Ecotourism, Nature Conservation and Development: Re-imagining Jordan's Shobak Arid Region 9783038214908, 9783038215387

Citation preview

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT aziza chaouni, ED. REIMAGINING JORDAN’S SHOBAK ARID REGION

Birkhäuser Basel

This publication would not be possible without the support of the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, Jordan. Graphic Design: Kristina Ljubanovic Copyediting: Nina Hoeschele, Robyn Whitwham Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A CIP catalog record for this book has been applied to at the Library of Congress. Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data are available in the Internet at http://dnb.dnb.de. This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, re-use of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in other ways, and storage in databases. For any kind of use, permission of the copyright owner must be obtained. © 2014 Aziza Chaouni Publisher: Birkhäuser Verlag GmbH, Basel P.O. Box 44, 4009 Basel, Switzerland Part of Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston Printed in Canada by Andora Graphics ISBN 978-3-03821-538-7 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

4

www.birkhauser.com

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The editor of this publication would like to A. Abu Yahya, Flora Researcher, Royal thank the following individuals and organi- Society for the Conservation of Nature, zations for their kind support: Jordan

Graphic Designers: Kristina Ljubanovic, Bespoke Cultural Collective, Toronto Ladan Sharifpour, U of T

Y. Khaled, Director, Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, Jordan

M. Bdour, Project Director, Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, Jordan

T. Abulhawa, Project Director, Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, Jordan

A. Mazaimeh, Logistics Officer, Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, Jordan Designing Ecological Tourism (DET) summer research team, U of T: R. Alkhawaldeh, Dana Tourism Manager, Nick Roland Royal Society for the Conservation of Mani K. Tabrizi Nature, Jordan Keren Golan Amanda Chong O. Mamouh, Dana Manager, Royal Society Yi (Louis) Liu for the Conservation of Nature, Jordan

R. Sommer, Dean, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, University of Toronto (U of T) C. Johnson, Director, Wild Jordan, Jordan D. Lieberman, Associate Professor, U of T L. Khirfan, Associate Professor, University of Waterloo A. Munem Amin, Project Coordinator, Real Estate Operations, U of T

Students from the Winter 2012 Option Research Studio “Design Strategies for Applied Research in the Developing World: Envisioning Ecotourism in Shobak, Jordan,” instructed by Aziza Chaouni:

Gladys Cheung Keren Golan Mani K. Tabrizi D. Hasala, Architecture Consultant, Jordan Nick Roland Lisa Sato O. Abed, Fauna Researcher, Royal Society Crystal Waddell for the Conservation of Nature, Jordan Avis Yau M. Haddad, Tourism Consultant, Jordan

Copyediting: Nina Hoeschele, Robyn Whitwham

Bashar Taleb (T.A.) Brendan Whitsitt (T.A.)

5

TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 5 FOREWORD 8

CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES 58

INTRODUCTION 10

Case Studies: Stakeholder Involvement Processes Tjibaou Cultural Centre, Nouméa, New Caledonia Red Location Museum of Struggle, Port Elizabeth, South Africa Kuo-Hain Village Nature Preserve, Kuo-Hain Village, Taiwan Meti Handmade School, Rudrapur, Bangladesh and Ghana School Design/ Build, Ghana, Ho, Kpedze Todze Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre, Uluru, Australia Cultural Park for Children, Cairo, Egypt Case Studies: Ecolodges Longitude 131°, Uluru, Northwest Territory, Australia Amangiri Resort, Canyon Point, Utah, USA Geolodge Camp, Erg Chegaga, Morocco Hotel Explora Atacama, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile Three Camel Lodge, Mongolia

Aziza Chaouni Chris Johnson Tarek Abulhawa

AREA OF STUDY 18 Introduction to Shobak

ESSAYS 26 Lessons from Petra by Luna Khirfan A History of Tents by David J. Lieberman The “Eco” In Jordanian Tourism by Muna Haddad Permanent Building Typologies in Shobak by Bashar Taleb

METHODOLOGY 40 The Team Methodology by Aziza Chaouni Process Matrix A Guide: How to Read This Book Tool Catalogue

6

TABLE OF CONTENTS

RESEARCH IN SITU 96 Before the Trip to Jordan: Hypotheses Methodology Chronicle of Research: Ecological & Tourist Corridors Team After the Trip to Jordan: Insights

SITE ANALYSIS: NATIONAL SCALE 106 Tourism

SITE ANALYSIS: REGIONAL SCALE 114 Regional Context Hydrology Geology Flora Fauna Existing Hiking Tours Existing Attractions Existing Accommodations Existing Accommodation Types Interviews with Tour Operators Sample Interviews with Tourists Niche Markets

SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE 134 Topography & Hydrology Roads & Trails Geology Fauna Bird Migration Fauna East-West Connection Fauna Distribution Flora Ecological Corridors King’s Highway Corridor High Trail Corridor Mountain’s Edge Trail Corridor Wadi Araba Trail Corridor Wadi Al Feid and Wadi Barwas Corridors Local Tribes Interviews with Locals Social & Economic Challenges Assets

MASTERPLAN 174 Introduction to Masterplan Phase 1 Strategic Masterplan Phase 2 Strategic Masterplan Phases 1 & 2 Money Flow

