Hamaarag

Hamaarag – the National Program for Assessing the State of Nature in Israel – is a collaborative scientific body that produces research-based knowledge on Israel's open spaces, including nature reserves, national parks, forests, agricultural lands, and grazing areas. It was founded in 2006 after about a decade of work at Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) stations, and since 2011 it has operated under the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities. Its partners include the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, and Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael, with additional support from the Heritage Program of the Prime Minister's Office. The program's mission is to create a quantitative and qualitative database on Israel's key ecosystems, strengthen the link between scientific knowledge and policy-making on natural resource management, land-use planning, and nature conservation, and produce periodic State of Nature reports for decision-makers and open-space managers. Hamaarag runs a national biodiversity monitoring program that began in 2011, covering both terrestrial and marine systems. The terrestrial monitoring plan was developed over two years with input from over 70 scientists and professionals, dividing Israel into 13 ecological units, each with a tailored monitoring plan. Monitoring began in several systems in early 2012 and uses advanced technologies such as remote-sensing cameras, motion sensors, and satellite imagery. The marine monitoring program, new at the time, was in development as of 2012. Hamaarag also operates a national ecosystem assessment program focused on ecosystem services – the benefits humans derive from functioning ecosystems, such as food, water, building materials, cultural benefits like recreation and tourism, and regulatory services like climate control, flood prevention, erosion control, and pollination. The program publishes periodic State of Nature reports; the 2023 report includes a biodiversity volume with chapters, findings, presentations, videos, and press coverage. Hamaarag also runs projects such as the National Monitoring Program, the Remote Sensing Forum, the Nahal Ashalim monitoring program (following a severe pollution event from acid wastewater containing gypsum, phosphorus, fluorine, and heavy metals from a reservoir of the Rotem company of ICL), the Evrona Nature Reserve monitoring program (following a 2014 oil spill), and the National Assessment of Ecosystems and Human Well-being. Israel's unique geography – a small area with diverse climates and geological formations, located at the crossroads of Africa, Asia, and Europe, and a major migration route for birds and marine species – supports rich biodiversity, including over 2,000 plant species, more than 500 bird species, about 100 mammal species, over 1,700 marine fish species, and tens of thousands of invertebrate species. However, this biodiversity faces severe threats from development pressures, climate change, pollution, overexploitation of resources, and invasive alien species, alongside a sharp decline in open spaces, especially in central Israel. Hamaarag's work aims to provide the scientific basis for sustainable management of these natural resources.

Hamaarag was founded in 2006, following about a decade of work at Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) stations. Since 2011, it has operated within the framework of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities. The program is a partnership of scientists and state bodies dealing with the management of open spaces in Israel, including the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, and Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael. It receives additional support from the Heritage Program of the Prime Minister's Office. The national biodiversity monitoring program was formulated in 2011 by a multidisciplinary team of over 70 scientists, professionals, and open-space managers over a two-year period. The process divided Israel into 13 ecological units, each with an expert team designing a tailored monitoring plan, so that monitoring occurs at both national and ecosystem scales. Monitoring in several systems began in early 2012, covering annual and perennial vegetation, mammals, birds, reptiles, and arthropods, using advanced technologies such as remote-sensing cameras with motion sensors and satellite imagery. Marine monitoring along the Mediterranean coast was a new field for Hamaarag and was in development as of 2012. Hamaarag also initiated a national ecosystem assessment program, following preliminary work collecting knowledge on similar national programs worldwide and research in Israel. This program focuses on ecosystem services – the direct and indirect benefits humans derive from functioning ecosystems, such as material benefits (food, water, building materials), cultural benefits (recreation and tourism), and regulatory benefits (climate control, flood prevention, erosion control, pollination). The program produces periodic State of Nature reports. The 2023 report includes a biodiversity volume with chapters, findings, presentations, videos, and press coverage. Hamaarag also runs specific monitoring projects, including the Nahal Ashalim monitoring program, established after a pollution event in which hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of acidic wastewater from a reservoir of the Rotem company of ICL flowed through the stream, containing gypsum, phosphorus, fluorine, and heavy metals, causing death of many animals and plants and extreme soil and spring pollution; and the Evrona Nature Reserve monitoring program, following a 2014 oil spill, one of the most severe pollution events in Israel.

• 2023

  State of Nature Report 2023 – Biodiversity Volume published.

• 2014

  Oil spill in Evrona Nature Reserve, one of Israel's most severe pollution events; Hamaarag later runs a monitoring program there.

• 2012

  Monitoring begins in several systems; marine monitoring in development.

• 2011

  Hamaarag begins operating under the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities; national biodiversity monitoring program formulated.

• 2006

  Hamaarag founded after about a decade of work at Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) stations.

A scientific partnership providing research-based knowledge to policymakers for the sustainable management of Israel's open spaces and biodiversity.

• State of Nature Report 2023 – Biodiversity Volume

  Report with chapters, findings, presentations, videos, and press coverage.

• National Biodiversity Monitoring Program

  Long-term monitoring of terrestrial and marine biodiversity, active since 2011/2012.

• National Ecosystem Assessment

  Assessment of ecosystem services and their value.

• Remote Sensing Forum

  Use of optical and other measurement tools on satellites and aircraft for land information.

• Nahal Ashalim Monitoring Program

  Monitoring after acid wastewater pollution from ICL Rotem reservoir.

• Evrona Nature Reserve Monitoring Program

  Monitoring after the 2014 oil spill.

1. 1עמוד הבית - המארגhamaarag.org.il
2. 2Hamaarag - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3המארג - התוכנית הלאומית להערכת מצב הטבע בישראל - Wikipediahe.wikipedia.org