FORESTRY IN JORDAN (Area in hectar)
Gov. Forest Land Type Total Private Unsettled Department
Land area classed as Forest 139,074 121,463 5.4044 12,207
Land with forest cover (canopy 36,009 18,398 5,404 12,207 density 10% or better)
Land Bare of forest cover or 103,065 103,065 Rangeland
1 Forestland Resources
A-Lands registered as forestland: (up to 1993)
Annual rainfall (mm) <300 300-500 >500 Total area (ha) 50676.2 49828.7 30412.1 130917
(%) 39 38 23 100
2 B-Natural forests
Ecological zone Area % of the total class (annual rainfall mm) (ha) natural forests
First >500 12318.0 34.79
Second 300-500 13836.7 39.08
Third 150-300 9252.8 26.13
Total 35407.5 100
3 C-Artificial afforestation (man-made forests) (up to 1993)
Annual rainfall <300 300-500 >500 Total (mm)
area (ha) 15731.4 22544.6 8515.1 46791.1
(%) 33.6 48.2 18.2 100
4 Classification of Forest Vegetation:
Forest vegetation (natural or artificial) in Jordan is classified into natural and man-made forests.
A-Natural Forests include the following subclasses:
I- Degraded (secondary) forests:
Dominant Quercus coccifera ,Pistacia lentiscus,Ceratonia siliqua, species Arbutus andrachne,..etc., Other species Deciduous small trees or shrubs are mixed in degraded forests at varying degrees. Location Jarash ,Ajloun Altitude (m) 250-1000 Rainfall (mm) 400-700 Area (ha) 10.000 (mixed forests)
5 Degraded forests are composed of evergreen species such as; Quercus coccifera ,Pistacia lentiscus,Ceratonia siliqua,Arbutus andrachne ,..etc.,
Deciduous small trees or shrubs are mixed in degraded forests at varying degrees.
These forests occur at elevations ranging from 250 to 1000 m., in Jerash and Ajlun.
The annual rainfall is between 400-700 mm., the soil type is usually the red and brown Mediterranean soils on limestone’s ( terra rossa).
The total area of degraded forest formation in the northern forests is 10.000 hectares(=100.000 Dn.)
6 II- Coniferous Forests:
1.Pines forests
Dominant Pinus halepensis (Pure) and Mixed species Other species Quercus coccifera,Pyrus syriaca,Pistacia palaestina, Arbutus andrachne
Location Ajloun, Jarash,Salt
Altitude (m) 550-1000
Rainfall (mm) 500-700
Area (ha) 1900(2957 mixed forests)
7 a-Pine forests(Pinus halepensis Mill.):
Pinus halepensis is associated with Q.coccifera,Cistus salvifolius,....etc., Pure stands of Pinus halepensis cover a very small area, mainly in the Dibbin forest near Jerash. The total area of pure pine forests including open and dense classes is 1.230 hectares (=12.300 Dn.).
Mixed forests of Pinus halepensis and Quercus coccifera extend to Salt in south and Ajlun in north.The proportion of Pinus halepensis ranges between 5 to 25 percent in these forests, which cover an area of 3.080 hectares(=30.800 Dn.),in Salt, Jerash, and Ajlun.
Pinus halepensis forests occur on white calcareous soils deposited on lime rocks and marls at altitude of 550 to 1000 meters above sea level. This distribution of Pines lies between the isophytea 500 to 700 millimeters of annual precipitation.
8 Pinus halepensis
9 2.Juniper forests
Dominant species Juniperus Pistacia atlantica,Cupressus sempervirens, Other species Quercus coccifera,
Tafileh,,Wadi Musa Location 600-850-1500 Altitude (m) 200-400 (or less) Rainfall (mm) 7659 Area (ha)
10 2-Juniperus forests:
The forests of Juniperus phoenicea are located on the western slopes of the Tafileh mountains, extending to Petra and Wadi Musa in the south. Juniperus phoenicea forms pure stands on Nubian sandstones or is associated with Pistacia atlantica in Buseira.
Other species are Cupressus sempervirens and Quercus coccifera. The total area of the Tafileh mountain regions is 7.659 ha. (=76.590 Dn.).
The lower limit of Juniperus spp.forests is about 850 meters above sea level. It's upper limit is 1500 meters in the Tafileh range .
The annual rainfall in Juniperus area is 200 - 400 mm.
The soil type is light brown, sandy loam with very little hums and deposited on sandstones.
11 12 13 3. Cupressus sempervirens var.horizontalis forests
A small stand of this type of forest can be found in a depression at an altitude of near Ein Lahda.
It is a very important gene resource for this species, and this area is now protected and being managed as a seed stand.
14 III-Broad-leaved Forests 1. Evergreen broad-leaved forests: A.(North)
Dominant Quercus coccifera species Other species Pinus halepensis, Olea europea,Quercus infectoria, Ceratonia siliqua ,Quercus aegilops, Pistacia palaestina,Phillyrea media,Rharmnus palaestina,Cistus villosus,Smilax aspera, Calicatome villose ,Potarium spirosum,Lonicera etrusca Location (,Amman,Salt,Jerash,Ajloun ) Altitude (m) 500-1250 Rainfall (mm) 500-700 Area (ha) 19118
15
The northern forests; cover an area of 182 km2,these forests occur in higher elavations,500 to 1250 m., where the annual rainfall is also higher, 500 to 700 mm.
Soils are derived from calcareous rocks, alkaline, sandy loams of the red or brown types of Mediterranean soils. terra-rossa.