Analysis of Best-Practice Trails Via Alpina Green Trail, Switzerland/ Liechtenstein Lebanon Mountain Trail, Lebanon

MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES 188 Designating Priority Areas for Conservation Awareness Campaign Shobak High Trail Corridor Analysis Shobak Mountain Trail—Existing & Potential Potential Site for an Ecolodge in Shobak Shobak Mountain Trail Design Shobak Mountain Trails: Proposed Shobak Mountain Trail Pods Tour Operator Initiatives Micro-Credit Program Marketing & Branding Nomad Initiatives Shuttle Tours Women’s Cooperatives Shobak Castle Visitor Center Trail Facilities Viewing Platform Desert Ephemera Ecolodge

MASTERPLAN PHASE 2: ENHANCE & DEVELOP 250 Entrances & Fees Nomad Initiatives Part 2 Eat & Sleep at Locals’ Homes Initiative Training Rangers Eco-Awareness Campaign Guidelines for Tourist Camps Secondary Corridors Zoning Strategy Marketing & Branding Bed & Breakfast in Shimakh Ecolodge in Al Jaheer

REFERENCES 278 APPENDIX 280 BIOGRAPHIES 282

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT

7

FOREWORD yehya khaled & richard sommer

Yehya Khaled

Director, Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN)

Shobak Tourism Plan—New Product When I was a child, I enjoyed eating apples produced by Shobak’s farms, so the only thing I used to know about Shobak was that its farms produce nice apples. I grew up, joined the RSCN, and gradually started to learn more about Shobak—besides its apple farming. I now know Shobak is located in a strategic position south of the Dana Biosphere, north of Petra, and west of the King’s Highway. It stretches from high plateaux located at 1,500 m above sea level near the King’s Highway to the east, and the desert plains of Wadi Araba to the west. It contains another castle in the great chain of Crusader

8

FOREWORD

fortresses that stretches across Jordan. The stronghold, known as Mont Realis (Montreal), was constructed in 1115 CE by Baldwin I. Shobak is also rich in biodiversity with its unique habitats; the RSCN’s researchers recorded more than 145 plant species, 44 bird species, and 12 mammalian species living in 5 natural vegetation types. This prompted the RSCN to propose the establishment of a new protected area in Shobak in order to conserve its unique biodiversity and capitalize on its stunning landscape for ecotourism. This masterplan represents the planning strategies for the development of the Shobak protected area­ as a new ecotourism destination in Jordan. The masterplan was a result of a joint collaboration between the RSCN and the Designing Ecological Tourism (DET) research lab at the University of Toronto. By implementing this masterplan, new generations will be able to encounter the richness of Shobak’s agriculture, but also its history, biodiversity, and culture.

richard sommer

Dean, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, University of Toronto

I am very pleased to see this book come to fruition. Based on the work of Aziza Chaouni and a group of graduate students from the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto, conducted in Shobak, Jordan, the approach outlined in the book reflects our faculty’s ongoing research and exploration into how new modes of environmental analysis, design thinking, and collaboration among scholars, industry, and both governmental and non-governmental organizations transform the role that architects, landscape architects, and urban designers can play in global problems of urbanization and develop-

ment. Chaouni and her group’s work in Shobak specifically builds on her concepts of “desert tourism,” and a series of design studios, research seminars, and related fieldwork she has undertaken in Morocco. Among the essential contributions this book makes to the future of Shobak is an exhaustive documentation and creative analysis of Shobak’s existing zones of tourism, built heritage, and landscape preservation. Correlated with this analysis is a set of ideas drawn from global case studies of exemplary eco-tourism sites and projects in arid climates. Site-based analyses and case study findings are brought to bear in ways that provide highly site-specific models of design and development. With conventional approaches to problems of this kind (referred to as “old method” in the book), preservation areas are isolated and understood as frozen in time—if only to justify the development and commercialization of adjacent and surrounding areas. Defying convention and political expediency, the “new method” recognizes that with regard to

natural systems and patterns of human use, geographic protections can only be relative, because the ecology of any landmass is dynamic and always subject to external forces. This work demonstrates, at various scales—from the geographic, to the architectural—that the design of ecological infrastructure, touristic and otherwise, requires modeling both the interplay of man-made and organic systems, and a very literal drawing and mapping out of a strategic approach to land and construction management, over time. I would draw your attention not only to the various charts, timelines, and network diagrams in the book that constitute clear design methodologies and implementation strategies (see the “social tools,” “systems tools,” and “building tools” in the Tool Catalogue, pages 54–57) but to the very specific ways that the deployment of the plans and projects are imagined through separate, but related processes of “organizing,” “upgrading,” and “building.” Finally, I want to speak to how this book, and the ideas and projects it

contains, would not be possible without the support and engagement of the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature and many other interested agencies, communities, and individuals in Jordan. We are very thankful for their support, and look forward to continuing the fruitful work and partnerships documented in this book for other areas in the region. We undertake work of this kind at the Daniels Faculty to advance the art of planning and design for places that are often not well served by existing professional or bureaucratic interests. Yet, through this unique NGO-sponsored opportunity to travel, exchange ideas, and collaborate on research and projects, our faculty and students have had the opportunity to learn from being in the field and have drawn on the incredible experiences that myriad people have had with this territory. In this sense, while this book promises a better designed future for Shobak, Shobak now becomes a model for better designed futures elsewhere.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT

