Landmark plan aimed at establishing safe pathways for endangered species like the mountain gazelle, caracal and Arabian bustard, ensuring free movement between fragmented habitats
Ilana Curiel|07.29.25

The mountain gazelle, dorcas gazelle, caracal and Arabian bustard will gain stronger protection in the future as Israel on Tuesday approved a new plan to preserve ecological corridors, safeguarding endangered species.

Ecologist Dr. Iris Bernstein explained the country’s unique position. “Israel is a strategic link between three continents, making it a global biological hotspot,” she said. “Over time, isolated reserves and forests cannot sustain all species in fragmented areas.” To address this, a subcommittee of the National Planning and Building Committee approved a plan for ecological corridors, advanced by the Planning Administration.

An ecological corridor is a strip of natural or semi-natural land connecting open spaces, allowing free movement of various animal and plant species. These corridors are critical for preserving biodiversity, especially in a densely populated and planned country like Israel.

They ensure the long-term survival and functionality of diverse ecosystems by enabling the movement of wildlife and plants. Dr. Bernstein, who supported the plan’s development, elaborated, “This is essentially a planning tool based on extensive research.

“Connecting reserves and forests, where most species and biodiversity are found, allows the migration of genetic material from one reserve to another, from one forest to another.”

Dr. Dotan Rotem, an open-spaces ecologist with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, called it a significant breakthrough. “If approved nationally, this plan will align us with other developed countries, protecting continuous open spaces, including agricultural lands,” he said.

Just as roads allow us to travel, we need green infrastructure for the movement of animal and plant species, enabling them to move at their own pace. From gazelles and wolves to gerbils, snails or plants, they move at speeds we can hardly imagine. Yet they do move. Climate change affects wildlife too and we must allow them mobility.”

Among the endangered species that rely on these corridors are the mountain gazelle, dorcas gazelle and hyena, alongside others like the desert hedgehog and ibex, all of which need these pathways for survival. The subcommittee recommended that the committee prioritize the plan’s implementation in the southern district first, with other districts to follow.

Maggie Bartan, head of the Planning Administration’s open spaces division, noted, “The south may seem like a vast open space, but it hosts numerous national infrastructure projects and new settlements. This plan preserves about 2.47 million acres (1 million dunams) of ecological corridors.”

The plan still requires additional statutory approvals. The ecological corridors also permit agricultural activities within their boundaries, offering an opportunity to strengthen open agricultural spaces.

Planning Administration Director-General Rafi Elmaliach emphasized the balance this achieves. “Alongside promoting housing, infrastructure, development, and urban renewal, the ecological corridors plan ensures the preservation of continuous open spaces for future generations, balancing development with conservation,” he said.

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