The national parks of Israel are declared historic sites or nature reserves, which are mostly operated and maintained by the National Nature and Parks Authority. Today, the national parks of Israel encompass 67 protected areas. Some of them are located in regions beyond the Green Line.
Some of the national parks have been undergoing many development processes through the years and the entrance to them requires payment of a fee and they are only open on specific times during the day time. Other national parks have stayed for the time being in its natural form, except for trails marks, fences and public safety rails which have been installed. Some of the National Parks include picnic sites and special designated places for grilling or igniting bonfires, or active recreational sites for children and adults.
Some of the National Parks are located at archaeological sites - such as Tel Megiddo, Beit She'an, Ashkelon and Kursi. Other national parks, such as the Alexander stream, Mount Carmel National Park or Hurshat Tal are concentrated on the nature and their main purpose is to allow the public to have recreation tours near water, trees and view animals in natural habitat.
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Israel lies in the geographical area known as Palestine, or in Jewish culture as the Land of Israel. During the 19th century, this region was sparsely populated, with population ranging between 275-475 thousand people[1]. Waves of immigration that began in the middle of this century, expanded the local population needs. Forests were cut down to supply coal combustion, both for heating and industry. Turkish railway locomotives began operating towards the end of the century, are also consumed coal.
Templar, who came to Israel began in the seventies of the 19th century, brought with them sophisticated shotguns, quickly adopted by local peasants. Twentieth-century transition also not bode well for the animals caught in large numbers: the First World War was characterized by massive acquisition of firearms. Early 20th century, hunted last crocodile creek crocodile. Large animals such as ostriches, deer, fallow deer, Syrian Brown Bears, onagers and cheetahs were all extinct.
As a result, the Mandatory government eventually began making laws which were aimed at saving the flora and fauna in Palestine. In 1924 a Hunting Act was published and in 1926 a Forest Ordinance were published. Many sites, such as the forests of mount Caramel and Mount Meron, were declared as forest reserves; certain trees were declared protected.
With the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 the protection of wildlife did not change much. The newly created state focused mainly on its economic development and the immigrant absorption. Tens of thousands of acres of swamps, which attract many species of plants and animals, were dried out. Streams were contaminated following the agricultural and industrial development. Many Wilderness landscapes were doomed due to the accelerated construction and establishment of hundreds of new settlements.
In 1953 the Knesset passed the "Protection Law of Wildlife" (חוק הגנת חיות-הבר) and 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 the drying of the Hula Lake and the public pressure, the Hula Reserve was established, which was the first declared nature reserve in Israel (in 1964). In 1963 the Knesset approved the "National parks and nature reserves act" (חוק הגנים הלאומיים ושמורות הטבע) (the legislation process of the law began already in 1956). As a result, two authorities were established: the National Parks Authority and the Nature Reserves Authority. In 1998 the two authorities were merged into one body - Israel Nature and Parks Authority.
As of May 2007, there are 190 Israeli nature reserves.[2]
1Located in the Israeli-occupied territories.
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