Varied and exciting nature in Atlit
Recently finished A survey of natural infrastructure in Atlit, of the Carmel Coast Regional Council and the Atlit Settlement Committee, carried out by the Urban Nature Unit of the Society for the Protection of Nature, financed and accompanied by the Ministry of Environmental Protection. As part of the survey, the values of the flora and fauna found in the open areas of the settlement were mapped, when 15 natural sites were sampled throughout the settlement, which make up about 60% of its area, and 455 findings were recorded, including botanical findings, archeological findings, special habitats, etc.

237 bird species, 446 plant species
In the botanical survey, 446 different plant species were recorded in the municipal area of the settlement, of which 34 are "red" species, which are in danger of extinction or on the verge of being threatened, such as the coastal guerido crocus and the low sedge. In the zoological survey, 316 species of animals were recorded, including 237 species of birds, 18 species of reptiles, 15 species of mammals, 43 species of butterflies and 3 species of amphibians. Out of these species, 11 species are in danger of extinction: great gray heron, common tern, sea gull, pygmy gull, Alexandrian cormorant, common shrew, common shrew, common land turtle, brown sea turtle, common woodpecker and green toad. In addition, the survey identified 297 environmental hazards, mostly invasive vegetation, along with waste hazards of various types.

Yael Zilberstein-Barzida, director of the Urban Nature Unit at the Society for the Protection of Nature, says that the nature surveys that the unit conducts in dozens of municipalities throughout Israel provide a comprehensive and up-to-date information base about biodiversity and its location in the area of the locality and are the beginning of a process that in many localities has already led to the integration of natural infrastructure in promoting management and planning sustainable, as well as in educational-community activity.

"In the areas of Atlit, there are natural and valuable open spaces, which maintain a unique variety of plant and animal species in a variety of natural and fertilized habitats, such as a stream and its surroundings, Kurkar ridges and agricultural fields. There is great importance in preserving continuous open spaces, also in the territory of the settlement, which allow the passage of animal populations and the distribution Grows mainly along the streams in the settlement, which function as an important ecological corridor between the Carmel Ridge and the plain The north coast," says Zilberstein-Barzida.

As part of the survey, eight habitats were located in Atlit, the most important of which are:
The Kurkar ridges - An ecosystem that is at high risk and includes a unique landscape that has almost disappeared from the map of the country. In the Atlit ridges there are several vegetation formations, which vary according to the direction and proximity to the sea.
Rocky beach - The main habitat in the maritime area of Atlit, which includes reefs on the coastline and rocky reefs in the shallow waters. These rock structures are characterized by high structural complexity and house a particularly high biological diversity, similar to coral reefs in tropical areas.
Sandy beach - In its territory, the highest number of species of birds was observed during the survey, with an emphasis on migratory birds that stop to rest on the protected beach. The sandy beach includes moving dunes and extensive karkar outcrops that house a unique and rare plant variety. These areas are rich in endangered and rare species and include flora of very high botanical value and very important for conservation on a national scale.
salts - In Atlit there is one of the largest salt flats on the coastal plain. Salt flats are characterized by the proliferation of rare or endangered plants, and therefore salt flats are a habitat with a very high botanical value and are very rare at the national level. Also, the salt flats are a central nesting site for seagull species that are in danger of extinction and other species. Therefore, they are of great importance for conservation on a national scale.
River channels - Atlit includes the mouths of three rivers: Oren, Merat and Mithala. Nahal Oren, which runs in the north of the settlement up to its spillway at Galim Beach, as well as Nahal Maerot in the south of Atlit, constitute a unique habitat and an important natural resource, both in being an ecological corridor that connects the Carmel Ridge to the coast, and in the management of runoff around the planned construction in the area. Nahal Mitla does not have a direct effect on the settlement, but it forms an ecological corridor that crosses the Magedim Ridge.

Zilberstein-Barzida points out that among the important sites examined in the survey are also included the Magdim Ridge, the Southern Ridge and the Salt Ponds Promenade, which include a variety of habitats and exceptional natural values and have great tourism potential. "It is proposed to consider the expansion of the Karta Ruins Reserve to the east in order to protect habitats of heavy soils and to create a space for the reserve that allows it to deal with development pressures and promenades, as well as to the north in the Kurkar Ridge section to the west.
It is also important to secure the ecological corridor along Nahal Oren, an area that may be blocked in future development and a group of residents of the settlement are leading its care and preservation. We see great importance in the planning and establishment of local-community nature sites and planning that relates to the management of surface runoff, the development of public reception infrastructures and the strengthening of the natural areas as high-quality recreational sites accessible to the residents of the settlement and its visitors. In addition, there is great importance for the professional management of the local natural areas, with ecological support for the benefit of the settlement and its residents," she concludes.

Head of the Carmel Coast Regional Council, Asif Isaac:
"It's not for nothing that we call the Carmel Coast 'the most beautiful council in the country' - a wide and rare biological diversity, the combination of the Carmel Ridge and the spectacular beaches, international history and heritage sites, antiquities and an abundance of flora and fauna - are what give the Carmel Coast its unique charm. Thanks to our partners In the Ministry of Environmental Preparation and the Society for the Protection of Nature, the nature survey in question was carried out, which has a significant role in our ability to maintain The natural environment unique to our region, and to protect it for future generations."
Tamar Raviv, Head of the Biodiversity and Open Spaces Division at the Ministry of Environmental Protection:
"The Ministry of Environmental Protection congratulates the Carmel Coast Regional Council for conducting the survey. The survey revealed many findings that emphasize the great importance of the ecological systems in the coastal plain, including the sands of the coastal plain, the kurkar ridges and the salt marshes. The survey will allow the council to plan and manage its natural areas in a more correct way and deal with hazards the environmental ones, to maintain the functioning of the ecosystems and the continuity the ecology of the entire area. In recent years, the urban nature has received attention in the local authorities, and it is very important to integrate the survey findings in the planning and management of the built space, and this in order to preserve the biological diversity and the quality of life of the residents. The urban nature surveys in the local authorities are carried out as part of the "Environment" project , which is a flagship project of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, a project promoted by more than 100 local authorities supported by the Ministry."
Impressive in Atlit. Good and blessed night to all.
Pretty.