9

10 SECTION OF THE BOOK THAT WE’RE IN

INTRODUCTION

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 11

INTRODUCTION aziza chaouni, chris johnson & tarek abulhawa

aziza chaouni

Assistant Professor, University of Toronto

I became acquainted with the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) back in 2006 when I visited and studied their protected areas and ecotourism infrastructure in the context of a research trip sponsored by the Harvard University Appleton Travelling Fellowship. Jordan was the last stop of my journey across North Africa and the Middle East (MENA), and I was astonished by the groundbreaking work the RSCN has accomplished, such as the balance of nature conservation with the socio-economic development of local communities. The RSCN departed from the conservative approach towards nature preservation which I had encountered in other MENA countries throughout my trip, and introduced innovative methodologies to integrate both ecotourism and local economic growth within protected areas.

12 INTRODUCTION

How did the RSCN tackle such a challenge, which appears at first glance unfeasible in a developing country whose last priority is the environment and whose land is mostly arid? They did this with the help of their autonomy to pursue and apply long-term strategies, test new approaches, and foster innovative collaborations. On the other hand, the RSCN is obliged to find external sources of revenue for its conservation efforts and ecotourism, along with its associated activities; however, this is the most obvious route. Incomegenerating activities are run by the RSCN branch called Wild Jordan, which proposes nature tours, lodging, and crafts produced by locals who used to draw their income from the protected areas. The RSCN is very careful about the impact of ecotourism activities and infrastructure it has introduced within its seven protected areas so far: it caps the daily amount of visitors, limits trekking to guided tours on predetermined trails, and, most importantly, only builds low-impact ecolodges (like Feynan) in the Dana protected area. The RSCN’s dedication to green design is embodied by their Wild Jordan building in Amman, conceived by Ammar Kammash, and which includes several sustainable

features, such as the use of recycled materials and solar energy. While unique in the Middle East, the RSCN’s goals and ambitions meet those of the Designing Ecological Tourism (DET) lab at the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, University of Toronto. This school also strives to embrace a multi-disciplinary approach to ecotourism and its infrastructure through applied research projects. Through studio courses, site visits, and summer workshops, DET works with NGOs and governments aiming to develop new ideas and approaches to sustainable typologies of tourism. In a collaborative effort, the RSCN and DET teams decided to question the process of delineating a protected area. Under the leadership of the RSCN’s Yehya Khaled, Tarek Abulhawa, and Chris Johnson, both teams were given the opportunity to apply these questions to the Shobak region, which is being considered by the RSCN as an area of high priority for preservation. Located south of Dana, the RSCN’s oldest protected area, and north of Petra, Shobak’s magnificent arid and semi-arid landscapes, composed of mountains and rivers, could be easily utilized not only to attract tourists already visiting nearby

areas, but also to revive Shobak’s depressed economy.1 In the RSCN’s past experience, local nature conservation efforts came before socio-economic betterment of local populations; therefore, even though the RSCN successfully integrated locals into its projects and significantly ameliorated their socio-economic conditions, it was still struggling with a feeling of extreme dissatisfaction among locals within the vicinity of its protected areas. Locals felt left out of the protected areas’ creation process and of their ecotourism benefits. Furthermore, neither the short- nor the long-term benefits of the RSCN nature conservation actions were clearly understood. In such a context, the local population was not the ally and collaborator the RSCN wished it to be, but rather an antagonist it had to constantly manage. In the current context of the rising volatile political climate in Jordan, filled with more and more vocal demonstrations2 and incessant changes in its members of parliament,3 a totally new approach towards protected areas is direly needed. Discussion between DET and the RSCN teams led to the hypothesis that the development of ecotourism in the zones around the protected areas, coupled with eco-awareness campaigns and programs

supporting locals’ initiatives, should be a priority. In a second phase, an option would be that the protected area could become legally established with set boundaries and appropriate zoning. The protected area’s integrity would be ensured not by an outside institution, such as the RSCN, but rather by the measures taken in the first phase of the masterplan; these being measures that empower local citizens to protect their natural heritage. In this unusual, non-deterministic phasing plan, protected areas are conceived as fluid, evolving entities, whose spatial and temporal sustainability is the result of the stewardship of citizens towards their environment. The social ecologist Helen Ingram and the executive director of the Blum Center for Developing Economies at UC Davis, Wendy Laird-Benner, stress the efficiency of people’s networks versus formal institutions for effective enforcement and compliance with environmental regulations. Unlike institutions, these networks have the possibility to be more flexible, to respond faster to threats, and to be resilient to change in the face of sudden political or environmental developments.4 According to Ingram and Laird-Benner, these networks, “founded on face-to-face contacts and with sustained engagement,

transcend the influence of contemporary events and forge bridging ties across geopolitical, socio-economic, and cultural boundaries.”5 Positive narratives that celebrate the contribution of people, and which envision an improved future, help sustain these networks and propel them into action, subsequently resulting in positive, ecologically sustainable outcomes. Similar to the Sonoran Desert straddling the US/Mexico border that Ingram and Laird-Benner studied, the Shobak ecosystem’s preservation faces many hurdles. Shobak’s precarious political and economic landscapes, coupled with the negative experiences and perceptions in nearby Dana, are not propitious to an outside institution managing the protected area. Instead, focus should be brought to strengthening local actors and demonstrating to them the benefits of conserving nature. Following in the footsteps of the Sonoran Desert where, against all odds, significant environmental accomplishments were achieved thanks to “network weavers,” the Shobak masterplan could introduce a new approach to conservation in the region. The first efforts to develop Shobak into an emerging tourist destination took place in 2010 and targeted the rehabilitation of the Crusader castle of Shobak. Built in

