Tu B’Shvat, the New Year for Trees, has been a traditional time to plant trees in Israel.

But Israel has no need – ecologically, or otherwise – for more industrially-planted forests on our open spaces. These plantation “forests” have covered Israel’s high-value grasslands and harmed Israel’s unique biodiversity. Israel’s era of misguided afforestation policy must end!

Instead, tree-planting in Israel must be mindful, appropriate for the habitat.

SPNI commits to hand-planting just 350 specially selected trees in two areas of Israel in 2021:

·       In Jerusalem, we operate two very special urban nature sites. At the Nili and David Jerusalem Bird Observatory we will be planting olive, oak, and fruit trees to attract birds and insects, and to provide shade for our visitors,  and at the Gazelle Valley Park, we will be planting apple, cherry, and plum trees to continue restoring this special valley once known as the “breadbasket of Jerusalem”. These trees will be planted by volunteers as part of our community educational programs.

·       In the Jordan Valley near Bet She’an, at Kibbutz Kfar Ruppin, we are creating wetland nature reserves out of failed fish farms in an ambitious project to restore safe and critical feeding stopover sites for migrating birds. To this end we will plant poplars, plum, pomegranate and acacia throughout these nascent reserves to provide nesting habitats, attract wildlife, and restore the ecosystem for generations to come.

Would you consider planting a tree, mindfully, with us this year?

Your support of $118 per tree will insure that each and every tree: 

• Will be the right tree in the right habitat for the right purpose
• Will be part of an ecological and community-based conservation project
• Will be planted and lovingly cared for in perpetuity by the staff and volunteers of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel

THIS TU B'SHVAT, THANK YOU FOR MINDFUL TREE-PLANTING