Israel Establishes Its First Marine National Park and Expands Protected Areas

Yam Caesarea National Park, Israel’s first marine national park, features diverse marine ecosystems including coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and rocky shores supporting a variety of marine life.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

The Israel Nature and Parks Authority on Monday announced the establishment of six new protected areas, including the country’s first marine national park in Israel.

The newly declared sites are the Park Hasharon National Park, the Birikat Yaar Nature Reserve, the Yam Avtah-Habaha Nature Reserve, the Lev Makhtesh Ramon Nature Reserve and National Park, along with the Yam Caesarea National Park, Israel’s first marine national park.

“Marine nature reserves are the most effective tool for protecting marine ecosystems. With only 4% of Israel’s marine areas currently protected, the declaration of Yam Caesarea National Park marks a critical step forward. We aim to expand such efforts to align with international biodiversity conservation goals,” said Nature and Parks Authority Director General Raya Shurki.

“The new marine park, located off the coast of Caesarea, aims to preserve underwater biodiversity while balancing various marine activities such as diving, research, fishing, and sailing. The site also holds cultural and historical significance, offering opportunities to showcase and restore antiquities while enhancing public accessibility,” she said.

Yam Caesarea National Park, Israel’s first marine national park, features diverse marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and rocky shores, supporting a variety of marine life.

The park also preserves archaeological sites from the ancient port city of Caesarea, founded by King Herod in the 1st century BCE.

These include ruins of a Roman theater, Byzantine church, and ancient harbor structures, highlighting the city’s historical significance as a major Mediterranean port.

The Lev Makhtesh Ramon Nature Reserve and National Park’s centerpiece is a crater not of the traditional volcanic type but a makhtesh, a type of erosion-formed valley surrounded by steep cliffs.

The government’s declaration fulfills a 1994 government mandate to protect the geological site from mining and quarrying.

The other parks include Park Hasharon National Park near the Mediterranean coast, spanning a variety of landscapes, including sand dunes, coastal plains, and wetlands; the Birikat Yaar Nature Reserve in northern Israel with its unique combination of freshwater marshes, woodlands, and grasslands that attracts migrating birds and is popular with birdwatchers; and the Yam Avtah-Habaha Nature Reserve near Eilat, known for its unique combination of desert and marine ecosystems.

*”Our goal is to harmonize development with conservation. The new marine national park and other sites will provide recreational spaces for residents while safeguarding Israel’s rich flora, fauna, and cultural heritage for future generations,” Rafi Elmaleh, Director General of the Planning Administration.