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 13

1115 by Baldwin I, captured by Saladin in 1189, restored by the Mameluks in the 14th century, and then allowed to become dilapidated, the castle is perched on a picturesque mountain, its architecture blending with the white rocky landscape. Tourists on their way to Petra usually prefer to stop at the Karak Crusader castle and bypass Shobak. The project is funded by the EU program Cooperation in Urban Development and Dialogue (CIUDAD) and involves the University of Florence and the Municipality of Shobak. If this initiative increased tourism by 23%, according to the CIUDAD, it is thanks to an exhibition of archeological findings,6 whose benefits to the local economy remain marginal; tourists do not pay any entry fee, and when they stop at the bare visitor’s center, rarely do they buy anything from the dusty souvenir store and café. Unlike the CIUDAD attempt, the masterplan for Shobak that this book presents has a holistic approach—the Shobak Castle being just a node within a heterotopic network of interventions. In fact, the masterplan centers around a participative approach, based on an in-depth site analysis and collaboration between experts and local stakeholders. The masterplan’s

14 INTRODUCTION

strategies not only directly benefit the local population, especially the primary target group (nomads), but also foster the emergence of “network weavers.” The masterplan has two implementation phases. Phase 1 focuses on capacity building, upgrading existing facilities and tourist infrastructure while introducing three key new components: • The development of two trails and their facilities east of the protected area • The building of a viewing platform, which will introduce the panorama of Shobak to tourists, and mark the starting point of excursions • The building of a mobile ecolodge, which has zero impact on its site once packed Phase 2 focuses on developing the protected area zoning and furthering the involvement of locals in ecotourism activities. The masterplan and its guidelines were developed by DET between January and August 2012 through a graduate research studio course which laid the groundwork for the masterplan. This event was thanks to a thorough site and case study analysis and a four-month summer research workshop which developed the masterplan and detailed the design of the three new components of Phase 1: two trail systems, a viewing platform, and a mobile ecolodge.

This publication presents the process and methodology which led to the masterplan’s design. The dedication and passion of DET’s summer student team was essential to the project: Keren Golan, Nick Roland, Mani K. Tabrizi, and Ladan Sharifpour, who have all been key players in the masterplan’s conception and development. Some experts have also supported the projects with ideas and critical input, namely Dana Halasa, Tarek Abulhawa, Luna Khirfan, David Lieberman, and Muna Haddad, each of whom are contributing key essays to this publication related to themes seminal to the project, which include: ecotourism in Jordan, vernacular architecture in the Shobak region, and sustainable structures for arid climates. The next step for this collaborative project is to test its new typology in situ and to investigate its evolution over time as it adapts to new conditions. By no means is the masterplan conceived as a static framework; rather, it encapsulates a set of ideal dynamics between nature and humans, geology and architecture, as well as ecotourism and socio-economic growth to be fostered in Jordan and beyond.

chris johnson

Project Director, USAID, Jordan

I first stood at the edge of the Shobak plateau about 15 years ago and remember vividly the stunning vistas of rugged mountains and colorful desert plains that stretched as far as the eye could see across Wadi Araba to the Negev. What I was seeing before me was a huge slice of the Jordan Rift Valley, which runs the whole length of the Kingdom from north to south; and which forms an integral part of the Great Rift Valley, the largest geological feature on Earth. In tourism terms, the Shobak Mountains are strategically placed between the Dana Biosphere Reserve, the largest and most well-known ecotourism destination in the Kingdom, and Petra, the world-renowned archeological site and Jordan’s most popular tourist destination. Yet, despite their proximity to these well-known sites and their stunning scenery, the Shobak moun-

tains and surrounding area remain largely undiscovered and “off the beaten track” for most tourists. Under a USAID-funded ecotourism project, working in collaboration with the GEF Rift Valley Project, the RSCN has been pioneering a new strategy to create tourism linkages between the Dana Biosphere Reserve and Petra that will pass through the Shobak area and help to support socioeconomic development for local communities and the sustainability of the proposed new protected area. The Dana Reserve itself already attracts over 40,000 visitors a year and, as one of the gateways to the Dana–Petra corridor, the development of these linkages is also seen as a way to give added value to the Dana experience by offering incentives for tourists to stay longer in the area. Key to this linkage strategy is the creation of long-distance, north-to-south trails, which will be designed to offer different experiences for different kinds of users, from ardent, long-distance hikers to Jordanian families out to enjoy the countryside. These trails and the corridor concepts have been adopted and developed by the University of Toronto team to become a major component of their masterplan for the Shobak region, as elaborated in this beautifully

