As I recall, in January 2022 the government approved a national plan for shading and cooling the urban space through street trees as part of the preparation for climate change. The plan was presented by Naftali Bennett, who served as Prime Minister that year, Environmental Protection Minister Tamar Zandberg and Agriculture Minister Oded Forer.
The framework of the approved program established a multi-year goal according to which approximately 450,000 trees will be planted along approximately 3 million meters of streets in Israel, with an estimated investment of NIS 2.25 billion by the year 2040. In November 2022, the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and the Ministry of Agriculture set out with The action plan for the implementation of the plan.
Dr. Amiel Vesel, Director of the Senior Department of Climate Resilience at the Ministry of Environmental Protection:
In an interview with Lahi Fe, Dr. Wissel says that after the government approved a national plan for shading and cooling the urban space with street trees, the shadow mapping operation in the cities of Israel was carried out and finished. Part of the plan for the mapping is that they want to balance the shadow in the best possible way and for this purpose 14 cities were chosen for the pilot Of these, 8 were chosen to carry out a plan to prepare for climate change, among them the city of Haifa.
The plan is carried out with the support of the Green Building Council, as part of the joint venture that was established at a cost of NIS 3.5 million. As part of the project, the funds are transferred and the Green Building Council also accompanies the authorities with professional support and assistance in developing the knowledge.
Dr. Vasil further explains that the goal is not only to plant trees: "We examine and study everything because we are not interested in planting trees that consume a lot of water and require a lot of irrigation. We are also not interested in only two species, because that way a parasite could invade and eliminate both the existing species.
Therefore we are going to choose a variety of trees. As of today, we have not yet started planting the trees because our goal is to do a proper and thorough job. We are also waiting for the Ministry of Agriculture to make legislative amendments, after which we can get much more budgets.
We must have trees that do not catch fire as quickly as pine, give maximum shade and do not pollute the sidewalks.
The local authorities cut down trees vigorously and in the absence of government as usual they drag their feet in everything related to the benefit of the public and the environment in general. If it was a program for the benefit of the ultra-Orthodox or the partisans, they would not have waited for anyone.
Tama-38 eliminates the front gardens of buildings that were previously required to leave a front garden and plant trees in it.
A very prominent example is Wedgwood Street in the center of Carmel.
In the area of the former post office at the beginning of the street there was literally a forest of pine trees that provided shade and the street was pleasant and cool. I remember as a child many times we went to the post office and there was a shadow just like on the other side where Tama 38 had not yet been performed.
Today there are 4 Tama buildings 38 - there is not a single tree above the sidewalk. Blazing sun. And so in all the neighborhoods in the ridge with Tama 38.
On Margalit Street, for example, there were trees throughout the day in front of the new terraced buildings, there are only planters with small trees that do not provide shade. The whole street is walking in the sun.
We must demand that every new street in Haifa include the planting of trees that provide shade, bicycle paths, safe sidewalks separated by a physical barrier from main roads.