The hourglass is running out: the animals of the coastal plain are in danger of extinction * Green infrastructure facilities also harm the environment

Conservation is also of great importance in the area of ​​Hasharon Park and the Caesarea Sands ■ The survey reveals that no animals typical of the sands north of the Caesarea Sands were found at all. Also, the survey reveals that as you go north in the sands of the coastal plain - the number of sightings and the variety of animal species decreases 

This part is based on a press release from the Society for the Protection of Nature

The sand hedgehog. extinct. Photo by Eyal Bartov, for the Society for the Protection of Nature

A survey of mammals and reptiles conducted by the Mammal Center of the Society for the Protection of Nature in the sands of the coastal plain shows that the sand hedgehog has disappeared from the Israeli coastal plain and seems to be extinct, the sand snake and the impressive lizard - the gray power are also disappearing. The sand turtle, the sand gerbil, the common terrapin, the green sea turtle and the swamp cat are also in danger of extinction. Most of the sand blocks are expected to be reduced to a quarter of their original areas, while in some places the situation is even worse - in Netanya only 4% of the sand areas will remain and in the Zevlon Valley only 12%.

The Mammal Center of the Society for the Protection of Nature publishes the survey summarizing the condition of the mammals and reptiles in the coastal plain habitats. The survey was conducted over the last five years (2001-2006) from Nitzanim sands in the south to Achziv sands in the north and was submitted to the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

First and foremost we will examine the condition of the reptiles and mammals living in the sands of the coastal plain. The main damage factors in the sands of the coastal plain were examined, the degree of importance of different areas for the animals was rated and recommendations were given on how it would be correct to preserve and restore these areas in order to stop the catastrophic deterioration of the animals living in the sands.

A unique ecosystem

The survey shows that quite a few species of animals and plants have disappeared from the coastal plain, or are in danger of disappearing. The sands of the coastal plain constitute a unique ecosystem. The unique habitat, which combines the Mediterranean climate with arid soil, resulted in the creation of a large variety of plant and animal species, some of which are exclusive to Israel and some of which do not exist anywhere else in the country.

Intensive development for the needs of settlement and industry in the sand areas, along with extensive sand mining activity, increasing use of all-terrain vehicles traversing the sands and changing the vegetation interface, are causing the remaining natural areas to decrease and shrink, as well as cutting off the transition corridors between the different sand areas and changing the nature of the habitat.

All of these lead to the acceleration of the processes of disappearance and extinction of various species and irreversible damage to the unique natural system.

About half of the variety of plants and animals is expected to become extinct

From the findings of the survey, it appears that the sand hedgehog, a sand-dwelling mammal (psamophile) that is in danger of extinction, was not observed in the survey at all and has probably disappeared from the sands of Israel.

The sand barren, an endangered rodent, was observed only at the southernmost site - Holot Nitzanim, where its distribution should reach as far as the Tel Aviv sands.

The sand gerbil, also an endangered species, was also observed only in the southern sand sites - Nitzanim and Palmahim, and not north of there.

The narrowing of the distribution limits is one of the indicators indicating a serious decrease in the size of the population. In all these species there is a significant damage in the field of distribution. The fact that not a single sand urchin was found in the current survey indicates that the species is about to become extinct or has already become extinct from the Israeli coastal plain.
 
Do not allow continued development at the expense of the patients.  

Other animals that were observed in the survey and are in danger of extinction, are the swamp cat and the Israeli deer. These animals do not belong to the sandy habitats only, but the preservation of the sands helps to preserve other additional habitats of the animals living in them. The Israeli deer was not observed north of Polg Reserve.

The situation is also serious in the reptile sector: almost all the scaly reptiles are at risk of extinction, among them the lizards; Sand Wit, Despicable Wit, Sands Copper, Gray Power and Sand Snake.

The gray power, a large lizard, was only found in the two southern sites - in Nitzanim and Palmachim, which indicates a serious decrease in the size of the population.

The common land turtle, which is in danger of extinction, also benefits from the sandy habitat. Any damage to the habitat will inevitably lead to damage to the turtle population.