presented book. Their in-depth physical and cultural analysis of the proposed corridors and their designs for the en-route accommodation facilities are presented within a cohesive tourism masterplan that pulls together all the threads of landscape, nature, culture, and tourism use under a single umbrella publication. This is the first time the RSCN has been able to present a tourism strategy in such an integrated and professional way and it should be seen as a model for the future. But we must not forget that tourism in sensitive landscapes can be a “doubleedged sword,” bringing both social benefits and environmental damage. It is therefore vital that we get the planning and the management of the Shobak initiatives right. And at the same time, I also hope that in years to come many other people will be able to stand on that lip of the Rift Valley, as I did all those years ago, and be convinced that such wonderful landscapes should be protected.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 15

tarek abulhawa

Rift Valley Project Director, RSCN

Shobak is the most recently designated protected area in Jordan. Behind it lies an important part of the story of nature conservation in Jordan. The story began in 2007, when the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature received a grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the World Bank to implement one of the largest conservation projects in the country: the Integrated Ecosystems Management in the Jordan Rift Valley Project. A key goal of this project was to mainstream the principles of ecosystems management into the last-use planning and management in Jordan’s economic and social hot spot, the Rift Valley. Four protected areas were to be designated under the project. Three of these were successfully established, but due to factors of severe ecological degradation,

16 INTRODUCTION

government mineral and water exploitation interests, and local community disputes over tribal lands and territories, the fourth one, Masuda, was to be abandoned. In its pursuit of an alternative site to compensate for the lost protected area, the RSCN undertook a strategic assessment to identify an ecosystem worthy of conserving for its biodiversity and developing sustainable options for its resource use. Shobak emerged as the site most able to conciliate the gap in the national protected areas network. To approach Shobak, and considering the hard lessons learned in Masuda, the RSCN adopted a different process framework for the establishment of the promising protected area. This new approach is based on integrating local communities from stage one in the development of the various strategic scenarios of the protected area’s conservation and development. Ecotourism was identified and determined to be the key human activity which could serve as the mechanism to link effective nature conservation with sustainable local development efforts in Shobak. This time, ecotourism would be brought in through an extensive masterplanning exercise in which several dozens of local and international experts were involved. The making of the masterplan presented in this

book therefore signifies a new paradigm for protected areas development and management—a strategic new direction that is based on proactive planning, community participation, and institutional collaboration, collectively utilized to carve the future of protected areas in Jordan. This effort would not have been successful without the partnership between the University of Toronto, represented by the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, and the RSCN. The team was led by the great vision and effort of Aziza Chaouni and her fantastic team of researchers, who, with support from the RSCN’s team, worked around the clock for almost a full year to develop this masterplan document as one of the most iconic products ever made for nature conservation and sustainable development in the country. I take much pride in presenting to our dear readers this valuable book, and would like to take the opportunity to express gratitude to all those who contributed to making it a reality—the RSCN, the University of Toronto, GEF, and the World Bank. Finally, thanks to the people of Shobak for allowing all of us to work with them and explore together a better future for their generations. Without them, this effort would have not seen the light of the sun.

NOTES (INTRODUCTION) 1. King Abdullah website announced that in 2008, 82% of women in Shobak were unemployed. Besides, the 2009 World Bank “Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Poverty Update” report notes that the poverty incidence rate in Shobak is 72%–that is, 72% of the population receives less than minimum wage (100 JD per month). World Bank, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Poverty Update, 2009. 2. N. Pelham. “Jordan Starts to Shake,” in The New York Review of Books, December 8, 2011. 3. I. Black. “Jordan’s MPs Play Musical Chairs as the Arab Spring Rages Outside,” in the Guardian. May 11, 2012. 4. Ö. Bodin and B.I. Crona,“The Role of Social Networks in Natural Resources Governance: What Relational Patterns Make a Difference,” Global Environmental Change 19(2009): 366–74. 5. W. Laird-Benner and H. Ingram. “Sonoran Desert Network Weavers: Surprising Environmental Successes on the U.S./Mexico Border,” in Environment, Jan-Feb 2011. Retrieved August 15, 2012: http:// www.environmentmagazine.org/Archives/Back%20 Issues/2011/January-February%202011/sonorandesert-full.html. 6. The exhibition, called “From Petra to Shobak,” was organized in 2011 by ENPI (European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument) and funded by the EU regional program.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 17

18 SECTION OF THE BOOK THAT WE’RE IN

AREA OF STUDY

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 19

AREA OF STUDY INTRODUCTION TO SHOBAK This chapter provides a brief description of the following three zones of the Shobak study area: 1. The area delineated by the RSCN as a possible protected area, the Shobak Protected Area or SPA. 2. The areas immediately adjacent to the SPA: the area west of the SPA is sparsely populated by nomads; the area south of the SPA counts dozens of tourists camps; the area near the eastern edge of the SPA, between the King’s Highway and the beginning of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, has 12 small urban centers and several abandoned stone villages; and the area north of the SPA is still wild and untouched. 3. The wider context of Shobak, which comprises the Dana Biosphere to the north and the Petra Archeological Park (PAP) to the south. The site analysis chapter describes in more detail different facets of the Shobak region at the regional and local scales, including its hydrology, geology, fauna and flora, tribal composition, and existing tourist infrastructure.

of Petra, and east of the King’s Highway. It stretches from high plateaux located at 1,500 m above sea level near the King’s Highway to the east, and the desert plains of Wadi Araba to the west. Shobak’s drastic topographic variance is the cause of its numerous ecosystems (page 136) and geology (pages 113, 118, 138), which are among the key drivers behind its nomination by the RSCN as a special protected area. The RSCN currently has eight established protected areas, four under establishment, and six proposed. Shobak is the last site to be selected for protection. The “special protected area” status is a new strategy developed by the RSCN to create a transitional phase before establishing a protected area.

