sustainable Jerusalem

In north Jerusalem, in a ravine separating the neighborhoods of Neve Ya'akov on the north from Pisgat Ze'ev on the south, lies the Mir Forest, or the Neve Ya'akov Forest, an area of some 900 dunam planted with pine and eucalyptus which functions as the single most significant green lung in this part of Jerusalem.

Beyond its ecological importance as a source of oxygen and clean air and its contribution to the local landscape, the Mir Forest plays a central role in the communal life of tens of thousands of people living in the neighborhoods bordering it, as a place for nature walks and recreation, the focus of educational and leisure activity.

The forest and its vicinity serve as the habitat of a rich diversity of plants and animals, some of them rare, like the rock hare, the local gazelle, foxes, porcupines and hundreds of bird species.

Located in the forest are a memorial site dedicated to the Jews of the illustrious Mir community (Belarus) who perished in the Holocast, and an additional site commemorating the paratroopers from the Jewish community in Palestine who fought in Europe during World War II.

Efforts to save the forest from extensive building plans have recently seen success. Joint action on the part of many local residents (ultra-Orthodox, secular and many immigrants from the C.I.S.), together with the Jewish National Fund (K.K.L.) and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI), persuaded the district planning committee to approve the K.K.L. plan to conserve the forest. These groups have now banded together to jointly develop the forest as an accessible and convenient spot for Jerusalemites to enjoy.