The main species are: Quercus coccifera associated with Pinus halepensis, Olea europea, Quercus infectoria, Ceratonia siliqua, and less commonly Quercus aegilops and Pistacia palaestina.
17 B .(South)
Dominant species Quercus coccifera Other species Daphene linearifolia,Colutea istria Location South (Tafileh,Shoubak) Altitude (m) 1100-1700 Rainfall (mm) 200- the south Area (ha) 5917
18 The southern forests; are characterized by extremely drought resistant variety of Q.coccifera.
The forests occur at even higher elevations 1100 to 1700 m., on the western slopes of the Tafileh-Shoubek range.
The rainfall rarely exceeds 300 mm.
The area is about ( 5.917 ha = 59.170 Dn.).
19 2. Deciduous Oak forests:
Dominant Quercus aegilops species Pistacia atlantica,Ceratonia siliqua, occasionly Quercus Other species infectoria, Styrax officinalis
Middle and North (from Al-bahath in the district in the south Location to Yarmouk valley in the north, and Al-Alouk to the west of Zarqa District. Altitude (m) 100-750 Rainfall (mm) 200-500 Area (ha) 4194
20 Quercus aegilops is the national tree of Jordan and the signature species in the Deciduous Oak Forest Habitat at the RBG. This type occurs in scattered patches over some 4.194 ha =41.940 Dn), mainly in middle and north at elevations of 100 to 700 m.
The rainfall is 200 to 500 mm.
The soils are usually light, sandy and shallow.
The main species are: Q.aegilops associated with Pistacia atlantica, Ceratonia siliqua,. .etc., occasionly Q.infectoria.
22 23 3.Quercus infectoria forests:
Dominant Quercus infectoria species Other Quercus coccifera species Location Shtafeina and Shatana Altitude 900 (m) Rainfall 700 (mm) Area (ha) 95
24 4.Wild olive {Olea europea) forests
covers about mostly north of the in village in the Jarash
district, and in Kufranja village in the Ajloun district.
Wild olive grows mixed with Quercus coccifera,
Quercus aegilops, and Pistacia palaestina.
Altitudes 500-700 m .
Rainfall 300-500 mm.
25 5.Grasslands 1.Scattered Acacia grassland: Dominant Acacia spirocarpa,Acacia raddiana (in Wadi Araba species area). Acacia seyal (in Rum-Mudawara area) Other species Near Wadi Araba: Ochradenus baccatus, Calligonium comosum, Salvadora persica, Balanites aegyptiaca, Haloxylon persicum, Retama spp., and Tamarix spp. Near Aqaba: Acacia spp.,Lycium spp.,Anabasis spp.,Ochradenus spp.,Zilla spinosa Location Southern shores of the Dead Sea to the in the south through Wadi Araba. Altitude (m) - 400 to 750 Rainfall 50 (mm)
Area (ha) 200 26 2. Scattered Ziziphus grasslands:
Dominant Ziziphus spina-christi and Ziziphus lotus species Other species Prospis stephanians , Calotropis procera, Ochradenus spp., Lycium spp.,
Alhagi mourorum,Tamarix spp. Location Shores of the Dead Sea and
Altitude (m) -400 to 100
Rainfall (mm) 100-350
Area (ha) 350
27 B. Man-made forests:
These areas have been established as plantations during the last 40 years, and cover about 354,400 hectares.
The species used in plantations are either local Pinus halepensis, Cupressus sempervirens, Ceratonia siliqua. Tamarix spp. And Pistacia spp., or exotic Pinus pinea, Pinus brutia, Pinus canariensis, Acacia spp., Eucalyptus spp., Cupressus spp ,Prosopis spp., and others.
The man-made forests include relatively thin belts of roadside plantations of about1,000 Km, and
plantations along wadi courses of about 100 Km length.
28 Artificial afforestation (man-made forests) (up to 1993)
Annual rainfall (mm) <300 300-500 >500 Total
area (ha) 15731.4 22544.6 8515.1 46791.1 (%) 33.6 48.2 18.2 100
29 Distribution of species used in afforestation
Annual rainfall (mm) <300 300-500 >500 Total Species (%) Pinus halepensis 1.3 7.2 4.1 12.6 Acacia saligna - - 1.6 1.6 (P.halepensis+A.saligna) ,(P.halepensis+ Cupressus sepervirens) 21.3 35.6 12.5 69.4 P.halepensis,A.saligna+C.sem pervirens,(P.halepensis+other species) Tamarix articulate, 0.1 - - 0.1 T.articulate +Retama reatam
30 Distribution of species used in afforestation Continued..
Annual rainfall (mm) <300 300-500 >500 Total Species (%) Eucalyptus spp.+C.sempervirens+ 1.7 - - 1.7 Populus spp. (A.saligna+Atriplex spp.),A.saligna+Atriplex spp.+Prosopis spp.,(A.saligna+Eucalyptus 9.2 5.4 - 14.6 spp.), A.saligna +Atriplex spp.+ Retama reatam Total 33.6 48.2 18.2 100
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 Pinus halepensis
42 Above: Quercus Tree in the location (by M.T.Asfour) Above: Pistacia sp. in the project site (by M.T.Asfour)
44 Quercus aegilops is the national tree of Jordan and the signature species in the Deciduous Oak Forest Habitat at the RBG.
45 Jordan's last remaining stand of old pine forest, found in Dibeen, is the home habitat for our Pine Forest Habitat.
46