SPNI Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel

Construction of new residential buildings on Allenby Street in Tel Aviv, May 21, 2023. (Miriam Alster/FLASH90)

May 25, 2023, 3:48 am

Planning approvals for new housing hit multi-year high in 2022

Planning authority sees nearly 50% rise in new housing agreements, while protected spaces and green energy projects also increase

By Danielle Nagler

The common blue butterfly. (Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons)

April 24, 2023, 12:36 am

Blue and white butterfly voted national icon in run up to Independence Day

The common blue butterfly beats out 139 winged contestants; southern white admiral comes in second, followed by African monarch in third

By Sue Surkes

Participants in ths ninth annual Champions of the Flyway international bird-spotting contest, photographed in Eilat, southern Israel, March 27, 2023. (Dov Greenblat, Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel)

March 28, 2023, 7:42 pm

Birders gather in southern Israel for 24-hour spotting contest

More than 150 competitors from as far afield as Colombia, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Finland and the UK raise over $35,000 to protect the illegally hunted rare red-breasted goose

By Sue Surkes

Reches Lavan, or White Ridge, east of Jerusalem. (Dov Greenblat, Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel)

February 23, 2023, 4:02 pm

Court halts major Jerusalem Hills urban plan, orders environmental assessment

Society for Protection of Nature in Israel welcomes ruling, urges government to cancel Reches Lavan project and preserve area as a national asset

By ToI Staff and Sue Surkes

Thousands march through Tel Aviv to call for government action on climate change, October 29, 2021. (Green Course)

October 25, 2022, 4:21 pm

Green group urges Israelis to attend Friday’s annual pre-COP27 climate march

With surveys indicating that politicians lag behind public on environmental issues, nature organization cites ‘shameful disregard of the climate crisis’ in run-up to election

By Sue Surkes

Illustrative photo of a Barn Owl. (photo credit: CC BY-SA paddynapper, Flickr)

September 8, 2022, 7:08 pm

Israeli use of barn owls to control rodents heading to N. Africa, UAE

‘We failed with the dove of peace. The barn owl is doing much better,’ says veteran ornithologist and project creator Yossi Leshem

By Sue Surkes

Aerial view of the Maccabiah compound on Poleg beach, Netanya, July 11, 2022. The access road cut through the dune can be seen on the right. (|Rika Edelman)

July 14, 2022, 6:41 pm

Netanya accused of abusing fragile beach ecosystem with facility for Maccabiah Games

Local residents and Society for Protection of Nature say city violated national planning committee rules; Maccabiah denies allegations

By Sue Surkes

An aerial view of Gamla on the Golan Heights. (AVRAMGR, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons)

July 7, 2022, 6:54 pm

Planning committee approves two new Jewish villages on Golan Heights

Society for Protection of Nature in Israel, which opposed the move along with Environment Ministry and Nature Authority, argues existing communities should instead be expanded

By Sue Surkes

Unusual corals like this one have been discovered in the deep sea area of the Palmachim Disturbance 30 kilometers off the Tel Aviv coast. (Haifa University Department of Marine Biology)

May 17, 2022, 11:54 pm

Dazzling undersea array found off Tel Aviv to be protected as marine reserve

Addition of Palmachim Disturbance will double size of Israel’s offshore nature reserves, conserving rare corals, squid, sharks, methane springs and other unique flora and fauna

By Sue Surkes

Runners take part in a marathon in Israel's coastal city of Tel Aviv on February 25, 2022. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

May 12, 2022, 3:06 am

Israel to take part in world’s longest non-stop relay to highlight climate change

‘Running out of Time’ participants can register for 10km slots along 7,200 km route, from Glasgow, Scotland to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where UN COP27 climate confab will be held

By Sue Surkes

The first Israeli fishpond to undergo rewilding by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, and to be tested as a basis for carbon credits by Terrra, Kfar Ruppin, March 27, 2022. (Shai Ben Aharon)

May 10, 2022, 4:22 am

Drain the swamp? Israeli startup sees green bonanza in rewilding wetlands instead

‘Israel’s first nature-based carbon trading project’ sees Terrra working with ecology group to rehab fishponds, sell pollution credits and create vital stops for migrating birds

By Sue Surkes

Israelis, some wearing protective face masks and some not, on the streets of Tel Aviv, April 21, 2021. (Miriam Alster/ FLASH90)

April 27, 2022, 4:13 pm

Daily Briefing April 27: Israelis unmasked and the Strauss salmonella scare

Health and science writer Nathan Jeffay discusses no-mask mandate, salmonella in Strauss products as environmental reporter Sue Surkes looks at a Chevron case and wetlands proposal

By ToI Staff

A Christian worshiper prays in front of a memorial to fallen soldiers at the Saints Peter and Paul Garrison Church in Lviv, western Ukraine, March 6, 2022. The memorial is dedicated to Ukrainian soldiers who died after 2014. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

March 8, 2022, 2:15 pm

Daily Briefing Mar. 8 – From Lviv: Ukrainian military chaplains & other heroes

Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman in Ukraine explains hot-button issues, evacuation corridors and no-fly zones; environment reporter Sue Surkes brings us good news for a change

By ToI Staff

The Poleg Swamp, seen onn March 9, 2010. (Chen Leopold/Flash 90)

February 8, 2022, 6:42 am

Green groups warn planned road in central Israel will kill off crucial wetlands

Poleg swamp, southeast of Netanya, second in size only to Hula Valley marsh in northern Israel, said to be essential to wildlife, including migrating birds

By Sue Surkes

December 28, 2021, 8:48 pm

Fast-tracked plan to double Golan population is a minefield — nature advocacy group

Society for Protection of Nature in Israel calls to strengthen existing communities rather than create new ones, protect nature and include public in planning

By Sue Surkes