Shobak Region Shobak is a region located 190 km south of Amman, composed of several small villages whose number has fluctuated over the course of its history. These villages supplied caravans and grew wheat, until the Crusaders set up a fortress to help control the crucial Damascus to Cairo trade route that ran on the plain below. Shobak Special Protected Area The etymology of Shobak is derived from The Special Protected Area of Shobak is the Arabic word “shabaka,” or net, and located south of the Dana Biosphere, north refers to the intertwining branches of the

20 AREA OF STUDY

lush forests that used to cover its lands. Droughts, climate change, and depletion of groundwater resources have dramatically affected the area, which has lost a large percentage of its green cover. Yet small-scale subsistence agriculture, irrigated with spring water, remains widespread in the area. Shobak has a diverse social landscape: it is inhabited by four tribes dispersed among eight newly built villages situated on the plateau and nomad camps (page 164). There are fifteen main communities in Shobak. Of these, seven are in Asha’ari, four are in Husseiniyeh, and one community represents Qadissiyeh. Population density is low for the most part (though it becomes medium density in residential areas). Population density is highest in Qadissiyeh. The 2004 census counted 10,869 inhabitants in Shobak, with 535 in Asha’ari, 8,300 in Husseiniyeh, and 6,933 in Qadissiyeh. According to the 2004 Jordanian Department of Statistics (DOS) figures, average family income in Shobak is around 6,200 JD per annum, with 9% of the population living in poverty. On average, this corresponds to two income earners per household with average salaries of 260

JD/month. Several Shobakis have also been trying to develop some small household agricultural activities to help cover increasing living costs and losses in employment opportunities. With the exception of a few nomads living in tents, most Shobakis live in the villages. The villages’ houses all have a concrete post and beam construction with brick infill. The beautiful stone-built, traditional villages of the area are abandoned today. Since they lacked easy access to the King’s Highway and modern amenities such as running water, electricity, and sanitation, these villages were deserted. Traditional villages in Shobak are scattered along the escarpment right below the plateau and are usually located near springs. The stone dwellings of these villages protrude from the mountainside in a chain form following the contour lines of the mountainside, and caves are embedded in the soft layer of limestone on the side.1 Some dwellings are built into the bedrock of the mountain, enclosing one side of a pre-existing cave, fully integrating themselves to their context. Lintels and beams were traditionally built using Arar (juniper) wood, which can carry large loads.2 Interestingly, some of the agricultural terraces near the villages are still in use today.

Shobak is already popular among trekking groups, which use its north-south trails connecting Dana to Petra, and its east-west trails which cross Shobak’s wadis. These tourists usually set up their own tents for the night or stay in the camps located in the northeast and south of Shobak. However, Shobak’s main draw is its Crusader castle, which receives around 3,000 visitors per year,3 a number that pales when compared with Petra, which welcomed 629,864 tourists in 2011.4 The Shobak Castle is part of a great chain of Crusader fortresses that stretches across Egypt, Jordan, and Syria.5 The stronghold, known as Mont Realis (Montreal or the Royal Mount), was constructed in 1115 CE by Baldwin I. The castle suffered numerous assaults by Salah Eddin (Saladin) before it finally fell to him in 1189. Shobak Castle was then restored by the Mamluks in the 14th century. The castle is perched on top of a small hill northeast of the town of Shobak.6 Inside the fortress, there are two churches, ruins of baths, cisterns and rainwater pipes, archways, and millstones for pressing olives. Moreover, there are stairs cut into the rock that lead down to a spring below the castle. The shaft has 375 steps and is one of the deepest wells ever cut by Crusader forces.7 In 2010,

an Italian mission, funded by the EU program ENPI (European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument), initiated archeological searches and the rehabilitation of the castle, with the aim to increase tourism. Based on interviews with local guides and tourists, no significant results have been witnessed yet. In fact, the castle’s current state of disarray and lack of interpretative material, coupled with its derelict visitor center and run-down accommodations, exacerbate its lack of attractiveness. Given that large numbers of tourists visit nearby Dana and Petra each year, Shobak’s potential is clearly underexploited. One of the key challenges of the masterplan is to attract nearby tourists and introduce them to the natural assets of Shobak while keeping control of the impact of tourist activities and preserving the natural environment. Another major challenge of the masterplan is to give Shobak a position which will stand out amid Dana’s long-standing popularity and Petra’s uncontested appeal. In order to better grasp Shobak’s masterplan’s potential and possible repercussions, a description of Shobak’s two adjoining protected areas, Dana and Petra, seems necessary.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 21

