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emarkable. According to IUCN, considering all the assets of this area together (landscape, culture and traditions, biodiversity, ecosystem services and tourism potential), the area certainly could qualify to be upgraded to a national park, the first in Syria. The area in question, the same as the rest of Syrian desert, is experiencing a severe desertification process - due in first place to over-exploitation of natural resources such as pastures, water, woody shrubs, wildlife - which is increasingly impoverishing the Amur nomads, the traditional inhabitants of the area. The underlying cause for this ecological crisis is the inappropriate use of pastures and plants: climate change and the recent extended drought periods are accelerating the process. 1. Ibis Protected Area is only half an hour drive from the fabulous world-renown ruins of Palmyra. Photo by G. Serra 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The recently established Ibis Protected Area (IPA) lies about 20-30 Km north of the millenary oasis of Palmyra, world renown for its Hellenistic ruins, and is adjacent, and at the foothills, of Jebel Abu Rigimin. It was established as an outcome of the first international nature conservation project in Syria, which led to the establishment of Al Talila Reserve, 30 Km south-east of Palmyra. The reason for IPA establishment was the discovery in 2002 that the last bald ibises of the Near East - genetically unique of their kind at a global level – still breed in the area. This mountainous area is also blessed with what is most likely the last known wild herd of gazelles in Syria and with one of the two last colonies of Griffon Vulture in the country. Moreover, only until recently, the IPA and adjacent Abu Rigimin used to be covered by a thick woodland of Pistacha atlantica and to be inhabited by two other charismatic wildlife: the Nubian Ibex and the Arabian Leopard. A national park would certainly represent an important socio-economic development opportunity for this area, which could help alleviating the poverty of local community. Syrian authorities are increasingly aware of the strategic importance of desert protected areas for the future socio-economic development of Palmyra, thanks to the chance of diversifying the tourism offer. Present study recommends to not underestimate the importance to invest on protection and management of natural assets before attempting to promote ecotourism. The assets of IPA are currently under threat not only due to the ecological degradation and impoverishment of its inhabitants, but also due to potentially uncontrolled development plans for the future (infrastructures, mass tourism etc.), uncontrolled hunting and human disturbance to the very rare fauna still striving to survive in the area. 2. A solitary tree survivor of Pistacha atlantica reminds us that these highlands were once covered by a woodland. Photo by FAO/DGCS Project GCP/SYR/009/ITA The lunar landscape of the IPA is overwhelming, iridescent in its colours according to the seasons and the time of the day. Huge white drainages, solitary peaks, sheer cliffs, dark gorges and bizarre geological formations makes the landscape of this area spectacular. The myths and legends of the Amur tribe, still living according to their traditional lifestyle and fascinating culture, put into life this harsh environment. After wet winters the slopes of this area are covered in grass, flowers and even much-valued truffles. Interesting and solitary archaeological ruins are scattered within this area. The free-of-charge ecological services produced by this ecosystem to the local community are remarkable, including: water recharge of mountain aquifer serving Palmyra oasis, provision of pastures, soil formation and nutrient cycling, provision of salt (accumulated into Sabkhat al Moh), carbon sequestration by vegetation (air cleaning from CO2), provision of medicinal plants, truffles and wild flowers, provision of energy through firewood, awareness and education potential. The area is already well known by Palmyrean dwellers for its recreation potentials, due to short driving distance from the town, to the landscape, atmosphere and fresher climate than Palmyra. The area has been already extensively assessed by international organizations such as UN-FAO, BirdLife and IUCN and defined of sheer international importance from a biodiversity point of view. The national and international tourism potential is regarded as very 3. Nomadic people from Amur tribe live in the study area since centuries, enriching it with their culture and traditions. Photo by G. Serra 4. Boy at a traditional wedding inside a Bedouin tent. Photo by G. Serra 8 IPA Assessment IPA Assessment 9
The attention of conservation organizations, bird enthusiasts and international media was turned on to the foothills of Jebel Abu Rigimin when in April 2002 a relict breeding colony of Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita, a Critically Endangered species at global level according to IUCN’s Red List, declared as extinct from the whole Eurasia in 1989, was there re-discovered 18 . Until 2002, this charismatic creature had been regarded to survive in Morocco only at a global scale. Despite it had been declared as extinct from Syria soon after the 1930s 13 , a relict colony of three breeding pairs was discovered in the Wadi Abiad area in 2002. The N. Bald Ibis suddenly became one of most threatened and rare animal in the Near East. An International Action Plan for the N. Bald Ibis was released in 2006 6 . 