Environment

Yad Hanadiv's Environment Programme seeks to improve the health and resilience of Israel's natural and urban ecosystems in order to enhance the well-being of Israelis.

Our initial attention to environmental issues grew out of conservation efforts at Ramat Hanadiv Nature Park which the Foundation has operated since the 1950s. In 2007 the Environment & Health Fund was established to create professional capacity and academic expertise on the impact of environment on health. In recent years Yad Hanadiv’s Environment Programme has focused on the issue of conservation, providing grants to improve the conservation science/policy interface and to build up biodiversity monitoring and conservation research. These have included support for Hamaarag – a programme under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences to advance scientific evidence concerning the state of biodiversity and ecosystems needed for the management of natural resources. Among others, Hamaarag comprises Israel's National Ecosystem Assessment Programme. Yad Hanadiv has also supported the Taxonomy Initiative operated by Tel Aviv University to revive taxonomic studies in Israel and improve understanding of biodiversity; and Nekudat Hen, which promotes conservation-oriented agricultural land use, planning and practice.

CURRENT STRATEGY
Marine Conservation
Marine and coastal ecosystems are responsible for 2/3 of the benefits humans obtain from nature, but they are among the most endangered on the planet. Yad Hanadiv’s current strategy involves a 10-year effort to curb the degradation of Israel's Mediterranean Exclusive Economic Zone towards ensuring its role as a vital and sustainable contributor to the country's economy.