Ajloun Forest Reserve

32°22′52″N 35°45′53″E

Ajloun Forest Reserve
Nearest cityAjloun
Area13 square kilometres (5.0 sq mi)[1]
Established1988
Governing bodyRoyal Society for the Conservation of Nature

The Ajloun Forest Reserve is a nature reserve located in the Ajloun Governorate in north-west Jordan. Established by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature in 1988 in the area around the village of Umm Al-Yanabi, it comprises an area of 13 square kilometres (5 sq mi). The reserve is houses a captive breeding programme for the locally extinct roe deer and has been declared an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International. There are also a number of hiking trails for tourists.

In October 2018, Ajloun Natural Reserve won a place among the top 100 sustainable destinations on the global tourism map.[2][3]

Geography and climate

The climate in the reserve is rare in Jordan as wooded areas account for only 1% of Jordan's area.[4] The geography of the reserve contains mostly rolling hills and valleys as well as some springs. The reserve enjoys a Mediterranean-like climate but has been affected by desertification and deforestation for the past 200 years.[1]

Flora and fauna
The black iris

The reserve is home to a wide variety of plants and animals. The following animals can be found at the reserve:

RSCN programs
The roe deer was re-introduced from Turkey

The RSCN manages the reserves public and touristic programs. Tourists can stay in tented lodges or cabins between the months of March and November. The RSCN also leads an educational initiative for local youth to learn about biodiversity. Students are taught to measure soil quality, monitor tree renewal and classify plants and animals.[5] The RSCN has also re-introduced the locally extinct roe deer from specimens taken from Turkey. Today there are approximately 12 deer living within the reserve as part of a captive breeding program.

References
  1. "Ajloun Reserve". Jordan Tourism Board. Archived from the original on 2008-11-19. Retrieved 2009-07-07.
  2. 2018 SUSTAINABLE DESTINATIONS TOP 100, Archive link
  3. "Ajloun named one of top 100 sustainable destinations in world". Jordan Times. Archived from the original on 6 October 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  4. "Ajloun Forest Reserve". Rscn.org.jo. Archived from the original on 2012-07-12. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  5. "Ajloun Forest Reserve". Rscn.org.jo. Archived from the original on 2012-02-25. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
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