be the lead organizing body based on the organizations long-term experience and success with similar type projects In addition, Birdlife International  is based in Europe and will provide a neutral viewpoint for these project .

Activities and the reasons for the proposed methodology

The following generalized are  planned (details presented under Section 1.6and 1.7):

Addition, conservation efforts will be directed to globally endangered species and " flag species" flag species will be used to raise awareness about conservation by being highly visible , track able on the internet year round, and are connected to the cultural heritage of the local people .thereby raising their pride .

Bird Watching Centers – the preservation areas will be administrated, managed and used by Bird watching centers, which will run programs of nature conservation, research, eco-tourism, education and cooperation with agriculture .the centers provide the physical mean to administer this project "on the ground ".  

Research – research will specifically target conservation issues including prioritizing land preservation, conflict resolution with agriculture, bird migration, and impacts of tourism  . the long term success of the project is dependent on sound research .

Education – education will involve all age  groups and will be specifically geared to people of the region Education is critical to building true cooperation in the region and creating the next generation of environmental leaders . An exciting aspect here will be the use of the interment as a tool for education and interaction between students of the region and throughout the world .  

Eco-tourism – the centers will provide programs and information for tourists packages . the project aims  to create a eco-tourism industry within the region through active public relations and marketing Eco-tourism is an important component of creating economic sustainability through nature conservation.

Agriculture Cooperation Program – this program will provide forum for dealing with environmentally friendly strategies , conflict resolution and a compensation fund for crop damage  due to wildlife . Given that most of the region is agriculture , this program is critical to wildlife conservation .   

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Last modified: Friday, 25 April 2008