A New Environmental Partnership Opportunity

The Negev – Facts & Figures

The Negev extends over 12,000 square kilometers, 60% of the State of Israel, from Be'er Sheva to Eilat.

Although it comprises more than half of Israel's land area, only 8 percent of the country’s population lives in the Negev.

The Negev forms part of a much larger desert that stretches from Egypt through the southern part of Israel to Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Average annual precipitation varies from 250 mm in the Northern Negev to 25 mm in the Eilat area.

The Negev has a long and interesting human history, from pre-historic hunters who roamed the area over 10,000 years ago, through Biblical times, the Nabateans, the Romans, the Bedouins, and finally modern settlement since the establishment of the State of Israel.

There are 6 cities, 7 local councils and 10 regional councils in the Negev. Be'er Sheva is the largest city, and is known as the capital of the Negev.

Visit us at www.kkl.org.il

Keren Kayemeth Leisrael Jewish National Fund Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael Jewish National Fund KKL Resource & Development Division Jerusalem, 2010 Photography: KKL Photo Archives, Jerusalem "Be'er Sheva is the city of the future – it will one day surpass Tel Aviv.. WitWith an endless 'budget' of enthusiasm, the young people moving to the city will transform it into a center of education, development and quality of life”.. WithWith thesethese wwords IsrIsraeli President Mr.. ShimonShimon PerPeres summed up his visit to Nahal Be'er Sheva Park on Augustt 2,2, 2009.2009. Be'er Sheva

Be'er Sheva, "capital of the Negev", is the seventh-largestt citycity inin IsrIsrael with a population of ovover 200,000. This vibrant city,, whichwhich President Shimon Peres sees as the future Tel Aviv,, hashas itsits rroots deep in the past but is heading stteadily onwards into the 21stt O O N N A A N N SS B B YY L L E E century.. RR

AA Tseffatt Historic Be'er Sheva Haiiffa

A A E E The findingsindings unearunearthedthed atat TTel Be'er Sheva, an archaeological site S S

a few kilometters northeastheastt ofof ttoday's city,, ttestifytify tto the fact that N N A A thethe rregion has been populated since the 4th millennium BC. The EE NN

city was destrtroyed and rebuilt many times over the centuries.ies. R R Tell Aviiv R R

Be'er Sheva was the southernmostt citycity sesettledttled byby thethe IsrIsraelites in E E J J T T

I I thethe LandLand ofof IsrIsrael, and partt ofof thethe tterritory of the tribesibes ofof SimeonSimeon O O D D

E E and Judah, hence the expression "from Dan to Beersheba" to JJerrusallem R R M M

describe the Kingdom of Israel. D D

A A

The firsirstt mentionmention ofof thethe sitsite is in the Book of GenesisGenesis inin N N connection with Abraham and Isaac who dug wells at the site, Be''er Sheva which is one off thethe explanationsexplanations ofof tthe city's name – Seven Wells. In the 7th century the lastt ByzantineByzantine inhabitantsinhabitants EE GG abandoned the city,, andand thethe ararea was taken over by nomadic YY Bedouins whose descendants live in the vicinity of Be'erBe'er ShevaSheva PP

tto this day.. TT

Eiillatt

2 3 Be'er Sheva – Facts & Figures

....Be'er Sheva extends over 29,375 acres (1(11,750,750 ha).ha). InIn tterms of area it is the second larlargestt citycity inin IsrIsrael aftter Jerusalem. Be'er Sheva ....ItsIts populationpopulation isis 2213,100, with an annual growth rrate of 0.7% and a density of 1596 inhabitantsinhabitants perper squarsquare kilometter.. 88%88% ofof thethe city'scity's populationpopulation isis Jewish.Jewish.

