Urban river park: Na'aman estuary Enrichment and expansion of the salt marsh, Tel Akko, the old city, the urban fabric of the city of Acre beach and the river southwards, towards the river

The beach will be opened to the Integration of El-Barbur Communities Basin management public, providing pedestrian community into the growth and continuity and valuable recreation densification of the city: creation space. A pedestrian promenade of a development typology connecting the river estuery, the integrating the river into Planned residential Ecohydrological function beach and the old city eill be community space construcred development Acre The northern fish ponds of Tel Akko Ein Hamifratz will be Human components transformed into industrial fish farms. The excess ponds will Industry and serve as purification ponds and commerce zone as wetlands, restoring the Public perception of the Na'amin Cultural Center The Bahá’í historical marshlands Gardens River corridor river Rehabilitation and in Acre restoration of the unique Na'aman estuary salt marsh, creating an attractive habitat Enrichment and expansion of Nature reserve Role of the river in its for waterbirds the urban fabric of the city of Acre northwards, towards the environs river; increased value and Points of interest desirability of the area thanks to rehabilitation of the river and its environs

Ecohydrological rehabilitation of the nature reserve Na'aman River will be restored to its historical Nature reserve route and connected to the Increased value of the planned Na’aman estuary kibbutz that will expand towards it. The river will residential development by become an integral part of virtue of ecological and Kibbutz H ik local identity a landscape restoration of the Ein HaMifratz z o The southern fish ponds estuary's salt marshes n st of Kibbutz Ein HaMifratz re will be transformed into a Kibbutz Ein Hamifratz will grow m a flood retention area, towards the river and the river to protect the city of will be restored to its historical Acre from flood risk route, turning Ein HaMifratz into 4 Hig A continuous river path, a "kibbutz by the river" and the connected to existing trails and river into an integral part of creating an uninterrupted h riverside recreation and community life w commuting route from Acre to a

y Bay The fish ponds of Kibbutz Kfar ( Masarik will thrive, providing A c ecological and recreational r e Na'aman River will be restored benefits as well as agricultural R to its historical route and production o

a connected to the kibbutz that

d Kibbutz Derech Akko will be converted to a local commerce route will expand towards it. The river ) Kfar Masarik will become an integral part of local identity Kibbutz will grow towards the river and the river will be restored to its historical route, Urban river park turning Kfar Masaryk into a "kibbutz Ein Nimfit Nature The park will connect the by the river" and the river into an Reserve different parts of the city of integral part of community life Acre with Tel Akko, the old city, Ein Nimfit Park: based the beach and the river Miluot on the last vestiges of the Kurdani Marshes, Milouot industrial area will receive Industrial commercial business fitting to and a park rich with The Bahá’í Gardens in Acre enjoying the nearness of the river area aquatic habitats that provides nature-based and Ein Nimfit Park. The Rehabilitation and recreation restoration of the unique commercial activity will enhance the visitor experience Na'aman estuary salt marsh Connection to the regional and The Na'aman estuary salt “Na'amin” Cultural Center Milouot industrial area will national road marsh will become an transform into a green-tech, A center for cultural system attractive public space that agri-tech and recreation center interaction and activity in uplifts the region oriented towards the river Ecohydrological the unfolding urban park rehabilitation to restore the river's condition to match the already-restored sections upstream and H i downstream g h w Karei-Na'aman path The "mountain of waste" will be a y rehabilitated and transformed The fish ponds of Kibbutz ) 22 into a butterfly garden Lohamei HaGeta'ot - ad cessation of water extraction

Coastal shore Floating trail system Ro from the river and waste The beach will be discharge into it The Na'aman estuary salt re opened to the marsh trail system will Ac The southern fish ponds ( public, providing float above the beautiful of Kibbutz Lohamei el 4 Zur Shalom pedestrian to Karmi Railway wetlands y HaGeta'ot will be continuity and a Industrial transformed into an

