Book of Abstracts

48
Friends of the Earth Middle East Presents a Joint
Palestinian/Jordanian Program for Restoring the Southern Jordan
River
Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) is a regional organization bringing together Jordanian, Israeli
and Palestinian environmentalists. FoEME works on transboundary environmental issues, mostly having
to do with water. A prime example of a FoEME focus area is the Lower Jordan River, a unique shared
ecological system that necessitates regional cooperation if it is to be preserved.
In 2012 FoEME launched a project to develop a regional NGO master plan for the Lower Jordan River
with the following aims:
- To develop a comprehensive master planning programme to rehabilitate the Lower Jordan River
and its tributaries.
- To determine coordinated regional flow regimes, set water quality standards, identify solutions to
treat all pollution sources, launch restoration and preservation programs, establish ecological
corridors, and identify opportunities to expand ecotourism infrastructures in the Jordan Valley
including the preparation of regional heritage routes.
- To complement the Israeli government’s process to prepare a master plan for the Israeli section of
the Lower Jordan River. See details below.
- To develop complementary plans for the Palestinian and Jordanian sections of the Lower Jordan
resulting in the production of the first ever comprehensive regional NGO master plan for the
Lower Jordan.
Finally FoEME believes that the Lower Jordan need no longer be a symbol of separation. It has
historically been the site for exchange between flora, fauna, peoples, cultures and ideas, and we would
like to see this interaction continue.
Overview of FoEME's Jordan River work with focus on the ecology of the Lower Jordan River
Budieri, A.; Abu Jabal, N., Ya’ari, E.
The Jordan River situated in the Great Rift Valley, while unique in its natural and cultural wealth, is threatened by
excessive water diversion and pollution, and treated as a backyard dumping ground. The river is significant to
billions of people from diverse religions and countries worldwide but is presently under threat. Of the 1.3 billion
cubic meters of water that would naturally flow down the River Jordan to the Dead Sea each year, an estimated 96%
is diverted for domestic and agricultural uses. A regional integrated approach to water management issues in the
Lower Jordan River Valley is desperately needed to repair and restore the once "mighty" river. Since much of the
river is a closed military zone and off limits to the public, most people simply do not know that the river is drying
up. The Jordan Valley is also a lush, wetland ecosystem that is the biological heart of the region at large. In addition
to the flora and fauna on the ground, the valley is one of the world's most important crossroads for migratory birds -
500 million birds migrate each spring and autumn season, an attraction to birdwatchers from across the globe.