....Close to 30% of Be'er Sheva's inhabitants are below the age of 20; 54% betweentween tthe 20th Century Be'er Sheva ages of 20-59 and 16% above the age off 60.60. JNFJNF.. Be'erBe'er Sheva'sSheva's OldOld CityCity willwill bebe rresttored, an amazing park is Be'er Sheva reappeared in the late 19th century when the being developed in what was once the city's back yard and Be'er ....The city has 81 schools, close to 33,000 Ottomans, who ruled Israel at the time, built a police stationtation andand aa Sheva will spearhead the awakening and flourishinglourishing ofof tthe studentstudents andand anan avaverage of 26 studentstudents perper small town. The British capturtured the town during World War I in a Negev! classroom. ffierierce battle and many British,tish, AAustrtralian and New Zealand ....Academic institutions:titutions: BenBen GurionGurion soldiers are buried in a cemettery near the Old City of Be'err Sheva.Sheva. A Park to Change a City University,, KayeKaye College,College, ShamoonShamoon CollegeCollege

During the British Mandate Be'er Sheva was a major v v KKL-JNF's-JNF's kkey project in Be'er Sheva is Nahal Be'er Sheva Park,, aa of Engineering, College of ManagementManagement administrtrative center.. major undertakingtaking thatthat willwill extextend over a number of years. The Academic Studies,tudies, CollegeCollege ofof Be'erBe'er SheSheva e e David Ben-Gurion realizing the great potential the Negev had park is being developed along with the Be'er Sheva Municipality,, and the Negev,, TTechnological College,,

ordered the city capturtured from the Egyptianstians duringduring IsrIsrael's War of thethe MinistrMinistry of the Environment and the Drainage Authorityity.. JusJustt g g School for Performing Arts.ts. IndependenceIndependence inin 11948. Since then Be'er Sheva has been growing thisthis summersummer (2009)(2009) PrimePrime MinisterMinister BenjaminBenjamin NeNetanyahutanyahu visitvisited ....Histtoric sites: Bett Eshel,Eshel, Abraham'sAbraham's wwell, and developing rapidly.. SStill,till, inin manymany waysways itit rremained a desertt Be'er Sheva and pledged to transfer 150 million NIS over the next e e thethe GrGreat Mosque, the Turkish railroad ttown, gray and dustyty andand defdefinitinitely in need of a "green face lift".t". seven years for furtherther dedevelopment of the park.. station,tation, thethe BritishBritish militarmilitary cemettery,, thethe

Be'er Sheva Today – Dynamic and Diverse Until recently Nahal Be'er Sheva was the city’s "backyard" and N N Turkish bridgeidge oover Nahal Be'er Sheva.

garbage dump. The comprehensive plan to develop this site is ....Culture: Be'er Sheva Symphony What is Be'er Sheva? For IDF soldiers returningturning tto their posts on creating a scenic gem in the heartt ofof thethe deserdesertt andand aa grgreen lung

e e Orchestra, Be'er Sheva Theater Company,, Sunday mornings it is a sttop on the way to the army bases forfor tthe benefitit ofof thethe NegeNegev residents, and includes a strtrategic Be'er Sheva Music Conservatory,, NegevNegev concentrated in the Negev.. ForFor sstudentstudents itit isis thethe homehome ofof IsrIsrael's plan up to 2020. The park extends 8 kilometters along both banks Museum, the Municipal Library,, Be'erBe'er youngest,t, mosmostt unconvunconventional university – one of the best in the of Nahal Be'er Sheva over 1100 acres (350 hectares) within the h h Sheva Perforforming Artsts CentCenter.. country,, asas wellwell asas ffor a number of colleges. For residents of the Be'er Sheva city limits. t t many small communities throughout the Negev it is their capital, Work has been done on the riverbed and banks to control where they come forfor culturculture, education and community services. fflooding.looding. LarLarge amounts of trash have been removed from For touriststs itit isis thethe BedouinBedouin MarMarkett wherwhere local Bedouins put out f f Nahal Be'er Sheva and replaced by gardens, paths and theirtheir mermerchandise for sale every Thursday.. Be'erBe'er ShevaSheva isis soso manymany promenades. The largestt prproject in the park – the central things,things, ffor so many people, it is hard to keep up! o o promenade – is already in full use. The artiftificialicial laklake in the park

For some people, however,, thosethose whowho hahave vision – such asas Mr.. isis ffilledilled withwith rrecycled water from KKL-JNF-JNF watwater management Shimon Peres, Israel's President, or KKL-JNF-JNF –– Be'erBe'er Sheva,Sheva, capitalcapital projects. Ancient Bett EshelEshel isis beingbeing rresttored and will serve as the l l of the Negev,, isis IsrIsrael's future. This once sleepy little town is on main entrance to the park.. FFuture plans include an information thethe waway to greatness, with some fun along the way.. OverOver oneone tthird station,tation, anan amphitheatamphitheater,, rresttoration of archaeological sites, the a a

of the city's population is betweentween tthe ages of 20 to 45, and they ANZAC trail and development around the ancient wells. All these t t want culture, entertainmenttainment andand aa vibrantvibrant citycity –– whicwhich they are projects are being implemented with the help of KKL-JNF-JNF friendsfriends i i going to get,t, thankthanks to the Israeli government and thanks to KKL-- worldwide. p p a a C C 4 5 A Ring of Green for Be'er Sheva