5. Overwhelming colours at sunset in Wadi Abiad at Ibis Protected Area. Photo by G. Serra Present study, based on several baseline surveys, proposes a range of urgent recommendations, in first place that of turning this protected area from paper into an operative one according to international standards, by employing trained staff and by preparing and implementing a scientifically-based management plan. A management and development framework, along with preliminary borders and zones, are proposed as a conclusion of present work, aimed at assisting the Desert Commission to successfully combine nature conservation with sustainable development in line with international conventions to which Syria is signatory. 2. BACKGROUND The millenary oasis of Palmyra, world renown for its marvellous archaeological ruins (Fig 1), is de facto the “barycentre” of the Syrian steppe or desert (Al Badia). It owes its very existence since time immemorial to the occurrence and availability of shallow underground water and the historical Ifqa spring. In fact, the oasis of Palmyra and adjacent seasonal salt lake Sabkhat al Moh lie at the lowest point of the Syrian desert, attracting water from hundreds of Km in all directions. Certainly the most important water aquifer for Palmyra is the massif of Jebel Abu Rigimin (or Jebel Amur), located some tens of Km north from it. In fact, from Jebel Abu Rigimin water drains and flows naturally to the underground reservoir lying below the oasis and to Sabkhat al Moh. A protection program was promptly established by the Syrian authorities soon after the discovery, assisted by international organizations such as FAO, BirdLife International and IUCN, and supported by donors such as the Italian Development Cooperation (DGCS), Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), National Geographic, Finnish and Netherlands Governments (through their representations in Damascus). An Ibis Protected Area (IPA) was established in 2004, following specific recommendations 15 (Fig 9). Feeding and breeding ecology and behaviour of the N. Bald Ibis relict colony have been studied across several breeding seasons 25, 26 . In 2006, three breeding adults were fit with satellite tags, which enabled to track their migratory route (Fig 10, 11) through the western Arabian peninsula and to discover their wintering grounds on the Ethiopian highlands 7 (Fig 12). IPA is also blessed by what is most likely the last wild herd of sand gazelles in Syria: in fact a very tiny herd of 10-20 gazelles is reported to have escaped from persecution and poaching thanks to the rugged terrain and the gorges of Jezel area (Fig 13). The occurrence of bald ibises makes the area unique regionally and internationally, while the occurrence of wild gazelles makes it unique nationally and regionally. At present, the protected area does not have defined borders, permanent staff nor a management plan. It is a satellite of nearby Al Talila Reserve. Meanwhile, another important protected area had been established in the same years adjacent to the IPA, the Abu Rigimin PA. This mountainous area, with a fresher climate compared to the surrounding desert, it was once covered by a woodland of Pistacha atlantica (Fig 2), and it has been traditionally grazed by indigenous mobile Bedouin pastoralists belonging to the tribe of Amur in a long time. These people are still living according to their traditional life-style and their culture appears as a fascinating element of this area (Fig 3, 4). Jebel Abu Rigimin and its foothills – Mazrur Dreile, Jezel, Jebel and Wadi Abiad, Jebel Anter and Gattar - hold compelling lunar scenery and landscapes (Fig. 5, 6, 7, 8), in addition to little known scattered ruins of hermitages, tombs and forgotten fortresses from Byzantine and Roman times. 6. Jebel Anter, an imposing rocky landmark at the entrance of Ibis Protected Area. Photo by G. Serra 7. Lunar landscape of Ibis Protected Area at sunset. Photo by G. Serra 10 IPA Assessment IPA Assessment 11
Page 1 and 2: منطقة ذات أهمية دو
Page 3 and 4: INDEX FOREWORD 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Page 5: FOREWORD IPA certainly holds an imp
Page 9 and 10: The key topographic features recogn
Page 11 and 12: Being a mountain tribe, the seasona
Page 13 and 14: Forty-seven species of vertebrates,
Page 15 and 16: During the study period ibises were
Page 17 and 18: . Conservation and scientific poten
Page 19 and 20: 40. Northern Bald Ibis has been rev
Page 21 and 22: 11. Palmyra, a Vision for Developme
Page 23 and 24: . ٢٠ توزع الارتفاعا
Page 25 and 26: 28. Distribution of pastures tradit
Page 27 and 28: 49. Distribution of schools and age
Page 29 and 30: Sceneries of Ibis Protected Area (3
Page 31 and 32: VT Ÿs‡€=Ëf`=ÓÍ‹-=›ÍÍ-
Page 33 and 34: خط الطول شرق خط الع
Page 35 and 36: 4.5 Enabling and authorizing the ra
Page 37 and 38: Discussion The highly significant c
Page 39 and 40: The standardized definition of ITPE
Page 41 and 42: ANNEX 12 =áè√=Îfl_o◊^=—wÿ
Page 43 and 44: 15 16 Sus scrofa Struthio camelus 1
Page 45 and 46: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 F
Page 47 and 48: 225 Muscicapa striata SPOTTED FLYCA
Page 49 and 50: 133 Apus melba ALPINE SWIFT MB/PM
Page 51 and 52: 41 Hieraaetus fasciatus BONELLI'S E
Page 53 and 54: 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 REPTILIA
Page 55 and 56: 33 Papaveraceae Papaver syriacum A
Page 57 and 58:
190 Hypecoum spp. 165 Scutellaria t
Page 59 and 60:
90 Chorispora purpurascens 65 Onopo
Page 61 and 62:
69 70 71 النباتات الحو
Page 63 and 64:
-١٩ مسح طويل الأمد
Page 65 and 66:
تقييم التأثير الا
Page 67 and 68:
OT áú_∫^JS ÏÇ_ìkœ^=Î√_
Page 69 and 70:
و كانت كل فصول التك
Page 71 and 72:
m_fl^ËÍ§^=RJP لمحة عامة
Page 73 and 74:
ُ ŸÚ^Ë∫^Á=ÓÍÛÍg◊^=Ó
Page 75 and 76:
كما أن هذه المنطقة
Page 77 and 78:
يوجد في منطقة أبو
Page 79 and 80:
٣٤ ٣٤ ٣٧ ٤٧ ٤٩ ٥١ ٥٢
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