Nature reserves in Jordan

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Approximate locations of the first six reserves Jordan nature reserves location map.svg
Approximate locations of the first six reserves

There are at least seven nature reserves in Jordan . In 1966, the organization that would later start Jordan's nature reserves, the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, was founded. RSCN's first efforts involved bringing back severely endangered species. In 1973, RSCN, was given the right to issue hunting licenses, giving RSCN an upper hand in preventing extinction. The first step was the founding of Jordan's first nature reserve, Shaumari Wildlife Reserve, in 1975. The primary purpose was to create means to breed endangered species, specifically: the Arabian oryx, gazelles, ostriches and Persian onagers in their natural environment.

Contents

In 1994, shortly after Dana Biosphere Reserve was established, RSCN began its Research and Survey section, made up of experienced researchers with the primary goal of collecting information at the reserves needed to create a sustainable living environment for wild animals through scientific research. Shortly thereafter, Wild Jordan was created as a business branch of RSCN dealing with socio-economic projects. In 1999, RSCN started a training program to build local and regional skill in conserving nature. RSCN raised more awareness in 2005 with a "Save Jordan's Trees" campaign. Jordan's sixth and latest nature reserve, Dibeen Forest Reserve, was created in 2004, cementing 1,200 square kilometres (463 sq mi) of protected natural landscape throughout Jordan. [1]

Fifa Nature Reserve was designated in 2011. In 2018 Burqu, Dahek, and Dmeitha nature reserves were designated.

Additional nature reserves and sites for preservation have been proposed. [2] [3]

Reserves

ReserveLocationSizeDate establishedNotes
Ajloun Forest Reserve Northwest13 square kilometres (5 sq mi)1988 [4]
Azraq Wetland Reserve Northeast12 square kilometres (5 sq mi)1978Only wetland reserve in Jordan [5]
Burqu Nature Reserve Northeast906.44 square kilometres (350 sq mi)2018 [6]
Dana Biosphere Reserve South-central320 square kilometres (124 sq mi)1993Largest nature reserve in Jordan [7]
Dahek Nature Reserve Northeast265.42 square kilometres (102 sq mi)2018 [8]
Dibeen Forest Reserve Northwest8.5 square kilometres (3 sq mi)2004Smallest reserve in Jordan [9]
Dmeitha Nature Reserve Northeast2018 [10]
Fifa Nature Reserve Southwest23.2 square kilometres (9 sq mi)2011 [11]
Mujib Nature Reserve Eastern shore of the Dead Sea 220 square kilometres (85 sq mi)1987Lowest nature reserve in the world [12]
Qatar Nature Reserve Southwest109.94 square kilometres (42 sq mi)2011 [13]
Shaumari Wildlife Reserve Northeast22 square kilometres (8 sq mi)1975 [5]

Ajloun Reserve

Ajloun forest Ajlun Green.jpg
Ajloun forest

Ajloun Forest Reserve is in north Jordan, near Jerash and Ajloun, and close to the Ajloun Castle. The reserve consists of rolling hills in a Mediterranean-like environment, covered in evergreen oaks, as well as strawberry and pistachio trees, among others. Stone martens, jackals, red foxes, striped hyenas, Persian squirrels, porcupines, and wolves inhabit this area. Privately owned lands surrounding the reserve pose threats, including illegitimate access to the reserve, resulting in illegal hunting, woodcutting, and grazing. Cooperation with local inhabitants has resulted in increased awareness in the community regarding the preservation of the forest. [14]

Azraq Wetland Reserve

Azraq wetland Azraq view.jpg
Azraq wetland

The Azraq Wetlands, located in Jordan's eastern desert near the town of Azraq, is RSCN's only wetlands reserve. The reserve, once a popular stopover for millions of migratory birds going from Africa to Eurasia, is now severely depleted due to over-pumping to support Jordan's growing population. In 1978, the reserve was established as an effort to conserve the oasis. Between 1981 and 1993, water levels decreased sharply, concluding with the drying up of the springs in 1992. Azraq today only makes up 0.04% of its former size. Water levels are maintained by RSCN in order to save indigenous fish species such as the Azraq Killfish and to keep the site a tourist destination. Efforts have been partially successful; some birds have returned and killfish have increased in numbers, but attempts to increase the water mass by 10% of the original size have been unsuccessful. Water pumping and lack of manpower and wetland experience keep water levels at a low. [15]

Burqu Nature Reserve

Burqu Nature Reserve was designated in 2018. It covers an area of 906.44 km2 in the northeastern portion of the country, centred on Qasr Burqu'.