Shobak’s Wider Context Petra Archeological Park The Petra Archeological Park (PAP) covers a 264,000-square-meter area within Wadi Musa and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. The PAP encompasses a breathtaking landscape of pink-hued rock mountains, the focus of which is the amazing ancient Nabataean city of Petra. In August 2007, the park was announced by virtue of a new bylaw as an autonomous legal entity with separate financial resources, whereby the management and maintenance of the park is funded through an allocation from the state; foreign aid, grants and donations; a percentage of the park’s entrance fees; and fees from services provided inside the park. The monuments of Petra are under several forms of attack, not least from erosion by the wind, which carries sand particles from the crumbling sandstone rock and corrodes the lower sections of the facades of the tombs and funerary vaults; and by water, which infiltrates the rock by capillary action and enables vegetation to grow in the interstices and to cause fracturing of the rock or even rockfall. Nature, however, is not the only aggressor; human activities also play a preponderant role in the deterioration of

22 AREA OF STUDY

the site. The integrity and conservation of the site are seriously threatened by the uncontrolled flow of tourists, the lucrative sideline tourism activities, and numerous souvenir stalls. The vicinity of the site is also rapidly deteriorating, namely Wadi Musa, a bustling village through which one passes before reaching the PAP. Wadi Musa showcases uncontrolled urban development and buildings erected in areas zoned as “non ædificandi.” In 2011, ATC Consultants developed a 20-year strategic masterplan for the PAP and its surrounding buffer zones.8 The masterplan guides planned development of the Petra region over the next 20 years for the benefit of the local population and the protection of the archeological site. It envisages a longterm strategy aimed at increasing the boundaries of the PAP and involving the local population and authorities in the management plan of the site. The masterplan also puts forward a number of proposals for action such as the creation of a regional animal park with activities like camel races and horse trekking. The strategic masterplan for the region also provides a guide to preserving its archeological, ecological, and cultural resources while planning for the needs of a

fast-growing population. So far, most measures of the masterplan have begun to be implemented. The surplus of tourists in the PAP could possibly be relieved if Shobak is developed as a new tourist destination. Dana Biosphere Reserve9 The Dana Biosphere was established in 1989 and is Jordan’s largest nature reserve, covering 320 km2 of stunning landscapes along the face of the Great Rift Valley. It sweeps down in a series of mountain ridges, from the 1500-m-high plateau near Qadissiyeh to the desert plains of Wadi Araba. Dana Biosphere Reserve is the only reserve in Jordan that comprises the four different bio-geographical zones of the country: Mediterranean, Irano-Turanian, Saharo Arabian, and Sudanian penetration. Hence, it is the most diverse nature reserve in Jordan in terms of habitats and species, hosting several vegetation types, including the Phoenician juniper, evergreen oak, sand dunes, acacia, and rocky sudanian, among others. It is also home to the southernmost remaining forest community of Cypress Cupressus simpervirens. More than 800 plant species can be found within the reserve, three of which have only ever been recorded in Dana and nowhere else in the world.10 Moreover, Dana supports a wide variety of wildlife, including many rare

species of plants and animals. It is home to several globally threatened species of birds and mammals, such as Syrian Serin Serinus syriacus, Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni, Blanford’s Fox Vulpes cana, and Nubian Ibex Capra nubiana. The largest breeding colony in the world for Syrian Serin is located in Dana, while the Lesser Kestrel is also found to breed in the area. In 1994, funded by the Global Environment Fund (GEF), the RSCN took pioneering steps in its attempt to conserve the precious biodiversity in Dana, putting together the first protected area management plan in Jordan, and making Dana Biosphere Reserve into a model of integrated conservation and socio-economic development. This plan set objectives, strategies, and priorities that ultimately seek to find a balance between protecting Dana’s natural wonders and meeting the needs of local people. This strategy is mostly based on the concept of zoning, defining areas where certain activities can or cannot happen, and allowing for grazing and recreation zones. Following this approach, Dana became the first site in Jordan in which responsible tourism began taking place. In 2009, a USAID fund initiated the rehabilitation of part of the old village of Dana located at the entrance of the reserve,

whose inhabitants have vacated to move closer to the road. Even though the project faced numerous local contentions and discontentment, it is nearing completion: the rehabilitated village’s stone houses will soon accommodate amenities for both villagers and tourists. If the project’s dual ambition to avoid creating a “ghost” village catering to tourists only and to establish guidelines which will safeguard the architectural integrity of the village are laudable, the locals’ reticence, caused as much by the late involvement of local communities in the Dana Biosphere activities as by inter-familial rivalries, might hinder the project’s implementation and global vision. Finally, despite Dana’s protected area management plan and the RSCN monitoring efforts, numerous threats to its natural environment still persist. For instance, major threats include overgrazing, woodcutting, and hunting, mainly of Ibex and Chukar. Challenges Facing Shobak Protected Area The local residents of Al-Shobak and the visitors from the different governorates use the area. In addition, there are many interests in the location, posing new future challenges to its management. In this part, we will present the challenges, according

to the size of their expected impact on the location, vitality, and coordination of their natural pattern and biodiversity. Mining12 Shobak lies within the future interests of the Authority of Natural Resources to explore manganese and copper. Copper is expected to be found at various depths as the region consists of four types of rocks: First, sandy mountains, mostly consisting of mica minerals, quartz, and feldspar; this gives them a porous nature. In addition, there are basalt mountains, igneous rocks that contain many minerals, including olefin, and feldspar—which are hard rocks that do not retain soil, and hence life. So, if decomposed these rocks become ready for germination since they contain some important elements for planting. Third, there are limestone mountains, which contain minerals like dolomite and calcite, which give them a porous surface. Thus, this is the poorest type of mountains in terms of containing water and supporting plants. Finally, Shobak contains some rhyolite rocks, which are rich with silica and are not considered among the significant rocks in the region. The mining activity of the Natural Resources Authority is a big threat to the

