dry land afforestation - how to create a fertile desert while at the same time preserving the unique desert ecosystem (from the KKL-JNF pamphlet on the Negev)
The aim of this three-year project has been to create a demonstration station for Israeli and overseas students, scientists, and management personnel. The station shows how ecological understanding of desert landscapes can be applied for reforestation of degraded areas. The project is based on research that shows that biological diversity and productivity in the desert are controlled by factors affecting the flow of water, soil and nutrients. Four sites have been established in Sayeret Shaked Park to show how natural and human activities in the area affect distribution of resources and biological diversity, and to provide evidence of how management activities restore desertified landscapes.