National parks and nature reserves of Israel

, UNESCO World Heritage Site From the 1920s onwards, the British Mandatory government passed laws aimed at saving the local flora and fauna. In 1924 a Hunting Act was published and in 1926 a Forest Ordinance were published. Many sites, such as the forests of Mount Carmel and Mount Meron, were declared forest reserves; certain trees were declared protected. In 1953 the Knesset passed the Wildlife Protection Law (חוק הגנת חיות-הבר) and the Minister of Agriculture was appointed for its implementation. In 1955, the department for the improvement of the country's landscape (המחלקה לשיפור נוף הארץ) was established in the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, which was assigned the establishment of tourist infrastructure. The department established a number of well-known national parks, such as Gan HaShlosha, Caesarea, Shivta and Avdat. Following the ecologically disastrous drying of Lake Hula and the resulting public pressure, the was established in 1964, which was the first declared nature reserve in Israel. In 1963 the Knesset approved the "National parks and nature reserves act" (חוק הגנים הלאומיים ושמורות הטבע), whose legislation process had already began in 1956. As a result, two authorities were established: the National Parks Authority and the Nature Reserves Authority. In 1998 the two authorities were merged into one body - Israel Nature and Parks Authority. The last observation of an Arabian leopard took place in the northern Arabah area in 2010/11. It is possibly extinct in the country. ==Parks and reserves==

National Park In Israel the distinction between national parks and nature reserves is often hard to make. National parks are in most cases centered around archaeological sites, but sometimes include protected nature habitats. The nature reserves often contain not just protected fauna and flora, but also major archaeological sites. The Hermon Stream Nature Reserve for instance covers a stretch of forested land, but also the vast remains of the ancient city of Banias/Caesarea Philippi. Sometimes an administrative separation is made, as for instance at the Judean desert oasis of Ein Gedi, home to both the Ein Gedi Antiquities National Park and Ein Gedi Nature Reserve. National parks in Israel This is a partial list, containing only the best known national parks. National Park in northern Israel National parks in occupied territories Nature reserves in Israel This is a partial list, containing only the best known nature reserves. Nature reserves in occupied territories == Gallery of nature in Israel ==

File:Banyas BW 9.jpg|Banias spring File:Hermon.jpg|Hermon snow File:Ali rise.JPG|HaMaktesh HaKatan File:MakhteshRamonMar262022 01.jpg|Maktesh Ramon File:Pura 0062a.jpg|Pura Reserve File:View from Hemdat Yamim (2).JPG|Meron mountain nature reserve File:EilatFringingReef.jpg|Eilat, coral reef ==See also==