InIn 11985 KKL-JNF-JNF beganbegan dedeveloping a "green belt" outside and around the grrowing Negev metrtropolis. Trrees were planted Sycamore Acacia around the northwthwesttern section of Be'er Sheva, and to date, over 6250 acres (2500 hectares) of green areas have been planted; by 2018, this area is expected to be doubled. The trees planted include a mixture of eucalyptus and pine (fortyty percent) and broad-leaved trees such as jujube,jube, carcarob, acacia, and sycamore. The development of the grreen belt includes the rrejuvenation and rehabilitation of existingting forforestted areas as well as planting in new plots.ts. ThisThis entirentire project is in accord Eucalyptus with Israel's national mastter plan for afforforestationtation andand Jujube preservation of open spaces. Carob The goals of this project were to improve the quality of life for rresidents of Be'er Sheva and surrounding areas, including

A Ring of Green for Be'Be'erer Shevvaa

6 7 A Ring of Green for Be'er Sheva

facilitiesfacilities forfor rrecreation and leisure and to combat desertiftification.ication. Green belts are importanttant inin anyany modernmodern urbanurban ararea, but they are particularlyticularly soso inin thethe deserdesert,t, wherwhere they provide a welcome rrespite from the surrrounding landscape, which although it has a beauty of its own is stilltill drdry and dustyty.. TheThe envirenvironmental development around Be'er Sheva will include a networktwork ofof bicycle paths for residents and visitors and a focus on archaeological sites in the area.

KKL-JNF-JNF isis devdeveloping this grreen belt with its particularticular brandbrand ofof expertise.tise. TheThe objectivobjective is not to create a dense forestt inin thethe European or Northth AmerAmericanican model,model, butbut tto create a green environment appropriate to the desert.t. ThisThis apprapproach is known as savannization and employs such techniques as planting trees inin limanslimans (tr(tree clustters planted in reinforced micro-catchments), building dams to sttore floodwatloodwaters and terraces to prevent erosion. The tree species used in this project are adapted to harsh desertt conditions.conditions. SavannizationSavannization hashas beebeen developed at KKL-JNF-JNF asas aa ttool for rehabilitating eroded soils, stabilizingtabilizing themthem and preventing furtherther ererosion, thus allowing the desertt tto bloom. The finalinal prproduct will be a well-balanced desertt withwith itsits unique florlora and fauna.

Sites for future plantings Existing forest Sites for future afforestation according to detailed plans

8 9 a a a a v v v v e e e e h h h h S S InIn 20082008 andand 20092009 S S

KKLKKL-JNF-JNF plantplanteded Miishmar HaNegev r r r r oovverer 20002000 acracreses Ambassadorrs Forrestt e e (800(800 hecthectarares)es) e e ' ' ' ' ofof tterrerrainain atat e e e e Duda'imDuda'im Ridge,Ridge, B B NahalNahal AshanAshan ForForesest,t, B B

r r MishmarMishmar HaNegevHaNegev,, r r YYatiratir-Hur-Huraa andand o o o o Come be a part of the Green Ring around Be'er Sheva! f f AmbassadorAmbassadorss ForForesest.t. f f

Yatiir--Hura Duda''iim Riidge n n n n e e e e e e e e r r r r G G G G

f f f f Ambassadorrs Forrestt Nahall Ashan Forestt o o o o Ambassadors Forestt isis locatlocated in the

Westtern Negev,, jusjustt nornorthth ofof Be'erBe'er SheSheva. The 70-hectare (150-acre) forestt waswas plantplanted by KKL-JNF-JNF asas parpartt ofof itsits prprogram of desertt g g g g afforforestation,tation, andand inauguratinaugurated in 2005 in the presence of ambassadors and heads of n n n n diplomatic missions from Europe, America, i i i i Asia and Africa serving in Israel. R R R R

