Friday, May 2, 2025

JNF planted a foreign tree all over Israel

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_halepensis

Pinus halepensis, commonly known as the Aleppo pine, also known as the Jerusalem pine,[2] is a pine native to the Mediterranean region. It was officially named by the botanist Philip Miller in his 1768 book The Gardener's Dictionary; he probably never went to Aleppo but mentions seeing large specimens at Goodwood in the garden of the Duke of Richmond, which were transplanted (perhaps sent by Alexander Russell from Syria) in 1739.[3]

The native range of Pinus halepensis extends from MoroccoAlgeriaTunisia, and Spain north to southern FranceMaltaItalyCroatiaMontenegro, and Albania, and east to Greece. It has been introduced into many parts of the world, including Portugal. There is an outlying population (from which it was first described) in SyriaLebanon, southern TurkeyJordanIsrael and Palestine.

In Israel, natural patches of Aleppo pine forests can be found in the Carmel and Galilee regions.[12] The Aleppo pine, along with Pinus brutia, has been planted extensively by the Jewish National Fund. It proved very successful in Yatir Forest in the northern Negev (on the edge of the desert), where foresters had not expected it to survive. Many Aleppo pine forests exist today in Israel and are used for recreational purposes. Although it is a local species, some argue that the historical replacement of natural oak maquis shrubland and garrigue with tall stands of pine has created "ecological deserts" and has significantly changed the species assemblage of these regions.[13] The species produces timber which is valued for its hardness, density and unproblematic seasoning. Seasoned timber is inclined to tear out with planing, but this can be avoided by using sharp blades or adjusting the sharpening angle of tools.[14]


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