El Marj Protected Area

El Marj Protected Area profile on Protected Planet

Location and access

El Marj Nature Reserve is located in the Jenin District, northern Palestine, with an area of 377,451 m2. Nearby cities include Jenin, Nablus, and the village of El-Zebibdah. To access the reserve, you will drive past several local landmarks, including the Haddad Resort (hotel and amusement park), Arab American University, and  agricultural fields in the outskirts of Jenin.

Gentle Hills

On a clear day in El Marj , you can see the ancient city of Nazareth in the distance. The Nature Reserve contains natural forests, such as Evergreen Oak and Aleppo Pine woodland, which are also found in Corsica and Sardinia. El Marj is a species rich area, high in biodiversity. Enjoy picnics, trail hiking, and scenic views.

Calm Hiking in El Marj

Walking in El Marj is most beautiful during the early Spring when the almond trees are in bloom. The best accessible walking trail begins on a dirt road from the main road, leading into the hills above the reserve. You will see the stones marking the walking path. At the top, the trail offers a panoramic view of the wadi below you and you will see orchards of old olive trees. A second loop hike departs from Haddad Resort, crossing into the wadi near the Arab American University and the village of Jalqamus.

Flora and Fauna

As you will walk through the area you might find Pink Rock-Rose, Pricky Burnet, Sage-Leaved Rock-Rose, Greek Oregano and Jerusalem Sage. Also the fauna is represented with a rich amount of species and you might encounter the Mediterranean Spur-Thighed Tortoise, Spotted Eagle, Lesser Horseshoe Bat, Eagle Owl, Black Kite, European Goldfinch, Wild Boar and Hedgehog.

Use of natural resources and ecosystem services

Where there are natural resources, humans usually use them in a more or less sustainable way. To keep resources available also for future generations, sustainable use is very important.El Marj is a very important grazing area because of large livestock numbers in villages in the vicinity of the reserve. Also wild plants like Micromeria nervosa are used, mainly by local households. Fuel wood is used moderately (10% of local fuel demand) by neighboring villages.El Marj is important as a recreation area for inhabitants of local villages, particularly in spring.

Pressures and threats

Being easily accessible and in the vicinity of several villages, El Marj is under considerable pressure from grazing, logging (for fuel wood), hunting and waste disposal. An additional future threat is the conversion of further natural areas to agricultural used areas.