Some of you may be interested in this article, which appeared in the Jerusalem Post on-line edition on Sunday (24/2/02). The Hula region is a former swamp y area in the Galilee region, situated between the Sea of Galilee and and the dead Sea. It had been drained and the wetlands completely removed in the early year of the State of Israel, but a part has been allowed to return to its original state in recent years.
Jack Shapiro
Hula Valley birds, farmers find way to coexist (Jerusalem Post, 24/2/02)
By David Rudge
HULA (February 24) - A balance of nature has been achieved in the Hula Valley that is enabling an endangered species of birds and long-suffering farmers in the region to exist and prosper in harmony, despite conflicting interests.
The birds in question, Euro-Asian cranes, have been flocking in increasing numbers to the Hula Valley during biannual migration flights between Europe and Africa, and many have remained throughout the winter.
The main reason for the sojourn has been the abundance of one of the crane's favourite foods - peanuts, grown by many farmers in the area.
The birds had been causing widespread damage to the crops, thereby harming the livelihoods of the farmers. The latter, however, were loath to kill or drive off the birds, despite their losses.
A decade ago, the problem was relatively minor with only 1,000 or 2,000 of the cranes staying over. The numbers have steadily grown over the years, reaching 30,000 last fall - almost a quarter of the Euro-Asian crane population worldwide - of which 13,000 remained throughout the winter.
The farmers approached experts to help solve the problem, leading to the establishment of an unique cooperation project with conservationists, headed by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel.
The project, which has so far proved highly successful, involves leaving a 2,000-dunam (500 acres) field of peanut crops for the birds while adopting non-harmful measures to keep them away from the other fields.
Corn seeds, another favourite food of the cranes, are dispersed in the designated peanut field to encourage them to go there, while scarecrows painted yellow, a colour which the birds do not like, help keep them away from the other crops.
"The result over the past two years has been zero damage to the farmers' peanut crops, while as many as 60,000 visitors to the Hula Valley observation post have been able to enjoy the sight of these rare birds," said Dan Alon, director of the Israel Ornithological Centre of the SPNI.
The project is supported by other bodies, including the Nature Reserves and National Parks Authority, the Environment Ministry, the Jewish National Fund, and the Carmel Mirza winery. The latter is producing special wines dedicated to endangered species of birds with profits from sales, via the Supersol supermarket chain, being used to help promote preservation and conservation Last year the label on the special brand was for the Lesser Kestrel and this year for the Euro-Asian Crane.
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