Living Land

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level of system degradation as determined by indicators for

soil erosion, water loss and primary productivity.

Ecological models describing the functional attrib-

ute of ecosystems in the Northern Negev reveal that an

increased rate of system degradation can be expected due

to the following trends: increased urban development and

its associated demographic pressures (increased built-up

areas); high-intensity cultivation of agricultural lands; lack

of maintenance of ancient agriculture sites, and increased

grazing pressure. In addition, predicted trends in global

climate change may result in more extreme weather events

(incidences of unusual droughts and storms), thus exacer-

bating degradation processes.

Identification of the pathways and trajectories of deser-

tification processes enables formulation of the pathways

and trajectories for functional rehabilitation of the ecosys-

tems, where functional rehabilitation implies restoring the

ecological functions of the system prior to desertification.

This necessitates reversing the system functioning from

a system that loses water and soil to one that conserve

these resources. When the system conserves resources its

cascading functional responses are an increase in biological

productivity and diversity.

KKL-JNF acts to functionally rehabilitate the desertified

ecosystems in the Northern Negev by landscape modula-

tion through the construction of a mosaic of ‘mini run-off

catchments’ for harvesting the surface run-off generated

by the soil crust. This rehabilitation framework restores

the pre-desertification functions of rainfall water redistri-

bution and creates a landscape of soil moisture enriched

patches that conserve resources and enhance biological

productivity. In reshaping landscape structure, the human-

made rehabilitated ecosystems regain the ability to preserve

their scarce resources while renewing their ability to supply

ecosystem services for human welfare.

System rehabilitation and the reversing of degradation

processes by management intervention by KKL-JNF is based

on a scientific understanding of the connections between

hydrological processes and ecosystem structure and func-

tion in water-limited zones. This includes understanding the

rainfall/run-off/soil moisture relationship on the slope and

watershed scales, as well as the connection of water flow to

ecological processes such as productivity and diversity on the

landscape level.

Viewing rehabilitation as a management intervention to

regulate ecosystem functions is the road map that directs

KKL-JNF management actions and is translated into specific

activities, such as:

• alteration of the ecosystem’s physical infrastructure —

constructing various measures for run-off harvesting on

slopes and valleys as well as measures to stabilize erosion

processes such as gully heads; facilitating in-situ storage

of scarce water and soil resources, and encouraging the

regeneration of biotic components on site

• afforestation — tree plantation to supply ecosystem

services for human welfare.

The functional rehabilitation of an ecosystem restores the

integrity of fundamental hydrologic, edaphic and ecologic

processes, which are directed towards creating a novel,

Image: ‘Albatross’ — KKL Archive

Hiran forest after rehabilitation activities

Area rehabilitated by shrubs

Desertified area

Area rehabilitated by trees

iving

and