A forest is more than just a cluster of trees; it goes beyond the sum of its parts. Forests are complex ecosystems, home to a myriad of plants and animals. No two forests are the same; young and old, broad-leafed and conifers, temperate and desert.

The Carmel Forest is slowly healing. Photo: Yoav Devir

To date, KKL-JNF has planted over 240 million trees for the benefit of people and the environment and maintains over 100,000 acres of natural woodland. KKL-JNF forests, among the largest planted forests in the Mediterranean Middle East, are a source of substantial carbon sequestration. Since its inception, KKL-JNF policy has been to open its forests and parks to the general public, and with the help of its friends worldwide, KKL-JNF has developed over 1000 recreation areas that host hundreds of thousands of visitors. Many of KKL-JNF's sites are fully accessible to the physically challenged, and to wheelchairs and baby carriages.

If at the beginning of its history, KKL-JNF concentrated primarily on covering the bleak Israeli countryside with a carpet of green forests, in recent years the emphasis has been on care and maintenance. Forests change – trees grow older, fires break out and sometimes aggressive pests attack. To keep its forests healthy and thriving, KKL-JNF has developed a top-notch firefighting system and early-warning network, and it rehabilitates burnt areas. KKL-JNF also invests in forestry research devoted to finding innovative solutions to problems such as desertification.