Ashdod Nitzanim Sand Dune Park is a psammosere ecosystem located close to the city of Ashdod on the Israeli Coastal Plain near the Mediterranean sea. It is located south of Tel Aviv and represents the landscape on which most of modern-day Israel was constructed on by pioneers following various Aliyah's and the Establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. In geography, a psammosere is a sand sere -an environment of sand substratum on which ecological succession occurs. ... Hebrew אשדוד Founded in 1956 Government City (from 1968) District South Population 204. ... The Israeli Coastal Plain (Hebrew: , Mishor HaHof) is a name to the flat and low-lying narrow strip around the Mediterranean Sea. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... Tel-Aviv was founded on empty dunes north of the existing city of Jaffa. ... Aliyah (Hebrew: עלייה, ascent or going up) is a term widely used to mean Jewish immigration to the Land of Israel (and since its establishment in 1948, the State of Israel). ...

Background

Until a number of decades ago, sand dunes dominated the coast of Israel with 462 square kilometers of sand dunes of which over three-quarters were south of Tel Aviv. Over the last few decades the dunes have made way for cities, industrial areas and power plants, and the dune landscape has gradually disappeared. Further sandy areas of the coast are used for security purposes and are closed to the public. Thus, one of the most characteristic and important aspects of the Israeli landscape is rapidly vanishing. Patterns in the sand Sand is a granular material made up of fine rock particles. ... This article is about the sand formations, for other meanings see Dune (disambiguation) Mesquite Flat Dunes in Death Valley National Park In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by eolian (wind-related) processes. ... Tel-Aviv was founded on empty dunes north of the existing city of Jaffa. ...

The largest remnant of Israel's coastal sand dunes is located between Ashdod and Ashkelon. This is the only part of the landscape that still retains its shifting sands with its attendant animal and plant life and marks of bygone civilizations. Hebrew אשדוד Founded in 1956 Government City (from 1968) District South Population 204. ... Hebrew אַשְׁקְלוֹן (Standard) AÅ¡qÉ™lon Arabic عسقلان Founded in 1951 Government City Also Spelled Ashqelon (officially) District South Population 105,100 (2004) Jurisdiction 55,000 dunams (55 km²) Mayor Roni Mahatzri Ashkelon (Hebrew: ‎; Tiberian Hebrew ʾAÅ¡qÉ™lôn; Arabic: ‎  ; Latin: Ascalon) is a city in the western Negev, in the...

The importance of the area derives from its natural and cultural qualities. The dunes contain ecological systems of scientific value. Their function as an open area separating the urban sectors that are rapidly covering the country is of great significance, as is its role as a natural public recreation.

The Sand Dune Park

Because of the importance and uniqueness of this area and its potential for study, hiking, and recreation, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) has initiated the drive for a Sand Dune Park that would serve to protect the dunes and their properties for research, education, nature hikes, and public use.

The dune park extends over 11 square kilometers between the Mediterranean Sea to the west and agricultural areas to the east, and between the city of Ashdod to the north and the Avtach water way to the south. Composite satellite image of the Mediterranean Sea. ...

The area of the proposed park falls within three municipal jurisdictions: the northern part belongs to the city of Ashdod, the central part belongs to the Be'er Tuvia Regional Council, and the southern part belongs to the Hof Ashkleon Regional Council. Each of the municipal authorities had plans for developing the area which threatened to cover the dunes with buildings and roads. Additional factors threatening preservation of the dunes are the Ministry of tourism, which planned to build a "riviera" of hotels along the coast; the Israel Lands Authority, which is interested in mining the sand; the Israel Defence Forces, which wanted to use the area for manoeuvres; and others. Until 1982, the area was designated for a nuclear power plant.^{[citation needed]} The plant was not built, but it resulted in stopping development, which saved the sands. When the plan for the power plant was canceled, interested parties pressured for development, but the SPNI then identified its importance and uniqueness and began to fight for its preservation. Hebrew אשדוד Founded in 1956 Government City (from 1968) District South Population 204. ... The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (Hebrew: צבא ההגנה לישראל Tsva Ha-Haganah Le-Yisrael ([Army] Force [for] the Defense of Israel), often abbreviated צהל Tsahal, alternative English spelling Tzahal, is the name of Israels armed forces...

In order stir public awareness and appreciation of the dunes, the SPNI established the Shiqmim Field School in Nitzanim in 1983. The school is housed in an historic building that once served the original settlers of Nitzanim. The SPNI also initiated a survey that identified and mapped the area's nature and landscape features; on the basis of this survey, the SPNI in co-operation with the Jewish National Fund(JNF) drew up a conceptual plan for the Sand Dune Park. The JNF logo found on all JNF charity boxes. ...

The great demand for land use in the area of the dunes, the scant awareness of their value, and the fact that there have already been approved building plans for the area have made the establishment of a park a most difficult challenge. Progress in creating the park has been made through a combination of educational and informational activities to heighten appreciation of the area and public campaigns against the existing building plans, along with programmatic activity toward outlining the park.^{[citation needed]} The combined approach has borne fruit. Today, the dune park is an established fact in the public mind and in various local and regional plans, despite not yet having a final official status.

External links

• Sand Dune Park site