w valuable 4 Karei-Na'aman Nature area ecological park open to h

Reserve - preserving a g recreation space ay i 42 channel the public

w piece of the Kurdani H Connecting the urban Marshes (closed to promanade to visitors) High Karei-Na'aman path - a direct connection Na'aman River path between city residents The path will connect the the river Ecological enhancement of different parts of the city El-Barbur Canal 42: connecting Zur of Acre, including the old Runoff retention neighborhood, Acre Shalom in Kiryat Bialik to Canal Zur Shalom city, the coastal shore 42 and through it to the reservoir and the Na'aman River, The El-Barbur Neighborhood community, suffering Na'aman River and the creating a continuous regional-metropolitan river trail K. Bialik and important park in Acre's southern residential district from frequent the city of Acre and the A new residential district will be flooding and lack of infrastucture, will Western developed on the southern side of Neot Afeka the Na'aman River, separated from move to new, the current city by the mouth of the permanent riverside Neighborhood river. The new development will neighborhood above K. Bialik Na'aman River become highly desirable by virtue of flood level Beach path the ecological and landscape Connecting the Hil Sands Park restoration of the estuary's salt azo new El-Barbur K. Motzkin marshes. n Str neighborhood to ea m Urban runoff retention Kibbutz Ein HaMifratz space, serving as a recreation area

K. Bialik

22

y A path connecting to a the Gdora Stream trail w

gh i

H Afek Nature Reserve: increase of spring water discharge to the river A new nature reserve based on the disused fish ponds of Kibbutz Afek, restoring lost marsh habitat

Restoring the Na'aman River's stream channel to a natural, ecohydrological form and creating the Na'aman River Nature Reserve

An urban promenade at the edge of the nature reserve, orienting the city of Kiryat Bialik towards the river and instilling the river in local identity Reviving the Na’aman: Renaissance of River, People and Sea

The project area River Length: 11 km The Na'aman River: an integral piece of agriculture and for the development of kibbutz role of rivers in the landscape began to take hold the history of the northern . settlements - Kfar Masaryk and Ein HaMifratz - west in , in which the river is seen as an important of the river. natural open space with environmental, ecological Acre The Na’aman River is a perennial estuarian stream, Drainage of the Na’aman marshes dramatically and recreational values. This conceptual shift led to Acre port flowing for 11 kilometers at the periphery of Acre the development of a master plan for the Na’aman Na'aman Estuary Kibbutz transformed the landscape and minimized the Ein HaMifratz Valley: from Afek Springs northwards to its estuary, river’s presence. What was once a wide and River, paving the way for the first attempts to restore Kfar Masarik forming the boundary between the agricultural and Ein Nimfit winding river flowing through marshes became it to its former glory. However, the environmental Hilazon basin urban fabrics and pouring into the Mediterranean sqkm 271 a deep, straightened drainage channel, detached restoration focused narrowly on the river channel Sea just south of Acre. The river’s basin is a mosaic itself, perpetuating the disconnect between the river from its surroundings. This scenic, ecological and Q. Bialik of diverse scenery, ecosystems, communities and morphological change distanced the river from the and the adjacent human environment. cultures. In the past, the river and its environs were public eye and awareness of its existence slowly faded an extensive swampland (the Kurdani Marsh) whose from the consciousness of its adjacent communities Acre, the city by the river and the sea Ein Afek presence shaped land use in the area. Historically, - Kiryat Bialik, Kfar Masaryk, Ein HaMifratz and Acre. Na’aman basin the river was closely associated with the city of Acre, The city of Acre, just north of the river’s estuary, sqkm 70 Residential and commercial development in the area a once-important port city and strategic stronghold has preserved its cultural diversity and historical Flood Plain “turned their backs” on the stream, and it was treated for empires through the ages. richness but struggled socioeconomically - the city is by the industrial factories, urban environment and ranked in cluster 4 out of a possible 10 in the national intensive agriculture in its vicinity as a neglected socioeconomic index. Though Acre is a mixed city of Guiding principle for selection of the proposed preservation of significant, high-quality natural open space that The taming of the river. backyard and unseen dumping ground. Jews, Muslims and Christians, these demographic river environs provides a range of ecosystem services to the residents of the Jewish settlement in the 1940s had a significant populations tend to segregate from one another Acre Valley and the Haifa metropolitan area. impact on the river’s environs and its public image. A shift in the river’s image. and A number of projects and centers in the city are A classic example of the detrimental evolution that many Along the The British mandate and the Jewish National Fund focused on remedying this segregation and building rivers underwent in Israel: straightening and channelization, A wide variety of endangered aquatic habitats. Over the course of the 1990s seeds of change length of the perennial river’s 11 kilometers are a diversity drained the marshes and prepared the land for Jewish-Arab coexistence. extraction of source spring waters, sewage contamination, began to germinate. A new understanding of the of rare aquatic habitats. Downstream from powerful natural ecological deterioration and entrenchment of a public image springs and freshwater swamps are coastal salt marshes - one of blight and decay. At the same time, the recent water plan of the last vestiges of the salt marshes that once grew in many and declaration of a nature reserve in the Na’aman attest to its of Israel’s coastal river estuaries. potential for rebirth. Significant urban development plans for southern Acre, on A characteristic spectrum of challenges that arise at the both sides of the Na’aman River, present an opportunity to interface of a river with the human environment (urban and The river can serve as a bridge rural settlement; culturally distinct communities, agriculture, connect the city to the river. connecting between the city’s districts and a meeting place for industry and regional and national infrastructure). The river’s the city’s diverse communities, strengthened by the connection proximity to these intensifies its regional importance as an to the old city of Acre and the sea. accessible and inviting natural space, that today remains hidden from public view and physically and conceptually isolated from An opportunity to define a new identity for the river. From a the human environs that surround it. marginal and rejected strip within the urban industrial context, the river has the potential to be an accessible, central and Geographic location along a continuous strip of urban beautiful place to encounter nature close to home, stitching development, intensifying the river’s importance as a green together the patchwork of uses around it and becoming a focal lung. Expansion and crowding of the cities and the construction point in the landscape from the dual perspectives of community of national infrastructure along the coast have eaten away at life and spatial planning. Distant past Before the 1930s Today Future the open spaces in the Acre Valley. The Na’aman River and its environs constitute a stretch of open space crucial to the