Dana Biosphere Reserve

Dana Gorge Danagorge.jpg
Dana Gorge

Dana Biosphere Reserve, often simply called Dana Nature Reserve, is located in and around the town of Dana in the mountains east of Wadi Araba. The geography of the reserve is characterized by steep cliffs in rocky wadis covered by small trees and shrubs. The varied geology switches from limestone to sandstone to granite. Some illegal activities such as grazing and woodcutting continue. Illegal hunting threatens ibex and chukar populations. [16]

Dibeen Forest Reserve

Vista in Dibeen Dibeen Trees.jpg
Vista in Dibeen

Dibeen Forest, close to the ancient Roman city of Jerash, was established in 2004. The forest is a pine-oak habitat, housing the Aleppo pine and marking the geographical limit of this type of forest. Animal inhabitants such as the Persian squirrel were main reasons for the establishment of the reserve and were considered top priority. Strawberry, pistachio, and wild olive trees also grow in the reserve. Trash, notably plastic, presents a major problem in the reserve, often the result of careless visitors. [9]

Fifa Nature Reserve

On July 13, 2011, the Fifa Nature Reserve was officially declared. It is located in the south-western part of Jordan. The reserve has an area of 23.2 km2. In part lying well below sea level, the reserve contains the salt plant pattern and the tropical plant pattern. [11]

Wadi Mujib

Wadi Mujib Wadi Mujib4.jpeg
Wadi Mujib

Mujib Nature Reserve, commonly known as Wadi Mujib, is a long canyon feeding the Dead Sea running through the ancient region of Moab and the lowest nature reserve in the world. Directly east of the Dead Sea, Wadi Mujib is made up by a network of freshwater streams, making an otherwise arid area more fertile. The lush riverbeds provide support for aquatic plants. As well as containing 300 species of plants, Wadi Mujib contains at least 10 species of carnivores and other animals, including the hyrax, badger, and the Nubian ibex which was reintroduced into the wild by RSCN. Illegal hunting continues to impede efforts to reach a sustainable number of wild ibexes. [17]

Shaumari Reserve

Reeds in Shaumari Shaumarinaturereserve.jpg
Reeds in Shaumari

Shaumari Wildlife Reserve is located in the eastern Jordanian desert, close to Azraq Wetland Reserve. The geology comprises desert wadis making up 65% of the area and Hammada areas covered in black flint forming 35% of the reserve. Founded in 1975, Shaumari was founded for the wildlife in the desert area. One of the main goals of the reserve has been to bring back locally extinct species, notably the Arabian oryx, into the wild. In 1978, 4 Arabian oryxs were brought to the reserve for a breeding program. Starting in 1983, 31 oryxs were released into the wild, successfully returning the oryx into its native environment. Other species, such as Somali ostriches, Persian onagers and gazelles reside in the reserve. Before the establishment of the reserve, hunting nearly annihilated local animal populations, a problem which RSCN has been successful in dealing with. [18]

Future

The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature has expressed interest in creating up to five additional nature reserves in Jordan. [19] [20]

Other sites were mentioned in two reports issued in 1979 and 1998 on the feasibility of new reserve sites around the country. [3] [19]

Related Research Articles

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) is a collaboration centre of UN Environment Programme, based in Cambridge in the United Kingdom. UNEP-WCMC has been part of UN Environment Programme since 2000, and has responsibility for biodiversity assessment and support to policy development and implementation. The World Conservation Monitoring Centre was previously an independent organisation jointly managed by IUCN, UN Environment Programme and WWF established in 1988. Prior to that, the centre was a part of the IUCN Secretariat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dana, Jordan</span> Village in Tafilah Governorate, Jordan

For the nature reserve, click here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Azraq, Jordan</span> Town in Zarqa Governorate, Jordan

Azraq is a small town in Zarqa Governorate in central-eastern Jordan, 100 kilometres (62 mi) east of Amman. The population of Azraq was 9,021 in 2004. The Muwaffaq Salti Air Base is located in Azraq.

The Royal Society for The Conservation of Nature (RSCN) is an independent voluntary organization that is devoted to the conservation of Jordan's natural resources; it was established in 1966 with the late King Hussein as Honorary President.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaumari Wildlife Reserve</span> Wildlife reserve in Zarqa Governorate, Jordan

The Shaumari Wildlife Reserve is a Jordanian nature reserve near the town of Azraq, approximately 100 km (62 mi) east of Amman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wadi Mujib</span> River in Jordan, near the Dead Sea, known for its biblical connections and a popular nature reserve

Wadi Mujib, also known as Arnon Stream, is a river in Jordan. The river empties into the Dead Sea circa 420 metres (1,380 ft) below sea level. Today, Wadi Mujib is fed by seven tributaries. The western part of the river is the site of the Mujib Biosphere Reserve, popular for hikes & canyoning amid dramatic rock formations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in Jordan</span>

Jordan is a sovereign Arab state in the Middle East. The capital, Amman, is Jordan's most populous city as well as the country's economic, political and cultural centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Jordan</span>

The wildlife of Jordan includes its flora and fauna and their natural habitats. Although much of the country is desert, it has several geographic regions, each with a diversity of plants and animals adapted to their own particular habitats. Fossil finds show that in Palaeolithic times, the region had Syrian brown bears, Asiatic lions, zebras, Asian elephants, and rhinoceroses, but these species are all now extinct in this region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Azraq Wetland Reserve</span>

The Azraq Wetland Reserve is a nature reserve located in the town of Azraq in the eastern desert of Jordan. An oasis for migratory birds, the reserve was established in 1978 and covers 12 square kilometres (4.6 sq mi). The natural springs dried up in 1992 and most migratory birds subsequently moved away from the area. Artificial springs are maintained today in order to keep the site a tourist destination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dana Biosphere Reserve</span>

