אגמון החולה

the hula lake is located in the center of hula valley. It is considered one of the most important birdwatching sites in the world. here migrating birds and animals can be tracked by the seasons of the year. here you can find a 8.5 kilometer bycicycle track and on the way are different stops - watch on the crane project, water plants growing section, birdwatching by telescope and more. feeding animals and throwing trash on  the ground are strictly prohibited!!!!!!  the animals are not used to human food and throwing trash can hurt the environment.

members of the haluz movement that settled in this valley have decided to dry the marshes to destroy the malaria and to reveal fertile land, that will be used to grow crops. the marsh did disappear, but along with it went many rare animals and plants that haved lived and grew in the marsh, thus the drying of the lake have hurt the biodiversity of the marsh. the marsh was dried using eucaliptus trees, and the haluzim have invested a lot if money buying them, but eventually it turned out that the trees dry the ground water anyway.

the haluzim eventually have come up with the idea of constructing channels that will make the waters from the lake flow into the jordan river and fom there to the kinneret. after the drying was completed, it turned out that the peat ground that was revealed was not good for agriculture and the ecological balance of the site was destroyed. the ground crumbled and underground fires broke in it.

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the drying was completed in october 1957  with the opening of the "cork" that prevented the water to flow in the constructed channels that lead to the jordan river. the water that have flown to the jordan have brought pollution with it that eventually have flown to the kinneret, the central source of water for the state. in the 60's came the decision to reflood the lake to restore the broken ecological balance and biodiversity. many areas have been reflooded, and today a system of channels allows manual control of the water level for controlling the flooding of the peat ground, thus preventing from it to crumble and pollute the kinneret. the natural reserve have been opened in 1964 and was the first natural reserve in Israel. the lake's territory is about 1100 dunamand it is artificially dug. tfor fighting the pests the site uses biological extermination: to fight the field mice, the site uses barn owls that nest in the boxes built for them around the site.

today, the site is a stop for birds migrating over the syrian - european gap from europe to africa and back. about 500 000 000 (half a billion ) birds of over 200 different species migraie over the valley every year. among them are 70 000 cranes that pass over the valley and migrate to africa, and of them 10 000 stay here for the winter. this impressive concentration draws many tourists, and they can watch it from artificial hills scattered over the site. the local farmers, which have taken massive damage from the cranes, are now cooperating with environmental bodies to live with them in coexistence. they throw  corn seeds over their fields so that instead of eating the crops, the cranes eat the scattered seeds.

the hula lake is a site which supports several principles of ecotourism. first, it is located in natue and is held by the keren kayemet leysrael  and not by private bodies with an interest of profit. in addition, the lake tries to minimize the negative effects on the environment by preventing cars that drive on oil from entering the site, thus preventing air pollution of the site and of the area in general. in addition, the reflooded lake is in about the same borders as the dried lake, and the construction is using mostly materials native to the site and most of it is done with wood and is not very high. in the site serve a number of volunteer guides and information fliers and instructions of keeping the site clean are handed to visitors. the site also keeps many trash cans, which encourage the visitors to throw the trash into them and not on the ground. presentations and fliers  that explain the reasons for not feeding the animals are given to the tourists. the site takes 4 shekels entry fee to keep the crane project. the keren kayemet manages the lake for non-profitable causes, in contrast to hotels and restaurants.  the money taken from the tourists hiring bicycles and golf cars is mainly used for the conservation of the site. there is also the fact that the night-active birds exterminate the pests in the site. the lake is located in an unsettled area and the torist-accesible locations are not too close to the animals and the flora. the former lake is located in the same place as the current one and the ground is unfit for agriculture, so the lake does not only not harm the local culture, but respects it.

in our opinion the sustainability of the hula lake is strong. it is not very strong, because even though the lake fills in all principles, it does not fill in them  completely. for example, it is not impossible to see trash in the lake, and the migrating birds are sometimes harming the local fields, people are capable of harming the animals (although it does not happen). we think this is because the site is trying to create sustainable tourism and keep the quality of water, air and ground, it is still part of Israel and it isn't possible to prevent the people of this country look at this wonder. there are two reasons for that: one, it isn't moral, ant two, the tourists will be able to respect and help conserving the place, and because the place gives a reason to tourists all over the world to come and see it, this small place massively develops the tourism in Israe

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