Growing global connections: How KKL-JNF trades knowledge with the world

“KKL-JNF is a unique environmental organization, not only in Israel but on the global stage,” says KKL-JNF chairman Eyal Ostrinsky. “For more than a century, we have developed deep, practical expertise in forestry, land development, and environmental resilience, and we see it as both our responsibility and our privilege to share this knowledge with the world.

At the same time, we remain committed to continuously investing resources in research and innovation, since we view the forest as a strategic national asset, one that serves the public in the most profound way. Our forests are essential for climate resilience, water and soil protection, and biodiversity, while also providing free, open spaces for recreation, leisure, and well-being for every Israeli resident.”

KKL-JNF was founded in 1901 at the Fifth Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland, with the goal of purchasing land in Israel for the Jewish people. Few could have envisioned then the major role it would play as the forest service and land development authority of the State of Israel.

Tal explains that Israel’s size and geography make it the ideal global forest laboratory. “Just 7% of the land in the State of Israel is forest,” she points out. “The amount of forestland in Israel is less than that of Sherwood Forest in the United Kingdom. We are a micro lab for forest research.”

Additionally, its varied climates, ranging from the arid and semi-arid sections of the South to the humid coastal plain and the cooler northern regions, present different opportunities for growth and treatment of plant species, she says.

KKL-JNF has two goals in its collaborative efforts with the world, Tal explains. “First, we want to share our knowledge with the world so that others can learn from both our mistakes and our successes.” The second goal, which is equally important, she adds, is the organization’s desire to learn and absorb knowledge from experts around the world.

Citing an example of KKL-JNF’s innovative efforts, Tal mentions the UN’s 2018 declaration regarding the importance of sustainable forest management. The State of the World’s Forests 2018 report highlighted the need to integrate forests into sustainable development, promoting their role in biodiversity and climate change mitigation.

Israel was one of the few countries in the world to respond to the UN call and develop a strategic plan for its forests over the next 25 years. “No other country has a national program like ours,” she says proudly. KKL-JNF presented its 25-year plan at the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29), which was held in Azerbaijan in November 2024.

“We view the forest as a source of positive cooperation between Israel and other countries, thanks to the extensive knowledge we have accumulated, which is in demand worldwide,” says Tal, explaining that the care and maintenance of the world’s forests is a critical part of the international discourse about climate change.

Tal cites Israel’s expertise in managing stormwater and conserving soil as one example of how this knowledge has benefited other countries. “Over the past six years in Israel, we have experienced heavy rains, and we have learned how they influence the trees and the soil. This is something that countries in Europe are just now experiencing and are beginning to study.

To mitigate the effects of these storms, KKL-JNF has created floodwater-harvesting systems known as limans – earthen structures that collect floodwater by damming streambeds. The dams slow the flow of accumulated runoff, allowing it to permeate the soil and for small groves of trees to flourish in areas with meager rainfall.

Gilad Ostrovsky, chief forester at KKL-JNF, says that partnerships with other organizations, particularly with the US Forest Service, have been mutually beneficial. “We have a very involved program with them in many activities,” he says. “We participate in seminars in the United States with the Forest Service on subjects such as forest management, management of open spaces, and climate change.”

Ostrovsky describes how KKL-JNF has benefited from the knowledge of other forestry organizations. Recently, the organization hosted guests from Portugal who taught its staff methods for preventing forest fires, using a technique called prescribed fires. This is an ancient practice, in which fires are intentionally set to change the assemblage of vegetation and decaying material, thereby reducing the chances of a large, uncontrolled one.

Another technique they learned from their Portuguese visitors was the use of cold fires: controlled blazes set during the winter that burn the understory. This is the layer of vegetation in a forest located beneath the main canopy but above the forest floor, consisting of shade-tolerant plants, saplings, shrubs, and small trees. Burning the understory, explains Ostrovsky, reduces the risk of summer fires and increases plant growth and grazing areas.

One of KKL-JNF’s most significant contributions to forestry outside Israel has been its work in the Turkana region of Kenya, an area where all previous attempts at farming had failed due to unsuitable water and soil conditions, drought, and pests. Together with the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle, the Rotary Club, Brit Olam, the Arava Institute, and Kibbutz Yotvata, it developed a project in which crops suitable for the local conditions were selected, fertilizers and pest control materials were brought in, and water-conserving limans were dug, just as they are at sites in the Negev.

Since the project was launched, some 132 farms have been established in Turkana, and today, local crops include chickpeas, beans, and melons. Ostrovsky reports that KKL-JNF staff visit each year to help maintain the site and improve the living standards of residents in the area.

Dr. Shani Rohatyn-Blitz, coordinator for the Research and Foreign Relations Forestry Division of KKL-JNF, facilitates the organization’s role in maintaining and creating relationships between international organizations. She describes KKL-JNF’s role in the MedForest UN Forum of Mediterranean countries. “We represent KKL-JNF in this forum, which includes thematic working groups. For instance, we participate in a group focused on forestry in the peri-urban space – that is, the interface between urban and rural areas.

“About a year ago, we traveled to a working meeting in Rome at the headquarters of the FAO [Food and Agriculture Organization]. One outcome was the establishment of a working group to create a planting specification guide for urban trees. This ensures that knowledge developed in Israel is reflected in professional forums relevant to our work.”

Echoing Ostrovsky’s comments, Rohatyn-Blitz discusses the KKL-JNF’s connection with the US Forest Service – a reciprocal knowledge exchange that has existed for more than 30 years. The two organizations develop professional work plans and conduct workshops.

“Three years ago,” she notes, “they sent a senior delegation to study forest management in arid regions, which is truly our area of expertise. While the US Forest Service can teach us a great deal about managing wetter forests, dryland forestry is uniquely developed in Israel.”

The research and foreign relations coordinator also discussed KKL-JNF’s work in planting conifer forests in areas where such forests are rare, such as the Yatir Forest, which is a relatively dense one located in a semi-arid zone, allowing researchers to study unique ecosystems on the desert’s edge.

Karine Bolton, section head for international organizations at KKL-JNF, says it is vital for Israel to share its forestry knowledge with the world, especially in light of environmental changes. “It’s very important that we share our knowledge with other countries and that we keep Israel in the international forums.”

“There are so many countries interested in what we’ve done, and they’re becoming increasingly interested because of climate change. Anything and everything we can do to show positive aspects and positive technologies is a real boost for Israel. We are doing things that make a difference.”

Bolton cites several interesting applications of KKL-JNF expertise, including community forestry, agrivoltaics, wildfire management, and watershed management.

Regarding community forestry, she explains, “Our forests are considered almost urban because in huge countries like the US, there can be many forests that are far from cities and towns. Here, everything is so close. You have to manage that interaction, and it’s in our interest that the communities be involved in maintaining, caring for, and using the forests properly. We have different programs that involve the communities to bring them into the forest and take part as stakeholders in this whole process.”

While the war lessened some of KKL-JNF’s collaborative efforts, she remains optimistic. “We keep writing abstracts. We keep presenting posters. We want to show that we’re part of the international community. We have good things to show, and there’s a lot that can be done.”