A management plan for the Janata revserve for the Palestinian Authority ?PA? was developed that included full description for the status of the PA, its biodiversity components, conservation targets, threats and challenges, strategic objectives for its management, strategic plans and action plan for five years for the PA. The document was developed in full participation with local communities in proximity to the PA, main stakeholders including decision makers from EQA (Environment Quality Authority) and MoA (Ministry of Agriculture) and others.
It is worth mentioning that Janata is the second natural conserve developed at national level.
Project Results
1. The most important achievements were the enhancement of the joint work between the parties concerned with the nature reserves since the project was conducted in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Environment Quality Authority and the Beit Illu Village Council.
1. The management plan of the reserve was prepared, which is the second plan of natural reserves in Palestine after Wade Alagaf reserve in Hebron. This management plan is considered the main output for the project and has been developed based on literary references, studies and research, national policies relevant to the State of Palestine, as well as scientific articles and reports. This is in addition to the field surveys (for the biological content and the environmental reality of the reserve) carried out between November 2017 and March 2018. In addition to consultations with the relevant parties, the plan ensured the adoption of a participatory approach with local communities and related stakeholders, where number of interviews were conducted with Ministry of Agriculture, Environmental Quality Authority, Ministry of tourism, PARC the Grantee and Beit Illu Village Council to collect their views and recommendations for the management plan. The Management planning has been prepared according to the IUCN Protected Area Management Planning Framework.
2. The environmental track 2km was rehabilitated within the reserve, which is considered the first environmental track agreed upon by all relevant parties. The existence of the environmental track that was properly established away from the dangerous slopes has contributed to the promotion of environmental tourism for the surrounding communities and to another visitors who count around 10,000 annually.
3 Awareness campaign was conducted to promote the importance of natural reserves in the surrounding communities, six awareness workshops were conducted for 6 schools in the surrounding villages (Beit Illo, Deir Ammar, Deir Nizam, Jamalah), the 151 students were participated (78 males and 73 females)
The grante was organized several environmtal and educational visits to the protected area, to increase awareness of various groups of society, 4 educational visits were organized for the Association of Friends of Charity Orphans, Khadury University (students of Agricultural Faculty), youth Rehabilitation Center of the Ministry of Social development, and the Friends of Thalassemia and Diabetes Association), with 187 participants (87 males and 100 females).
4. The national nature reserve were promoted by preparing the booklet (500 copies) includes the location of the reserve and how to access it, the ecosystem of the reserve, the benefits of natural reserves, environmental track within the reserve, what distinguishes the targeted reserve, the plants and animals inventory, direct threats to the reserve, instructions for visitors to keep protected ... etc.). and carrying out a number of scientific tours.
5. Containers were added that will help solve the problem of accumulation of waste that usually accumulates in the reserve.
It was found that there are 14 species that are recorded as rare and very rare species at Wadi Janata PA. It was also recorded that there are 31 plant species that were found limited in distribution and hence is highly subjected to become rare. There are 4 endemic species. There are 16 plant species that is recorded under least concern group according to IUCN Red List.
Of the rare and very rare species at national level:
Narcissus tazetta
Bellis sylvestris
Orchis Italica
Ophrys papilionacea
Adiantum capillus-veneris
Onosma gigantean
Capparis sicula
Colchium hierosolymitanum
For fauna and avifauna, According to IUCN Red List, it was recorded at WAdi Janata PA the following species of conservation value:
Fauna:
1. Mammals: 1endangered species (Gazella gazelle), 1 NT (Near Threatened) species ( Hyaena hyaena), 16 LC (Least Concern) species.
2. Reptiles and amphibians: 1 CR (Critically endangered) (Hyla heinzsteinitzi), 2 VU (Vulnerable) species (Testudo graeca, and Chalcides guentheri)
Avifauna:
114 LC (least Concern) species, 4 NT (Near threatened species) (Anthus pratensis, Emberiza cineracea, Vanellus vanellus, Circus macrourus), 2 En species (Neophron percnopterus, Aquila nipalensis), and 1 Vu bird (Aquila Clanga)
