The restoration of the grove in Carmel

After the fire, discussions began on the restoration of the grove in Carmel, to what extent is active intervention necessary? What activity? How to prevent the recurrence of a large-scale fire like the last one? I will allow myself to participate in the discussion and express my opinion

After the fire, discussions began on the restoration of the grove in Carmel, to what extent is active intervention necessary? What activity? How to prevent the recurrence of a large-scale fire like the last one? I will allow myself to participate in the discussion and express my opinion.

Before the main point, a note: I will repeat what I wrote a long time ago and make it clear: in the Mediterranean forest around us, fires "break out" naturally very rarely (if at all), fires in nature break out due to lightning strikes, lightning storms are rare in our nature, and in the Mediterranean forest there are no tall trees that They "catch" lightning and there are no flammable trees such as pines or eucalyptus.

In evergreen forests, a rot is formed that is vibrant and heats up to the point of combustion. In our village, in our grove, there are no concentrations of lively brown rot from burning. All our fires are the result of man-made things, (I heard an interviewer explain that "a natural fire can break out as a result of a broken bottle that concentrates the sun's rays" - bottles don't grow in the woods), a broken bottle, a cigarette butt, a fire that wasn't extinguished, jet from a car exhaust pipe, Hookah coals and more, all man-made, nature does not produce them!

Anyone who talks about the fire as a "positive contribution to the development of the forest" is wrong and misleading since a "positive contribution" can be in the case of burning "spots", when every few hundred years a small section of a huge forest burns and a space for regeneration opens up, the same is true for pine forests (or eucalyptus) , things are less true for a Mediterranean forest.

A large part of the forest that burned was not natural because the combination of the (positive) eagerness of the KKL-Junk "to cover the land with trees" and the fact that the basis of the knowledge and understanding of the first planters were European forests resulted in the planting of pines. Although these grow fast, provide shade and raw material for wood products, but most of them are not local, so are the eucalyptus.

Despite what various experts say and write, the Jerusalem pine does not belong to the Carmel Botanical Society. Furthermore, its ability to break through and develop after a fire more quickly than Mediterranean forest trees causes the creation of a "pine desert". As part of the restoration, the formation of a "pine forest" (below) must be prevented.

Although after thousands of years of felling and burning it is difficult to call the original forest natural, it is accepted that the natural forest in Carmel consists of a Mediterranean forest: oaks, alots, carobs and various broad-leaved streams (catalbs), (the reference is to groups, not to species). Among the trees and clearings grow bushes and shrubs and among them herbaceous plants.

In the meantime, (while the list was on its way to being published on the website), the Ministry of Environmental Protection issued a directive/decision "not to plant for two years", a reasonable decision with an overall reference. In my opinion, after a year (preferably a rainy one) it will already be possible to see where help to nature is needed and if necessary to replant areas where there is no maximum regeneration.

This is not the case with the KKL-Junk parking lots and the roads that lead to them, since the crowd will continue to flow to Carmel and in order to prevent damage, the crowd must be allowed shaded and regulated places, meaning that there is a need for the rapid growth of regulated "shadow corners", trees that grow quickly and provide shade are not the characteristics of the natural forest in Carmel and therefore There will be a compromise on pines and eucalyptus, these must be separated from the natural forest by wide fire roads.

All the bodies concerned are interested in "returning the situation to its original state", not exactly, since it turns out that the situation that existed contributed to the spread of the fire also because the forest was not (exactly) natural, therefore the area must be divided according to the various purposes and uses that are planned for it, the KKL-JV members have already announced that they wish To allow a rapid renewal of access and use of the parking lots, therefore it can be assumed that they will want to plant trees in and around the parking lots that grow quickly and provide shade... pines and eucalyptus, as well as around settlements and to a certain extent along roads.

Since it is clear that these are the trees that catch fire quickly, it is necessary to separate them from the rest of the forest with fire paths that will be 30-40 meters wide, more than the height of the mature trees and thus prevent the fire from "jumping" at the tops, in every parking lot, in every parking lot and near every "barbecue" point To have a fire station: fire extinguishers, bats and, if possible, high pressure water taps.

Wide "fire roads" will surround settlements and open along roads, fire stations will be located in the settlements (probably existing) also along the "fire roads", fire stations will be located at every intersection and in every parking bay. At each entrance to the footpath, signs will be placed (enlightening) that will clarify the prohibition of lighting fires and the (severe) punishments expected for offenders. Smoking will be prohibited in the natural grove, on the hiking trails and on the pedestrian paths.