A A A A It All Begins with You! 10 11 KKL-JNF – JoJoiinn Us inin the Negev! KKL-JNF: With Our Friends in and Around Urban Development NahalNahal Be'erBe'er ShevaSheva PPark: Be'er Sheva fflowlow cchannel resttoration, promenades, scenic looklookouts and recreation areas InfrInfrastructurtructure for ALUT home for autistictic childrchildren Community Development Thanks to: Canada, United Stattates, Germany KKLKKL-JNF-JNF forfor IDF:IDF: ** SoldierSoldier-famil-family meetingting points,points, landscaping,landscaping, plantingsplantings Educational Activity and ** SeatingSeating cornerscorners atat IDFIDF basesbases –– Heritage Preservation airair forforce, infantry and armored corps. Various KKL-JNF AActivities with children focusing on KKL-JNF-JNF DevDevelopment in rural communities: and Israel Nevatim, Metartar,, Lehavim,Lehavim, ShomriyaShomriya projects in the ANZAANZAC Trrail Thanks to: Canada, USA,, GermanyGermany,, AAustrtralia BeBett EshelEshel –– prpreservation Be'er Sheva Duda'imDuda'im LandfLandfillill EducationalEducational FFacility area Thanks to: Austrtralia, Canada, Germany,, USAUSA,,

Water Management Environmental Development RReservoirs to improve water economy in in Forests southern Israel and recycled water for agriculturriculture: Yatir,, Shomriya,Shomriya, KKelah, Betarim,tarim, LahavLahav,, ArAryeh, MeMetartar ForForest,t, LahavLahav FForest,t, YYatir Forest,t, Nevatim, Tifrifrah, Hatserim Duda'im Forest,t, KarkKarkor Forest,t, DevirDevira Forest,t, rrecreation areas, lookouts, bicycle trails, Thanks to: Austrtralia, Germany,, SwitzerlandSwitzerland HatserimHatserim –– LimansLimans

Thanks to: Research Germany,, Chile,Chile, Canada,Canada, IsrIsrael, USA,, Switzerland,Switzerland, CooperCooperation with Ben Gurionion UnivUniversity on water Austrtralia, Italy,, Holland,Holland, ScandinaviScandinavia and soil conservation and erosion prevention. KKLKKL-JNF-JNF sstudiestudies rrelating to drought-resistanttant trtree species, savannization and runofff harharvestingting KKLKKL-JNF-JNF exporexportsts andand sharshares its knowledge and experience in combating desertiftificationication –– intinternational conferences and seminars

Thanks to: Austrtralia, USA

Together we can attract a new generation of pioneers! 12 13 Challenges for the Next Decade

As Israel proceeds into its seventh decade as an independent nation, the Negev stilltill rremains the region with the lowest development level and population in the country.. AA numbernumber ofof factfactors created this situation:

+ HarshHarsh envirenvironmental conditions (climate, soil, water). + DevDevelopment activity focusing on central Israel. + LowLow nationalnational prpriorityiority..

Overr time,time, thethe NegeNegev became a place for military activities, polluting industrtry and quarrying. Lack of employment forces a large portiontion ofof thethe yyounger generation to leave – mostt ofof themthem nenever to return.turn. KKL-JNF's Sustainable Negev Project

The Israeli government adoptted a decision to develop and strtrengthen the Negev,, making it a major priority for Israel,Israel, while dedevveloping quality of life and developing an active, superior and contributingibuting communitycommunity.. TheThe govgovernment dettermined a number of targetsts tto be achieved by 2015:

+ IncrIncrease population by 70%; + RaiseRaise employmentemployment byby 83%;83%; + RReduce the reduction in the per capita income gap by 60%; + IncrIncrease the number of JewishJewish sstudentstudents atat BenBen GurionGurion UnivUniversity of the Negev by 30% and the number of Bedouin studentstudents byby 1130%.

KKL-JNF-JNF rrepresentatives participatticipated and played a major role in formulating the plan – NEGEV 2015, emphasizing our unique environmental outlook.. SuccessSuccess depends on investment,tment, prioritizationprioritization butbut alsoalso onon crcreating a suitable mechanism forfor efeffectivfective execution, one based on professional expertise,tise, ofof thethe typetype KKLKKL-JNF-JNF can offerfer..

14 15 A New Environmental Partnership Opportunity