Project Detail

Towards community approach to restore native mediterranean vegetative cover

The project demonstrates community-based approach to restore native Mediterranean vegetative cover in the degraded area. This approach is demonstrate in the rehabilitation of an old dump site in Beit Lahia village south Gaza through establishing and educational garden for endemic of endanger sp. of the Mediterranean area. It is also demonstated through establishing partnership with the local government organizations of involving the community (men and women) in different stages of the project

Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Palestinaian Environmental Friends

Country:

Palestine, State of

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity

Operational Phase:

Phase 1

Grant Amount:

US$ 43,000.00

Co-Financing Cash:

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 11,500.00

Project Number:

PAL/99/06

Start Date:

11/1999

End Date:

12/2000

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Gender Focus

A community committee of nine members are formed among them two women with a background and extensive expeince in public awareness. They play a leading role in promoting the educational activities with both the community and the schools.

Capacity - Building Component

A community committee of nine members is formed at the starting up phase of the project, which facilitates the linkages between the project management team and the neighboring community. It has an active role in raising the community awareness and commitment to protect the garden through organizing public and individual meetings, documenting the oral history of the native and demolished species and their uses, helping in the infrastructure work including cleaning up, collecting rare leg-plants, planting and organizing community volunteers etc.

Notable Community Participation

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

Many people volunteer their time and work to the establishment of the educational garden through contributing their indigenous knowledge on the native species in the area, collecting leg-plants of the rare species.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

The project addresses the link between restoring the native species and protecting the global environment in many different ways i.e. producing brochure and poster, holding individual and group meetings and monthly meetings with the municipality as a project partner.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

The project has a positive impact on Beit Lahia community particularly the neighboring community by reinforcing a constructive attitude to maintain and enjoy clean and safe surrounding. It is also of great benefit to the science classes in the schools who have a sensory education about the native and demolish species in the Mediterranean area. The project also creates many job opportunities for the community i.e. engineers guards, contractors, and labors. Additionally less injuries among children are reported since the site rehabilitation is completed.

Project Results

Environmental benefit: The project helped to restore the degraded vegetative cover in the old dump site in Bait Lahia village in the north of Gaza. The species characteristics have been identified through a field species survey that was confirmed by the information provided by the community committee.
Job creation: The garden helps promoting of the socio-economic conditions of Bait Lahia small community by offering temporary jobs to 40 local labors and technicians and purchasing all the needed equipment from the local market.
Health: Being surrounded by homes and schools, the project has tremendously improved the health conditions for the children.
Partnership: Community Committee is very curial to promote voluntary work and ensure sustainability of the project. School students have participated in the plants? restoration and cleaning up of the site. Also, close cooperation with the Municipality has paved the way for smooth handing over of the garden?s running operations and encouraged in kind contribution as well
Gender: Environment awareness activities were assigned to female environment educators and thereby reflected positively on children attitudes towards environment.
Public Awareness: Distributing 1000 copies of the brochure describing the eco-history of the restored species and 50 copies of the documentary booklet on the project experience and design.

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