The approach and treatment of the natural forest must be based on the intention to see a regeneration of a Mediterranean forest as close as possible to a natural forest, the time that will pass until Arani and the KKL-Junk workers plant the parking lots and the access roads to them will allow observations of the regeneration of most of the area. During this time, entry (excursions) or any human activity that is not necessary in the area must be prohibited, a ban on human activity for at least a year.

After a year it will be possible to see and evaluate the degree of regeneration and it will be possible to know where it is necessary to help nature. Despite the fact that our Mediterranean forest has been suffering from fires (arson) for thousands of years, a time that allowed the trees to develop the ability to survive and regenerate after a fire, therefore it can be assumed that there will be areas where the Mediterranean forest will regenerate, but there will also be places where help will be needed That is to plant, planting trees whose natural place is in Carmel.

The bushes, shrubs and herbaceous and annual plants will regenerate faster than the trees, so thinning will be necessary to allow room for development for slow-growing trees. It would also be correct to thin out (uproot) the pines that will be regenerated, also there is a need for regular monitoring by uprooting to prevent the spread of "invasive species".

I will repeat and clarify, the forest in Carmel has suffered at the hands of man for thousands of years, so it can be assumed that it will need rehabilitation help, most of the "natural" areas and reserves in our country need supportive management, so does Carmel. The saying "let nature take its course" is partially true. "Disturbed" nature needs support and help to recover and continue to exist.

Despite the opposition (in principle) of the "authority" to the "excavation of the area", even in the natural forest there is a need for "fire roads", but here the width of the road can be as the future height of the trees, that is, about 4 meters, fire roads will block travelers who are allowed Move on designated paths only. Fire roads that are blocked for passage can be used as pastures (below).

A large part of the Carmel is maintained by the KKL-Junk, whose people boast that "entrance to all the sites is free, there is no money", which is all well and good, but the meaning is that there are many visitors, and therefore there must be maximum control over visitors and close supervision of travelers, control and supervision that will prevent damage to the grove and the environment.

Since the time of the Turks, the black goat was considered the "enemy of the forest", in many countries in the eastern Mediterranean, laws were enacted that prohibited its cultivation, too late it turned out that goats play an essential and positive role in maintaining the forest, as they fill the place of the natural herbivores that were destroyed. Wild goats, goats, deer and elk, rabbits, rabbits and pigs kept clean land, prevented the accumulation and covering of dry grass in open areas and maintained an open and spacious forest, in other words, kept a forest where fire could not spread.

Although a welcome activity has led to the renewal of the variety of herbivores, their population is too small to play a significant role, therefore it is necessary to allow controlled grazing of herds of goats in the forest that will regenerate, grazing that will create and produce "flame retardant", (in Spain and Italy the authorities pay shepherds to let their herds into the forest).

Three (upsetting) comments

1- Various economists and appraisers publish estimates of the damage costs and the restoration costs. The whole world has learned to calculate the economic value of the natural environment, but for some reason it is ignored here. Know how to calculate the costs of planting and renewing the roads, renewing the parking and recreation facilities and maybe even preventive measures. The time has come for Israeli economists to learn to calculate the cost of the environmental damage: the cost of air pollution, the cost of the deficiency in the green landscape, the cost of the deficiency in fixing the DTP, the cost of the mental damage to those who were used to walking in Carmel. I'm not an economist, but I'm convinced that when environmental costs are added, the damage assessment and restoration costs will increase tenfold.

2 - Buildings, settlements and infrastructure will be repaired and restored, it is important and essential that the restoration is not done while further harming the natural environment. The loss of human life is terrible, therefore it is painfully infuriating to know that if there had been a proper treatment of the environmental damage in previous fires, the loss would have been avoided.

3 - As in many other things, so in our case the first rule is prevention, through education and strict enforcement of laws and regulations. It is to be hoped and expected that the combination of education for proper behavior, the establishment of regulations, correct and informed planting in the designated places and, if necessary, proper care of the regenerating forest, opening fire escapes and placing fire extinguishers, and above all supervision and control of the crowd of "passers-by", residents, visitors and travelers, will allow the Sea Forest - High school to be renewed to the glory of Carmel.

Because despite the grief, anger and pain over the injury, as I have already written before, instead of controlling the environment for the sake of the human population, there should be control of the human population for the sake of the environment.