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Conservation of flora and fauna in a wetland waterscape |
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Level of difficulty: easy |
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The En Afek Nature Reserve, in the Acre Valley near the Haifa Bay suburb of Kiryat Bialik, is the last remnant of the Na‘aman Stream wetlands. The springs that feed the Na‘aman Stream emerge in the reserve. A wooden walkway stretches above the wetland through willow, holy bramble, common reed and narrow-leaf reed mace. Aquatic plants include gibbous duckweed, blue water-lily and pondweed, while fool’s watercress and true watercress sprout at the water’s edge.
In winter, when the water level rises, the reserve shelters pelicans, cranes, pygmy cormorants, gray herons and many other species of water fowl.
In winter and spring, carpets of wildflowers can be seen from Tel Afek, on the low kurkar (calcareous limestone) hill at the reserve’s edge. Tel Afek features remains going back 4,000 years (the Canaanite period). On the northern slope of the mound is a two-storey fortified Crusader-era flour mill. An audiovisual presentation in the building showcases the |
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reserve’s flora, fauna and heritage, and the roof is an excellent lookout.
Seven water buffalos, brought from the Hula Nature Reserve to En Afek in 1991, can sometimes be seen in the pond dug especially for them, or as they graze.
The reserve’s education center teaches heritage, ecology, wetland habitats, biotopes and other subjects in Arabic and Hebrew to schoolchildren and other groups.
New at the site: An audiovisual experience the whole family will enjoy, depicting life in the reserve through a drop of water and leading visitors through the magical world of the reserve. |
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How to get there:
From the Acre-Haifa road (no. 4), turn east at Kurdani junction (near Kiryat Bialik). The reserve is 2 km east of the junction. |
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| Useful information |  | Length of tour: | 1–2 hours |  | Best season: | year-round, especially winter and spring |  | Don't miss: | Lookout from the roof of the flour mill; audiovisual presentation |  | Other facilities and attractions: | Snack-bar, presentation, education center, Bedouin tent (spring and summer), picnic tables, partial wheelchair access |  | Hours: | April-September 8 A.M.–5 P.M.
October-March 8 A.M.–4 P.M.
Fridays and holiday eves: 8 A.M.–3 P.M.
Last entry one hour before above closing hour |  | Phone: | 04-877-9992 |  | Fax / Email: | 04-877-4052 |  | Entrance fee: | Adult: NIS 20; youth: NIS 9
Israeli senior citizen: 50% discount
Group rate (over 30 people): Adult: NIS 17; youth: NIS 8
|  | Entrance to dogs: | Dogs are not allowed in the reserve |  | Accessibility: | Wheelchair-accessible trails | | | |
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Main tourist sites in the vicinity:
Acre |
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