Restoring the Earth in the Land of the Bible

February 7, 2000

Every year, tens of millions of acres of once fertile land around the world are becoming deserts due to uncontrolled land use and over cultivation by man. By the middle of the 21st century, many scientists are predicting that those areas which receive an average of 10-to-20 inches of rainfall each year (semi-arid regions) will also become deserts due to global warming.

The desert covers 65% of Israel, largely as a result of years of neglect and by other human and natural causes. At the turn of the 20th century, this ancient Holy Land, which had once been a lush vista of green forests, was a desolate wasteland barren with rocky hills and little or no vegetation. Since the establishment of the independent State of Israel in 1948, halting desertification (the process of turning land into desert) has been a top national priority. Yet, nearly a half century prior to Israel's new independence, grassroots efforts were underway to restore the Land of the Bible to a state of environmental health.

Today, through the efforts of the Jerusalem-based Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL) organization, Israel's neglected countryside has been revitalized with the planting of over 200 million trees throughout the arid region. What sets the efforts of the KKL apart from other similar tree-planting efforts worldwide is that the trees planted were done so by individuals from all over the world in honor of loved ones or others close to them. As the KKL states, "Our forests are living legacies populated by millions of trees dedicated to millions of Israel's friends throughout the world." Not only are the trees planted by people devoted to the Holy Land, but they are planted by people devoted to the environment, heads of state, artists, religious leaders and tourists from all walks of life, religions, cultures and ethnic heritage.

These efforts, which began with the launch of KKL in 1901, have not only restored the beautiful vistas of the Israeli countryside, but they have significantly improved the air and land quality within Israel's environment. To learn more about the KKL, you may visit their website in English or in Hebrew -- Photo and art courtesy of Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael.

Did you know ... ?

Planting trees does not require more water for your landscape. Rather, the opposite is true. Trees not only help retain water in the soil, but they can also help keep the soil intact and healthy. This results in the retention of even more water so less watering is required. Trees also act as air filters to provide better air quality for both humans and wildlife.