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Recent Project Updates

Project Wadi Attir: Spring 2021 Update
Source: Wadi Attir NewsPublished on 2021-04-09
Interview With Lina Alatawna, CEO of Project Wadi Attir
Source: Wadi Attir NewsPublished on 2020-12-01
Biogas Production At Project Wadi Attir
Source: Wadi Attir NewsPublished on 2020-08-05
Project Wadi Attir Adapts To COVID-19 Times
Source: Wadi Attir NewsPublished on 2020-07-24
Project Wadi Attir: COVID-19 Response & Update of Activities
Source: Wadi Attir NewsPublished on 2020-03-30
Over 8,000 Tourists Visited Project Wadi Attir in 2019
Source: Wadi Attir NewsPublished on 2020-01-10
Project Wadi Attir Featured In The Jerusalem Report
Source: Wadi Attir NewsPublished on 2019-08-16
July 2019 Update
Source: Wadi Attir NewsPublished on 2019-07-09
Feed Production For The Herds At Project Wadi Attir
Source: Wadi Attir NewsPublished on 2019-06-05
New Hebrew-Language Website Launched For Project Wadi Attir
Source: Wadi Attir NewsPublished on 2019-05-24
Doctoral Degree Awarded For Ecosystem Restoration Research At Project Wadi Attir
Source: Wadi Attir NewsPublished on 2019-01-31
Fall Education Achievements At Project Wadi Attir: A Roundup
Source: Wadi Attir NewsPublished on 2019-01-11
November 2018 Update
Source: Wadi Attir NewsPublished on 2018-11-27
Education Leaders Throughout Israel Train At Project Wadi Attir
Source: Wadi Attir NewsPublished on 2018-11-06
Herds Out To Pasture
Source: Wadi Attir NewsPublished on 2018-10-18

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Agroforestry and Permaculture

Summary
Trees in Drylands
Ecosystem Services of Dryland Trees
Dryland Fruit Trees
Dryland Agroforestry and Permaculture
Edible Forests
More Tree Goods and Services
Nitrogen Fixation and Litter Production
Carbon Sequestration and Climate Effects of Trees

Biodiversity

Summary
A Biodiversity Hotspot
Animal Life
Plant Biodiversity
Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture

Dryland Agriculture

Summary
Modern Agriculture – A Sustainability Disaster
What is Sustainable Agriculture?
The Opportunities of Land Degradation
Bridging the Gap for Climate Protection
Sustainable Dryland Agriculture
Irrigation
No-till agriculture
Conclusions

Soil Rehabilitation

Summary
State of Desertification at Project Wadi Attir
Soil Enhancement Approaches
Soil Restoration Principles
Restoration of Natural Biodiversity
Soil Improving Animal Activity
Soil Enhancing Tree Species

History and Geography

Summary
Middle Eastern Climate History
Regional History
Archeological Sites at Wadi Attir
Stone Age Artefacts
Finds from the Byzantine Period

Water and Soil Conservation

Summary
Soil Erosion and Desertification in Drylands
Erosion Control by Vegetation
Trees for Watershed Protection and Erosion Control
Limans, Water Harvesting and Erosion Control
Restoration of Degraded Slopes
Protection of Shrubland Vegetation for Reducing Water Runoff
Conclusions

Desertification and Climate Change

Summary
Global Warming
Desertification
Interrelations between Global Warming and Desertification
Integrated Ecosystem Rehabilitation
Carbon Emissions, Sequestration, and Rehabilitation
Solar Radiation Impact of Desertification
Soil Hydrology of Desertification and Rehabilitation
Dryland Rehabilitation by Silvipasture and Agroforestry
Project Wadi Attir as a Showcase for Sustainable Dryland Development

Site Glossary and Resources

Summary
Scientific Research
Terms, Glossary, and Resource Links
Selected Readings

Modules & Topic Questions

Learning Modules – Home

Is biodiversity in the drylands particularly low?

Is biodiversity in the drylands low because reduced productivity allows only a few species to survive?
In that case, why is biodiversity in the drylands so high? Are not water and resources hard to come by?
How degraded is the ecosystem in the Negev, and how does that effect the local biodiversity?
Can biodiversity be increased in the drylands through specially conserved habitats?
Module Quiz

Why is plant biodiversity at Project Wadi Attir especially high?

Was the plant biodiversity in the area around Project Wadi Attir already especially high?
Project Wadi Attir is located at the interphase between four different vegetation zones, does that have implications for plant biodiversity?
This region of the Negev is at the meeting point of four different topographical features, how does that impact plant biodiversity?
Given the issues of deforestation and overgrazing, what has led to the increase in plant biodiversity and the rich and diverse ecosystem at Project Wadi Attir?
Module Quiz

Why did the megafauna that once existed in the project area go extinct?

The climate got drier and did not support large animals anymore
Ecosystem degradation by early farmers destroyed the basis for survival of large wildlife
Large animals and predators were hunted to extinction by farmers and noblemen
Can the original Negev megafauna be restored?
Module Quiz

What are the characteristics of degraded dryland soils, and what makes them unique?

Does “degraded dryland soil” indicate that a region is too dry to support plant growth?
Does “degraded dryland soil” imply that it has low soil organic carbon content, meaning that the soil is poor for supporting plant life?
What are some of the characteristics of degraded dryland soils?
What are the specific features of nutrient contents in degraded dryland soils?
Module Quiz

How can degraded dryland soils be restored?

