The Wadi el-Far’a Project
A Birzeit University - Calvin College Partnership
An ALO/USAID-funded Project
Outline
I. Partnership for Peace in Education
and Development
II. Sustaining the Wadi el-Far’a:
Realities and Ideals
III. Vision: Local Field School for the Study of
“The Eco-cultural Landscape”
Course: The
Environmental
Geography
of Palestine
and Jordan (2001)
I. Partnership for Peace in
Education and Development
Greetings from
project co-director Dr.
Kamal Abdulfattah,
Prof . of Geography,
Birzeit University.
Kamal was to be here,
but two days before
his departure he was
trapped at home in
Jenin. Project
administrator Ms
Riham Barghouti IS
here, and brings
greetings from Kamal
and Birzeit President
Hanna Nasir.
I. Partnership for Peace in
Education and Development
Persistence in Adversity:
Overcoming the obstacles to complete the project
Cameraderie and building friendship
I. Partnership
for Peace in
Education and
Development
26 July 2002. The team at final workshop in
Beit Hanina, Palestine
I. Partnership for Peace in Education and Development
II. Sustaining the Wadi el-Far’a:
Realities and Ideals
A. The Natural Landscape
Topography
Physical geography
Geology
Hydrology
Climate
Bio-diversity
A mid-wadi view
II. A. The Natural Landscape
II. B. The Human
Landscape
II. B. The Human Landscape
Irrigation Agriculture
II. B. The Human
Landscape
Bedouin Camp
Town
Water Rights interview
II. B. The Human Landscape
Past Communities: Archaeological survey - 110 sites
El ‘Issar Mill
II. Sustaining the Wadi el-Far’a
C.Recommendations
a 20-page wish list
HIGH PRIORITY MEASURES
 rescue environment
 conservation of heritage
 relief for communities
II. C. Recommendations - Long term measures
Restructuring landscape and community
 coordination: vision of an integrated landscape
 democratization: vision of a single community
Building sustainability
 regulation of landscape use
 monitoring the environments
 enhancing participation
III. Vision: Local Field School for the Study of
“The Eco-cultural Landscape of el-Far’a”
Creating a pioneering model for Palestine
III. Vision: The Future of the Wadi el-Far’a Project
A new two-year phase
 the partnership for peace
 the Environmental Geography course
 research and publication
 implementing the vision