Forestry Initiatives

Since our founding in 1901, we’ve planted an incredible 250 million trees in Israel. And the results have been transformative and breathtaking. Once a desert-nation, today Israel has blossomed into a garden oasis.

Covering over 250,000 acres, Jewish National Fund forests provide an invaluable green canopy for both the people of Israel and the roughly 2,241 different species of animals and birds who call it home. From the mighty oak and the almond, to the cypress and the exotic Atlantic cedar, every tree makes a difference, every tree connects to the future, and every tree calls out, “Am Yisrael Chai”.

Today, we must grapple with the challenge of balancing the phenomenal growth and development Israel has experienced in the last decade with the maintenance of an ecologically sound environment. That’s why our role as guardian of the land has become ever more critical and includes firefighting and fire prevention, soil conservation, combating desertification, and developing agricultural infrastructure.

Forestry Development

Amazingly, Israel is only one of a few countries in the world that entered the 21st century with a net gain in its number of trees. But Israel was not blessed with natural forests; its forests are all hand-planted. Jewish National Fund has planted more than 260 million trees all over Israel, providing luscious belts of green covering more than 250,000 acres. JNF’s national forest development work creates “green lungs” around congested towns and cities, and provides recreation and respite for all Israelis. JNF foresters work hard at ensuring their environmental soundness, and in addition to focusing on diversification, are at it every day, cleaning, pruning, and allowing for the natural regenerative process healthy forests practice.