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Jordan is continuously
developing its
eco-tourism sector.
Though a small country,
the Hashemite Kingdom
has a high natural
diversity, and several
nature reserves welcome
visitors to experience
flora, fauna and
cultural heritage. The
reserves are managed by
the Royal Society for
the Conservation of
Nature (RSCN), a
non-governmental
organization,
established in 1966. The
activities of the RSCN
and its eco-tourism
implementing division,
Wild Jordan, aim to
protect wildlife and
wild places by setting
up protected areas,
offering environmental
education programs,
breeding endangered
species, enforcing
governmental laws to
protect wildlife and
control illegal hunting.
One of the intentions is
to conserve the nature
by promoting them as
tourist destinations and
support socio-economic
development of rural
communities. The
different projects are
created to have a low
impact on the
environment, provide
direct funds for
conservation, and
benefit the economic
development of local
communities by providing
jobs. Wild Jordan makes
sure that employees at
the sites are locals,
while goods and services
supporting the sites are
also purchased locally.
The RSCN also helps
market and sell
hand-crafted silver
jewelry, and olive oil
produced by the local
communities.
The first eco-tourism
project in Jordan was
Dana, covering 320
square kilometers. The
area is home to the
Syrian wolf and other
endangered animals, as
well as 700 plant
species, and 215 kinds
of birds. The
establishment of Dana
Nature Reserve also
helpt to resurrect the
dying Bedouin village,
providing residents with
jobs helping run the
reserve. The reserve is
a paradise for hikers
with 11 trails ranging
from easy grade to tough
10-hours treks that
demand some climbing and
swimming.
At the moment the
protected areas within
Jordan cover over 1200
square kilometers:
-
Ajloun
in
northern
Jordan,
a hilly
forest
area
featured
by
Evergreen
Oaks.
-
Azraq
Reserve,
aiming
to
preserve
the
remaining
wetlands
in the
eastern
desert,
still a
stopover
for
migratory
birds.
-
Dana,
composed
of
spectacular
mountains
and
wadis
with a
rich
fauna
and
flora.
-
Dibeen
Forest
Reserve,
characterized
by pine
oak
forest
and home
of
several
endangered
animals
and
plants.
-
Wadi Al
Mujib,
the
lowest
nature
reserve
in the
world,
and a
wild
area
with
small
rivers,
deep
canyons
and a
high
biodiversity.
-
Shaumari
Reserve,
where
successfully
the
Arabian
Oryx had
been
bred.
-
Six more
reserves
are
planned,
and the
total
land
area of
the 12
reserves
will
cover
four
percent
of the
country.
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Eco-friendly
accommodation can be
found in Dana with the
Dana Guest House and the
Rummana Camp; the Al
Azraq Lodge, once a
British military field
hospital, the bungalows
of Ajloun; the chalets
of Mujib at the Dead Sea
and the eco-lodge of
Feynan, where solar
panels providing hot
water and some
electricity.
In Jordan more than 2000
species of plants grow.
The highlands host
forests of oak and pine,
as well as pistachio and
cinnabar trees. Olive,
eucalyptus and cedar
trees thrive throughout
the highlands and the
Jordan Valley. Jordan's
dry climate is
especially conducive to
shrub trees, which
require less water.
Several species of
acacia trees can be
found in the deserts, as
well as a variety of
sturdy wild flowers and
grasses.
About 70 species and
subspecies of mammals
and 73 reptile species
live in Jordan. The
majority consists of
insects, lizards, and
small mammals. Larger
mammals are the Asiatic
jackal, desert fox,
striped hyena, wolf,
camel, rabbit and sand
rat.
Beside the land the Red
Sea in Aqaba is a
fragile eco-system
comprising the
northernmost
distributions of coral
reefs in the world.
Around 1000 species of
fish are known to exist
in the waters of the
Gulf of Aqaba. The Royal
Marine Conservation
Society of Jordan (JREDS)
is dedicated to protect
the marine life from
further degradation. The
JRDES focuses on the
short, coastal area in
Aqaba of 27 km.
Currently, only 7 km of
beach and coral reefs
fall under the
protection of the Aqaba
Marine Park, and are
still natural, devoid of
ports, hotels and
industries.
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