Besides the land turtle, there are two sea turtle species that nest in Israel - a brown sea turtle and a green sea turtle, and both are in serious danger of extinction. Any damage to the sandy habitats, which are the turtles' main nesting sites, endangers the continued existence of the species in Israel.

Evil will develop in the north

The survey reveals that no animals typical of the sands were found north of the sands of Caesarea. Also, the survey reveals that as you go north in the sands of the coastal plain, the number of sightings and the variety of animal species decreases.

The survey reveals that Nitzanim sands and Palmach sands are of the highest importance for the conservation of sand animals, because the richness of species there is the highest, their area is large and continuous and they have good connectivity to sandy areas in the north and south. Conservation is also of great importance in the Hasharon Park and Caesarea Sands area.

The main findings that emerge from the survey are difficult; The distribution of mammal and reptile species has been greatly reduced, compared to the high presence of domesticated predator species that have gone wild or roam unattended, such as dogs and cats and wild predators such as jackals, foxes and crows, whose growing populations reduce the size of the populations of small mammals and reptiles.

From the survey, it appears that the main cause of species extinction is the construction near the beach and the accompanying development, which destroys the habitats. In the coming years, another 50,000 dunam km of sand areas are to be turned into built-up areas, and holiday villages are also to be built in the heart of the open areas.

Other factors that lead to the destruction of habitats and the extinction of species are the driving of vehicles on the beach that trample nests of sea turtles, trampling, the collapse of burrows and the alteration of the surface of the habitat. At the Mammal Center of the Society for the Protection of Nature, they discovered that there is no enforcement of the law prohibiting travel on the beaches.

Sand mining and the stabilization of the shifting sands also damage the fabric of life in the sands. As part of the development trends, the sand areas are becoming isolated from each other. In small areas, the risk of extinction increases due to the reduction of living spaces, and the urban effect is more noticeable, such as the invasion of foreign species, lighting and air pollution.

Recommendations of the Mammal Center of the Society for the Protection of Nature

The survey editors recommend promoting declarations of nature reserves in sandy habitats and not allowing further development at the expense of the sands. The editors of the survey also claim that the laws against vehicle travel in sand should be enforced.

Invasive plant species that lead to the stabilization of the sands must be removed. In order to deal with the predation of the sick animals, the populations of the stray cats and dogs must be thinned out and regulations must be established instructing cat owners to attach a small bell to their collars, which will alert the wild animals of their approach.

Likewise, the garbage problems that attract populations of jackals, foxes and crows must be addressed.

• Underpasses should be built under the roads of the appropriate size for the road and fencing should be built along the roads - so that they will not be run over.

• Genetic surveys must be carried out to check the degree of isolation between the different animal populations.

Amit Dolev, Director of the Mammal Center of the Society for the Protection of Nature; "The findings of the survey are extremely worrying. The distribution of rare mammal and reptile species has decreased and their population has decreased, there is isolation of populations in "sand islands" within a dense urban space, there is an increase in the distribution and size of populations of pest species and there is insufficient enforcement of vehicle travel in the sands.

A significant future reduction in the size and continuity of the sand areas and future development plans in the remaining areas, call into question our ability to preserve these habitats along the coastal plain. These serious data should prompt the decision makers to act quickly, in order to prevent the extinction of unique habitats and species in the region. The hourglass is running out," says Dolev.

The survey was submitted to the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Survey editors: Amir Perlberg, Beaz Shaham, Amit Dolev, Haim Berger and Naga Kornfeld-Shor.

 to part A of the survey (PDF)

to part B of the survey (PDF)
 This part is based on a press release from the organization Haim and Environment:    

Investments of billions against nature conservation

The environmental organizations are debating: support for the development of "green" infrastructures versus preserving the environment and nature; require full integration in decision-making

Budgets of billions are currently invested in the development of "green" infrastructures - with the vigorous support of environmental organizations. But even these infrastructures have negative environmental effects. How to ensure the continuation of economic development and the continuation of the positive trend of investments in green infrastructures, besides minimizing the damage to the environment and natural resources? The first public discussion on the subject is dedicated to this, at the initiative of Haim and Environment - the umbrella organization of environmental organizations in Israel, with the participation of environmental organizations, government officials and the business sector.