Urban area Agricultural rural area Vision River for restoration Restored river Mixed City

Na'aman River will become an abundant source of life, majestic and impressive, Flooding Zone instilling inspiration, vitality and a sense of pride in local residents and visitors alike. The Sub-thematic river and the dynamic human and natural environment that surrounds it will coalesce spaces into a continuous, healthy, living tissue. Salt Marsh

Holistic rehabilitation of the river and melding of its interfaces will transform the river and its environs into a influential steward of human, economic and natural processes in City the heart of the region. The river, together with the city of Acre and the sea, will become a dynamic venue and focal point in the Western Galilee region and the Haifa metropolitan area. Kibbutz

Challenges and opportunities Freshwater marsh

Despite El Barbour neighborhood, a small and isolated Bedouin settlement, Degraded morphological and environmental conditions. Industrial Function of the river within its The river’s place in the restoration efforts carried out along the river, most segments of lacks proper infrastructure and suffers recurrent flooding from the Area surroundings public eye the river still flow through a narrow drainage canal and suffer from river. The neighborhood is located south of the estuary, confined environmental contamination. Except for the nature reserves and between transportation infrastructure. The river’s physical interfaces with the surrounding area create A perceptual disconnect between the river corridor and the human Ein Nimfit Park, the river has not gained substantial physical space a sense of separation and remoteness. Urban development in the environment. The river’s natural landscape and scenery do not Zur Shalom neighborhood in Kiryat Bialik. An older, well- on either of its banks, and some areas are still neglected, damaged river’s vicinity turned their back on the river, ignoring its presence form a part of the identity of local residents and are not present in established neighborhood originally built for new immigrants, and are not adequately accessible or attractive. and potential. the public consciousness located near the meeting point of Canal 42 with the Na'aman River. A unique salt marsh habitat in the river-sea estuary. The coastal City The city of Acre’s expansion plans present a risk of severe Sizable sections of the watercourse are considered to be a nuisance salt marsh, a unique, nationally endangered habitat, has survived spatial disconnect between city residents and urban functions. and a threat. The river “doesn’t count” as nature-close-to-home in in the Na'aman River estuary - one of only two significant coastal Acre is set to develop as two entities separated by the Na’aman the eyes of residents, and is regarded as infrastructure rather than salt marshes that remain in Israel. The estuary also comprises a river’s estuary - the existing city north of the river’s mouth and a new an attractive outdoor space. Basin management transition area (ecotone) between two habitats, the river estuary development to its south. Runoff water management. Na'aman River poses a flood risk and sea water, thus hosting a particularly rich variety of flora, to the communities residing on its banks, and there is an urgent Inward-looking restoration efforts have focused on the river in waterfowl and fish. isolation. Thus far, restoration projects in the Na’aman River have Eco-hydrological function need for effective runoff regulation to protect downstream addressed issues within the river corridor itself without devoting communities. attention to its surroundings, missing the opportunity to connect the Aquatic habitats and scenery are rapidly disappearing from Distributed management authority over the Na’aman River river to the adjacent human environment. the Israeli landscape. The marshlands and bodies of water in and a multitude of planning bodies. The Na'aman corridor spans the Na'aman River corridor have traditionally provided a habitat The river is a significant green lung for the Haifa metropolitan The human element three local councils (Acre Municipality, Kiryat Bialik Municipality for dozens of species of birds (mostly waterbirds) flying along and Mateh Asher Regional Council). Numerous governmental area. The river and its corridor are a significant green space alongside Israel’s western migration route. Aquaculture pools compensated A variety of communities along the Na'aman River basin. the developing and densifying urban continuum between the Haifa entities and authorities operate in the area, including the Nature to a degree for the loss of the aquatic habitats, but today the fish- Various types of towns and communities are situated along the and Parks Authority, the Jewish National Fund (JNF), the Ministry Bay and Acre, crowded by urban sprawl, national infrastructure and breeding industry is experiencing a severe decline, putting the river: the city of Kiryat Bialik, the mixed Arab-Jewish city of Acre and proliferating transit systems. of Environmental Protection, the Western Galilee Drainage habitat it provides in danger of disappearance. kibbutzim in the Mateh Asher Regional Council. and Rivers Authority and others. The Na’aman suffers from The river’s presence is unfelt in the urban landscape. The river Loss of biodiversity. A decline in both the quantity and the quality Sub-communities in Acre, divided along religious lines. Acre inadequate coordination between these actors and the lack of and its environs do not form an important part of the landscape but of water as well as the loss of the continuous open area the unique is a mixed city ranked in cluster 4 out of 10 in the national socio- a holistic, integrated perspective on the river as a shared space rather are hidden by the urban uses that surround it (residential, habitats along its length brought about a significant decrease in economic index. Its populations are religiously traditional and the providing a rich variety of ecosystem services. industrial, commercial and agricultural). the river’s biodiversity and even the local extinction of rare species. education system perpetuates their segregation.

