Nature in Palestine: It was my good fortune to learn to enjoy nature at an early age, and that connect to the natural world has proven to be an great enhancement to any journey abroad. In the case of Palestine, I have come here out of a concern for Palestinian people and their suffering, but nature is everywhere, and so long before my trip here to work at the Excellence Center I began to search online for ways to enjoy the natural world here. It turns out that there are many such opportunities.

To begin with, there are some excellent online resources and learning centers here on the ground. For example, the website ‘Flora and Fauna of Palestine’ (http://flora-fauna-palestine.webs.com/) offers an overview of the plants and animals of the country, while ‘The Wildflowers of Israel’ (http://www.flowersinisrael.com/) has hundreds of downloadable images of native flowers. An excellent resource on the ground for getting oriented to nature in Palestine is the Palestinian Natural History Museum in Bethlehem (https://www.palestinenature.org/; there is a good 9 minute video of the work of the museum at https://youtu.be/BPhFLOsEIM0).  

I brought two very useful books with me, ‘A Field Guide to the Birds of the Middle East,’ and ‘Wildflowers of the Mediterranean,’ both of which were available used at Amazon. I also brought an relatively inexpensive pair of binoculars. I was amply rewarded just yesterday when a group from the center took a trip to the Dead Sea. I was less interested in floating around in salty water than I was in looking for birds and plants, and as I wandered around the scrub thickets I was able to identify and observe a number of birds that were new to me, including one (actually a pair) called a blue-cheeked bee-eater. You should look this bird up in google images; it is so beautiful it might make a birder out of you if you are not already one.

There are many protected areas in both Palestine and Isreal, and because both are relatively small, travel time is never long. There is a small natural area on the outskirts of Hebron called Wadi al-Quff (https://www.palestinenature.org/http://visitpalestine.ps/natural-reserves-to-be/). I have only been in town a few days so I have not made it out there yet, but I will be heading there at my earliest oppounity; it is just a short (and cheap) taxi ride away from the Excellence Center. There are a number of other natural areas in all directions within an hour or two drive.

And here’s the best news of all, here in early March it is spring in Palestine. The daytime temperatures are perfect, the sun is shining, and the early wildflowers are blooming. On a short trail walk taken yesterday on our journey to the Dead Sea, I encountered a minature wild iris and a wild onion, both typical and beautiful spring wildflowers.

For those who enjoy the natural world, observing and learning about the flora, fauna and other wildlife of Palestine only adds pleasure and meaning to your trip to this beautiful land.