Are dryland soils notoriously infertile and useless for agriculture?
Can the application of synthetic fertilizer restore soil fertility and productivity?
Can overlaying dryland soil with compost or manure restore soil fertility?
Can farmed dryland soils be restored while in continuous use?
How can tree planting be used to restore soil fertility in degraded drylands?
Module Quiz

Can dryland rehabilitation restore agricultural productivity, biodiversity, and mitigate global warming?

Can rehabilitation of degraded drylands for agriculture and agroforestry mitigate global warming?
Is conservation farming and land restoration a GHG technology mitigating global warming and enhancing local ecosystem services?
Can enhancing tree and canopy surface area allow for harvesting of dew and moisture while reducing soil water evaporation?
Can restored dry woodlands modulate local microclimate to the benefit of agroforestry species and feed production?
Module Quiz

How can “Sustainable Agriculture” be defined?

Does “Sustainable Agriculture” utilize large amounts of fertilizers, water and pesticides to maximize yields?
Can sustainable farming operations move to new areas as soon as used farmland is exhausted and degraded?
Are conserving and safeguarding soil and soil fertility the central challenges in sustainable dryland agriculture?
Does “Sustainable Dryland Agriculture” mean we should avoid soil erosion by all means?
Module Quiz

To what extent can Sustainable Dryland Agriculture contribute to global food security?

Is Sustainable Dryland Agriculture insufficient for addressing food security issues because of low biological productivity?
Can Drylands produce huge amounts of food and bio-products when properly managed?
Do drylands areas still undergo degradation when used for agriculture?
How does agroforestry or Permaculture facilitate Sustainable Dryland Agriculture? Can this be done utilizing a wide range of dryland fruit trees?
Module Quiz

What is Global Warming or Climate Change and what are its causes and risks?

Is global warming caused by an increase of greeenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere due to human activity?
Can the consequences and risks of global warming be far reaching or even disastrous?
Is global warming mainly caused by the burning of fossil fuels for energy generation?
Have land use change and agriculture been the major contributors to increasing atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations?
Module Quiz

Can human activity impact the global climate and atmosphere?

What is the chance that human green house gas (GHG) emissions are not the cause of observed global warming?
Has land degradation in the course of history caused as much greenhouse gases as the use of fossil fuels?
How great are the impacts of human land use on GHG emissions?
Can land rehabilitation by restoration of degraded ecosystems mitigate global warming?
Module Quiz

How do land degradation, desertification, and land rehabilitation affect the global climate?

Is it true that land degradation and rehabilitation are potent considerations in the the world’s cimate system?
Can vegetation completely change surface radiation interactions and therefore local and global climate?
Can trees and perennial vegetation improve local climate and GFG balance by storing water and reflecting radiation into space?
Module Quiz

Why have arid and semi-arid areas, such as the one near Project Wadi Attir, been widely used in the course of human history?

Have these arid and semi-arid regions been widely used by humans in the past?
Was the Middle East a barren desert when Western explorers arrived in the 19th century?
Were these areas originally rich in wildlife and edible plants, therefore attracting significant populations of hunter gatherers?
How long have large numbers of settlements and towns existed in these areas?
Were advanced techniques for dryland agriculture already developed thousands of years ago?
Module Quiz

Has human activity caused the spread of deserts in the Middle East and worldwide, and can human intervention reverse it?

Has human activity caused massive land degradation and deforestation resulting in a change to drier climates?
Have other semi-arid areas around the world experienced similar fates?
Were Ottoman Palestine and the Mediterranean semi-arid ecosystems deserts in the 19th century?
Have processes of historical land degradation and their consequences been scientifically documented?
Module Quiz

Is water the decisive factor determining productivity in drylands?

Can rain have negative impacts in drylands?
Can this vicious cycle be broken by capturing water in dams and ditches?
Are there methods to optimize the design and construction of water catchment structures?
Can a combination of water harvesting, re-vegetation and soil restoration succeed in restoring original ecosystem function?
Module Quiz

Can there be one optimal ecosystem design for maximal efficiency of precipitation use?

Is precipitation use efficiency defined as the amount of biomass produced per area and amount of precipitation?
Is precipitation use efficiency a relevant parameter only in drylands?
Can arid ecosystems maintain a stable maximal state of biological productivity?
Is low PUE a sign of degraded ecosystems and farming systems?
Module Quiz

Why is agroforestry the most sustainable farming technique in drylands?

How much fertilizer and irrigation does dryland agroforestry require?
How can dryland agroforestry trees produce fruit and food in arid areas with little or no irrigation and fertilizer?
Can such agroforestry systems improve, and not compete with rangeland (pastoral grazing land) productivity in drylands?
Module Quiz

Why do Permaculture systems require very low inputs of pesticides, fertilizer and water?

How does Permaculture use appropriately mixed trees, crop plants and wild vegetation to support each other, yielding maximal productivity with minimal inputs?
How does Permaculture support soil nutrition? Do the deep rooted nitrogen fixing trees provide compost and nutrients continuously?
Even though dryland Permaculture systems require little water or fertilizer, can they still produce a lot of food and fodder?
How can the high plant and animal diversity of Permaculture systems create pest resilient ecosystems?
Module Quiz

The Sustainability Laboratory

Project Wadi Attir is an initiative of the Hura Municipal Council and:

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