Benefits Innovation The Plan | Conceptual approach Toolkit Human environment A socio-ecological approach to The rehabilitation of the Na'aman River will focus on the diverse communities that lie in and around Inter-community mingling and creation of shared managing the river and its environs: the river, and in response the communities will turn towards the river and its environs. This reciprocity experiences in the city park around the river • Incorporation of different types of knowledge – will be the basis for integration between the river and the human tapestry that exists alongside it. Creation of a living interface between the residents professional, academic and local • A reflective, flexible and the river, enhancing residents' sense of identity and iterative process, examining findings along Program components and belonging and raising public awareness of the the way and adapting to changes in the ecological, Green Infrastructure Biodiversity-promoting Detention wetlands for river • Improved quality of life for Haifa Bay and Acre political and social landscape • Accompanying • Fusion of the interface between the physical human drainage canals – morphological and ecological design details urban runoff Valley residents who suffer from urban crowding, research that examines social and ecological benefits environment and the river corridor - in both urban rehabilitation of the river along its entire length, thanks to the river corridor as a close-to-home and in each project phase, to ensure optimal outcomes and rural areas improving its continuity accessible green lung • Deepening of the human- for society and environment . • Connectivity between the built environment and the • Enhancing the image and raising the value of the nature connection • Support for the local economy river salt marshes: rehabilitation and restoration of the by creating a continuous and beautiful backdrop to Development that generates multiple commerce and economic activity, from Kiryat Bialik to • Connectivity between the parts of the city of Acre on estuary salt marsh landscape benefits Acre’s old city • An enjoyable commuting experience both banks of the river • Aquatic habitat rehabilitation and restoration by Cycling infrastructure Greentech/agrotech Positioning of suited to commuting employment hubs educational institutions through natural scenery • Linking disconnected parts Green routes used for commuting, not just for creating a gradient of intensivity and public access • Design of the estuary’s built environment with the of Acre by means of the river - restored, inviting and a recreation and leisure. river • Preservation of aquatic landscapes via mixed uses destination in its own right • Empowering the Na’aman A view of transit and other public infrastructure • Connectivity between the river, the seashore, the (aquaculture, ecology, tourism) in the fish ponds, and River and the city of Acre as an integrated anchor as part of the area’s landscape, to be leveraged to historic old city and the new southern district implementation of the water plan of tourism in the western Galilee and increasing the provide multifunctional benefits. • A new “green” identity for the Milouot Industrial Zone, • Implementation of the water plan - a significant area's prominence on the map of Israeli tourism. increase in the quantity and quality of water in the drawing sustainable businesses to enjoy the zone’s Recreational Incorporation of Dynamic seating walls infrastructure buildings for commerce Creation of a strategic planning and proximity to the river and its park river Natural space • A regional-metropolitan green commuting and design toolkit • A social-educational program for the Na’aman Creating a rehabilitated river environment that recreation route for walking and cycling River that aims to bring together the diverse river preserves unique habitats for flora and fauna that for coping with the diverse challenges of the land-use communities • Ein Nimfit Park – a regional recreational park have all but vanished from the local landscape • interfaces in the project space; can be applied to the • Restoring the river and salt marshes to their historical • Developing the city park as a shared recreation and Preserving the regional presence of fish ponds as a planning process in other rivers, streams and basins. role in the landscape meeting place for the Acre communities unique