National parks of Israel are declared historic sites or nature reserves , which are mostly operated and maintained by the National Nature and Parks Authority . As of 2015, Israel maintains 81 national parks and more than 400 nature reserves, many of them in the occupied West Bank , that protect 2,500 species of indigenous wild plants, 32 species of fish, 530 species of birds and 100 species of mammals.
17-788: Tabachnik National Garden is a National Park located on the southern slopes of Mount Scopus in Jerusalem , next to the Hebrew University . The garden preserves some Jewish burial caves from the Second Temple period and two small modern cemeteries, the American Colony Cemetery and the Bentwich Cemetery . Two lookouts are also located within the park, an eastward one facing the Dead Sea and
34-462: A critical species for the region's ecosystem. In the wake of the devastating Carmel Forest fire of 2010 , the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, along with Jewish National Fund , launched large-scale reforestation efforts to restore the damaged ecosystem. These include planting native trees, creating firebreaks, and clearing debris to prevent future fires. Volunteers from Israel and around
51-675: A stretch of forested land, but also the vast remains of the ancient city of Banias / Caesarea Philippi . Sometimes an administrative separation is made, as for instance at the Judean desert oasis of Ein Gedi , home to both the Ein Gedi Antiquities National Park and Ein Gedi Nature Reserve. This is a partial list, containing only the best known national parks. This is a partial list, containing only
68-564: Is acting against public interest. As a result, Amitay retired a year earlier than planned. In December of the same year, Shaul Goldstein, head of the Gush Etzion Regional Council was appointed as CEO by a government committee. In October 2017, the Authority came under public criticism when a visitor to Avshalom Cave observed that none of the instructional material in the cave contained an estimate of its age, and
85-711: The Judean Desert , and a westward one towards the Temple Mount . The main cemetery of the American Colony is located here. Another cemetery of the Colony is situated on Mount Zion . A small cemetery beside the American Colony cemetery is dedicated to Herbert Bentwich and his family. National parks and nature reserves of Israel The parks and reserves were frequently declared around
102-549: The Minister of Agriculture was appointed for its implementation. In 1955, the department for the improvement of the country's landscape (המחלקה לשיפור נוף הארץ) was established in the Israeli Prime Minister 's Office, which was assigned the establishment of tourist infrastructure. The department established a number of well-known national parks, such as Gan HaShlosha , Caesarea , Shivta and Avdat . Following
119-614: The 1920s onwards, the British Mandatory government passed laws aimed at saving the local flora and fauna . In 1924 a Hunting Act was published and in 1926 a Forest Ordinance were published. Many sites, such as the forests of Mount Carmel and Mount Meron , were declared forest reserves; certain trees were declared protected. In 1953 the Knesset passed the Wildlife Protection Law (חוק הגנת חיות-הבר) and
136-551: The Animals Live [ he ] organization has also claimed that the Authority was harming animals. In 2007, scientists and nature conservation organizations opposed the extension of CEO Eli Amitay's appointment for a second term, citing claims regarding the Authority's conservation policies during his first term, but the government approved the appointment nonetheless. In 2011, Minister of Environmental Protection Gilad Erdan sought to depose Amitay, claiming that he
153-829: The National Parks Authority and the Nature Reserves Authority. In 1998 the two authorities were merged into one body - Israel Nature and Parks Authority . The last observation of an Arabian leopard took place in the northern Arabah area in 2010/11. It is possibly extinct in the country. In Israel the distinction between national parks and nature reserves is often hard to make. National parks are in most cases centered around archaeological sites, but sometimes include protected nature habitats. The nature reserves often contain not just protected fauna and flora, but also major archaeological sites. The Hermon Stream Nature Reserve for instance covers
170-508: The Nature Reserves Authority) that had managed the nature reserves and national parks separately since 1964. The director of the Authority is Raya Shurki. The symbol of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority is the ibex , a mountain goat similar to the antelope. One of the missions of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority is enforcing Israeli wildlife protection laws. As of 2015, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority
187-688: The best known nature reserves. Israel Nature and Parks Authority The Israel Nature and Parks Authority ( Hebrew : רשות הטבע והגנים , Rashut Hateva Vehaganim ; Arabic : سلطة الطبيعة والحدائق ) is an Israeli government organization that manages nature reserves and national parks in Israel , the Golan Heights and parts of the West Bank . The organization was founded in April 1998, merging two organizations (The National Parks Authority and
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#1732781127118204-582: The ecologically disastrous drying of Lake Hula and the resulting public pressure, the Hula Reserve [ he ] was established in 1964, which was the first declared nature reserve in Israel. In 1963 the Knesset approved the "National parks and nature reserves act" (חוק הגנים הלאומיים ושמורות הטבע), whose legislation process had already began in 1956. As a result, two authorities were established:
221-437: The endangered griffon vulture population, particularly through the "Under Our Wing" project, which focuses on breeding vultures in captivity and releasing them into the wild. The project also sets up feeding stations to help vultures avoid poisoned carcasses, a major threat. These initiatives, alongside actions to prevent intentional poisoning by farmers, have contributed to the recovery of the griffon vulture population in Israel,
238-474: The preservation of local flora and fauna . Several parks and nature reserves have camping options, such as tent grounds and bungalows, open to small groups and individual campers. Some of them are located in the Israeli-occupied territories of the Golan Heights and the West Bank . In 2011, the most popular national parks were Yarkon National Park , Caesarea , Ein Gedi and Tel Dan . From
255-488: The ruins of the depopulated and subsequently demolished towns and villages of the 1948 Palestinian expulsion and flight ; 182 historical Palestinian built up areas are located within Israel's parks and reserves. Some parks are located at archaeological sites such as Tel Megiddo , Beit She'an , Ashkelon and Kursi . Others, such as the Alexander stream , Mount Carmel National Park or Hurshat Tal focus on nature and
272-594: The world helped replant thousands of trees, while experts are monitoring long-term ecological impacts to ensure the forest's health and resilience. The project has made significant strides in rehabilitating the region and reducing the risk of future wildfires. The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel has criticized decisions of the Nature and Parks Authority's policies on several occasions, claiming that they have harmed nature reserves in various ways. Let
289-443: Was the overseer of 400 nature reserves and 81 national parks, covering over 20 percent of Israel’s land mass. The coverage of the Authority has grown fairly rapidly. For example, in 2007 the Authority oversaw only 69 national parks and 190 nature reserves - a doubling of reserves in only 8 years. All parks and nature reserves are divided into six regions: The Israel Nature and Parks Authority has led significant efforts to protect
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