The event will take place today, Thursday, February 8.2.06, 9, from 4 am to XNUMX pm at Tel Aviv University, in collaboration with the Porter School of Environmental Studies at the university.

According to Attorney Alona Shafer (Karo), CEO of Haim and Environment, today it is not a "zero sum game", in which a choice must be made between developing clean energy and preserving the landscape. Attorney Shafer calls for an open and multilateral planning dialogue, which will give the public and the environmental organizations the status of full partners, who can today consider with seriousness and an open mind the balance of environmental profit and loss in any development plan.

In recent years, environmental organizations have led public support for huge investments by the Israeli government and the business sector in the development of vital infrastructures that contribute to the development of the country and at the same time to the quality of the environment. These infrastructures are a lever for development and raising capital and promote Israeli companies, Israeli technology and the reduction of environmental pollution, which contributes to public health. a few examples:
1. Natural gas - according to the plan, 50% of the energy sector in Israel will be based on natural gas in the coming decade, instead of polluting energy sources (fuel, diesel, coal). This transition will significantly reduce air pollution and reduce morbidity and mortality from diseases caused by it. Only in the last weeks of 2006 were signed contracts amounting to approximately 2 billion dollars. The savings in morbidity costs caused by air pollution from power generation in Haifa alone is estimated at about one billion NIS in the next decade.
2. Clean energy - in the planning there are investments of hundreds of millions of NIS in facilities to produce energy from renewable sources such as solar energy in the Negev and wind turbines to create energy in the Golan and the Galilee, which will produce at least 150 MW of electricity in the first stage, with a potential savings for the economy of about 2 billion dollars in 20 years.
3. Railway infrastructures that will help reduce the use of private vehicles and reduce air pollution from transportation. The government allocated an amount of approximately NIS 20 billion to the development plan of the railway over 5 years.

However, the fact that these environmentally supportive infrastructures also create environmental hazards and serious damage to open areas and important natural values ​​cannot be ignored. Examples of this:
1. The massive retirement of wind turbines is seen as an injury to birds and the open landscape and in some places they pose a risk to the bird migration route that passes through Israel.
2. A site to create solar energy requires a huge land area and will damage the landscape in the "Land of Craters" area.
3. The installation of the gas pipeline damages the areas along the route on the beaches, on land and at sea.
4. Some of the planned train lines pass through nature reserves and areas of particularly high scenic value (Jerusalem Mountains for example). The construction works of the railway have already caused great damage to nature reserves and sensitive areas, and damage to buildings since the beginning of the settlement.

Among the participants at the seminar: Director General of the Ministry of Infrastructure - Adv. Hazi Kugler; Director General of the Ministry of Environmental Protection - Shay Avital; Chairman of the gas company - Adv. Nechama Sana; Director General of the Nature and Parks Authority - Eli Amitai; VP of Israel Railways - Amos Gellert; CEO of the Society for the Protection of Nature - Gershon Peleg; Dr. Avraham Melamed - President of Mi Golan Wind Turbines Company; Avraham Barnmiller - CEO of Solel Solar Technologies; Prof. Eran Feitelson - The Hebrew University; Prof. Danny Rabinovitch - Chairman of Haim and Environment; And Dr. Aryeh Nesher - director of the Porter School of Environmental Studies at Tel Aviv University, the partner in organizing the seminar. Department heads from the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and representatives of environmental organizations will also participate in the planning committees.

The symposium will open with a lecture by the Minister of the Interior, Mr. Roni Bar On, who will speak about "national priorities for the State of Israel: development versus preservation". The discussion will be moderated by the journalist Sharon Kadami from the newspaper TheMarker.

"Life and Environment" - the umbrella organization of environmental organizations in Israel, brings together nearly 100 organizations from all over the country. "Haim and Environment" works to promote environmental legislation and policy and to increase the public's involvement in the decision-making processes concerning their environment and health.