The Dana Biosphere Reserve is Jordan's largest nature reserve, located in south-central Jordan. Dana Biosphere Reserve was founded in 1989 in the area in and around the Dana village and Wadi Dana comprising 308 square kilometres (119 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dibbeen Forest Reserve</span>

Dibeen Forest Reserve is a nature reserve located in the north-west of Jordan. It is situated just south of the Roman site of Jerash and covers an area of 8.5 square kilometres (3.3 sq mi) of rolling hills covered with pine–oak habitat. This area houses the largest Aleppo Pines one of the oldest and naturally grown habitats in Jordan. It also is the home to 17 endangered species such as the Persian Squirrel.

The Tadrès Total Reserve (T'adéras/Tadress) is a nature reserve in the central north of Niger, southwest the city of Agadez. It is a Total Faunal Reserve IUCN type IV, covering some 788,928 hectares within the Agadez Region. The reserve follows the northeast - southwest flow of the Tadrès valley, a Kori or seasonal wash and ancient river bed south of the Aïr Mountains. It was originally dedicated to the protection of Oryx populations which have largely disappeared from the region. In the 1940s, the valley was an important migration route for the animals from the Tenere desert to the Adar in the south of the country. It remains a transhumance route for domesticated cattle and camels, as well as wild Dorcas and Ménas Gazelles

The Gadabedji Total Reserve is a nature reserve in the central region of Niger. It is a Total Faunal Reserve IUCN type IV, covering some 76,000 hectares within the northern tip of the Maradi Region, just north of the town of Dakoro, and south of the border with the Agadez Region. The reserve is also recognized biosphere reserve by the Unesco since 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ajloun Forest Reserve</span>

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ecotourism in Jordan</span>

Ecotourism in Jordan has grown tremendously due to environmental pressures and the demand for jobs outside of the cities, especially since the establishment of the Dana Biosphere in 1993, the first biosphere reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qasr Burqu'</span> Archaeological site in the desert of Jordan

Qasr Burqu' is a set of ruins and an archaeological site in the badia of eastern Jordan and is the site of one of the earliest of the Umayyad desert castles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ammar Khammash</span> Jordanian architect and artist

Ammar Khammash is a Jordanian architect, designer and artist. His work is based on the integration of building designs with nature and the surrounding environment. His projects helped revive Pella and Jordan Valley by creating two rest stops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mesopotamian shrub desert</span> Desert ecoregion in West Asia

The Mesopotamian shrub desert is a deserts and xeric shrublands ecoregion in Western Asia. It extends across portions of Israel, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Iran.

References

  1. "The Full Story". Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. Archived from the original on 2010-06-08. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  2. "Proposed Protected Areas". Royal Society for the Conservation for Nature. 2008. Archived from the original on 2009-05-03. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  3. 1 2 "Protected Areas". Royal Society for the Conservation for Nature. 2008. Archived from the original on 2015-04-20. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  4. "Nature Reserve of Ajloun". Jordan Jubilee. Archived from the original on 2009-03-03. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
  5. 1 2 "Reserves of Azraq and Shaumari". Jordan Jubilee. Archived from the original on 2009-05-03. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
  6. UNEP-WCMC (2020). Protected Area Profile for Burqu Nature Reserve from the World Database of Protected Areas, October 2020. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net
  7. "Nature Reserve of Dana". Jordan Jubilee. Archived from the original on 2017-05-15. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
  8. UNEP-WCMC (2020). Protected Area Profile for Dahek Nature Reserve from the World Database of Protected Areas, October 2020. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net
  9. 1 2 "Dibeen Forest Reserve". Jordan Society for the Conservation of Nature. 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-06-24. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
  10. UNEP-WCMC (2020). Protected Area Profile for Dmeitha Nature Reserve from the World Database of Protected Areas, October 2020. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net
  11. 1 2 "محمية فيفا الطبيعية". Archived from the original on 2014-12-24. Retrieved 2014-12-24., accessed 2014-11-02
  12. "Wadi Mujib". Jordan Jubilee. 2000. Archived from the original on 2017-01-27. Retrieved 2009-04-04.
  13. UNEP-WCMC (2020). Protected Area Profile for Qatar Nature Reserve from the World Database of Protected Areas, October 2020. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net
  14. "Ajloun Forest Reserve". Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. Archived from the original on 2012-07-12. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
  15. "Azraq Wetlands Reserve". Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. Archived from the original on 2008-06-24. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
  16. "Dana Biosphere Reserve". Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. Archived from the original on 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
  17. "Mujib Nature Reserve". Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. Archived from the original on 2008-06-24. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
  18. "Shaumari Wildlife Reserve". Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. Archived from the original on 2009-04-30. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
  19. 1 2 UNEP-WCMC (2020). Protected Area Profile for Jordan from the World Database of Protected Areas, October 2020. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net
  20. Taylor, Eddie (March–April 2009). "Protect & Serve". Royal Wings. Royal Jordanian Airlines. pp. 35–37.