habitat and landscape pattern by introducing Use of high and low tide Restoration of coastal Seasonal flood areas new uses for these areas on the backdrop of the • Eco-hydrological rehabilitation of the river and • Surface runoff regulation and municipal drainage to create experiences salt marshes and sense of place economic decline of the fishing industry • Mitigating flood risk caused by proximity to the river Sustainable management of rehabilitation, economic development and social of the city’s diverse communities. activities. General The river’s eco-hydrology will be jointly managed Socio-Economic Eco-Hydrology the rehabilitated area admin The plan will be implemented by municipally by the Western Galilee Drainage and Rivers Eco. Kiriyat Eco. Matte The society Drainage and Economic Akko for the protection Nature and Parks owned corporations in each municipality. The Acre Authority and the Nature and Parks Authority, Bialik Asher Rivers Authority Athuority Concept: the river basin and its environs as a single Na’aman River of nature Economic Company will set up a department for the facilitating hydrological, morphological and ecological Administration entity with a holistic administrative mechanism. The development of Na'aman River that will develop, rehabilitation of the watercourse. Dep. for dev. of Community Community and administrative mechanism will take action to: restore Na’aman River Engineer manage and maintain the Na’aman estuary park, Coordinator Education and rehabilitate the river and advance planning Park and coordinate social and economic activity. The processes; incorporate the river into the region's department will manage, develop and maintain Project Budget identity; treat the river as a resource and generate the park, and will include a community coordinator Inter-community and community-river interfaces *Numbers are including matching funds economic benefits from it; and ensure local residents' Sustainable mamagement diagram dedicated to managing the plan’s social dimension quality of life. A community program to promote adoption of the urban river park Integration of physical interfaces with the river and in conjunction with organizations and nonprofit as a shared open space by the river's communities 17.9M Eco-hydrological restoration Strengthening of the connection schoolchildren and students in Acre, 37.7 A new entity, the Na'aman River Administration, associations currently operating in the city – the Kiryat Bialik and Mateh Asher feel towards the Na'aman River 15.9M Estuary-city-shore interface: creation of Ein Nimfit Park: restoration of the will serve as a directorate overseeing the local Mediation Center, the Community Centers network, “Na'amin” Cultural Center in the river park in Acre 4.9M Na'aman Estuary Park to connect the city's freshwater swamp landscape 5M Socio-ecological research study accompanying the project 0.75M 133.5 districts, connection of the park to the old Walking-cycling path for recreation and municipalities, the Western Galilee Drainage and Branding development for the river and its environs, to tell the story city and infrastructural support for El commuting along the river 3.8M and the Acre Jewish-Arabic Community Association. 182.1 Barbur. 65.4M of its diverse cultures and create a shared identity 0.2M Eco-hydrological rehabilitation of the river 8.8 million NIS River-industrial zone interface: incentives Rivers Authority and the Nature and Parks Authority. Led by the community coordinator, the department corridor 10M for "green" businesses that enjoy the The mayor of Acre will serve as the first chairman will initiate events and activities for city residents and zone's proximity to the river. 10.8M Rehabilitation of the confluence of the Management of the river and its environs Na'aman River and Hilazon Stream 2M River-aquaculture interface. 13.5M of the administration for the first 5 years. A general visitors, and promote cooperative and participatory *Numbers are River-city interface - Kiryat Bialik: administrator will be appointed to advance the river's social planning for the park that addresses the needs Directorate general administrator 1.32M calculated for 5 years Connection of Zur Shalom neighborhood Administration 1.8M to the stream via canal 42; creation of a riverfront along Neot Afeka neighborhood Marketing and public relations 2.25M (in implementation phase). 23M Maintenance 3.5M