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 23

sustainability of different ecosystems. There are mining activities in the area of Um Al Amad near Shobak, and most of the region falls within the outline of future mining activity, a dilemma which requires serious consideration in order to find effective solutions. Hunting13 One of the biggest challenges facing the management of the site is that most of the local hunters live either in the Shobak area or in the villages surrounding the site. During their hunting trips, most hunters target many kinds of birds for the purposes of fun and food, but what attracts them even more is the presence of the caribou, which is one of the most challenging species to hunt. This increases the hunters’ pleasure in chasing it, and they use multiple methods, including blockades, as is the case in Al Hadas Valley. Ten hunters were seen in the study site. The area contains another group of hunting animals, including porcupine, hare, and hyrax. Hunting has multiple negative effects on the fauna biodiversity and may lead to the extinction of many species if no action is taken to reduce it. These hunting activities have affected the endangered Arabian leopard in the area of Shobak. In addition, they have an indirect impact on

24 AREA OF STUDY

floral biodiversity through logging, cracking branches, and changing the natural pattern of the site through the construction of hiding houses. Tourism The wadi valleys represent a destination for many foreign tourists who like walking. Most of the tourism in the region relies on the availability of guides, mostly from outside of the location. The journey starts from Feynan, north of the study location, or from Petra, south of the location, reaching Bros Valley, where tourists can camp. The journey continues through the valley, reaching Shobak. Wadi Al Sakakeen is also a destination for many visitors due to its rugged topography, making it a challenge for many of the visitors to climb. Tourism is not limited to the western areas; some activities extend from the eastern regions through the valleys up to the area of Wadi Araba, and then proceed to Feynan or Aqaba in the south. Non-environmental tourism affects the location, as it may lead to damage through waste disposal, impacts on biodiversity, pollution of water resources, and damage to vegetation through logging. Grazing Effects of camels and cattle grazing are obvious in the upper eastern areas of the

studied location as well as the western areas of Wadi Araba. Here, it should be noted that despite the presence of traces of grazing, this does not cause a threat or challenge if the location was established as a natural conservation area. Compared with the location of Mount Masuda, the site only suffers a little grazing. In addition, the rough terrain and the fact that most families in the region of AlShobak work in government departments have had a significant impact on the health and vitality of the vegetation, which was obvious in the dynamic plant patterns. On the other hand, the grazing­— within an accepted level according to the region’s capacity—has contributed to the natural regeneration of acacia shrubs, especially along the western boundary of the location. This has had a significant impact on increasing the representation of acacia, and thus has enriched the area’s biodiversity as a whole. Logging The team has noted the presence of logging impacts, but these were confined to the hunting areas, as trees were used by hunters during their camping as free sources to cook food. Some logging activity has also been observed in the southeastern areas of the location, especially

for juniper, oak, and broom plants. The study team believes that logging is not considered a major threat faced by the management of the reserve. Yet, it needs a detailed study to explore where it has spread and its causes, as well as a plan of action to ensure its reduction. Non-Endemic Species Some of the plant species introduced to Jordan were recorded in the study location. They are characterized by their ability to adapt and live in dry and arid conditions and to quickly spread. However, the size of the communities of these plants is not a real threat to the environmental system or the native species that were recorded. An example of these species is the peace plant.

NOTES (AREA OF STUDY) 1. A. Kammash, Notes on Village Architecture in Jordan, in Arabesque, June 1995. 2. A. Kammash, Notes on Village Architecture in Jordan, Lafayette: University Art Museum, University of Southern Louisiana, 2006. 3. DET interview with Shobak Tourism Authority, February 2012. 4. Retrieved September 11, 2012: http:// petranationaltrust.org/ui/ShowContent. aspx?ContentId=170. 5. N. Faucherre, “La forteresse de Shawbak (Crac de Montréal). Une des premieres forteresses franques sous son corset Mamelouk,” in La fortification au temps des Croisades (Actes du colloque Parthenay 2002), edited by N. Faucherre, J. Mesqui, and N. Prouteau, Rennes: Presses Universitaires, 2004, pp. 47–65. 6. M. Rugiadi, “Il palazzo ayyubide a Shawbak,” in Da Petra a Shawbak. Archeologia di una frontiera. Catalogo della Mostra, edited by G.Vannini and M. Nucciotti, Firenze: Giunti Editore, 2009. 7. R. Brown, “Shaubak,” in Archaeology of Jordan: Field Reports Sites L–Z, edited by D. HomesFredericq and J.B. Hennessy, Leuven: Peeters, 1989. 8. Retrieved September 11, 2012: http://www. aslacolorado.org/wp-content/themes/aslaco/ images/awardentries_2011/Planning_Petra_ FS4.pdf. 9. Retrieved September 15, 2013: http://www.rscn. org.jo/orgsite/RSCN/HelpingNature/ProtectedAreas/DanaBiosphereReserve/tabid/93/Default.aspx.

10. Retrieved September 15, 2013: www.rscn.jo.org. 11. Ibid. 12. Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) Search and Surveys Section, “Rapid Assessment Survey for Shobak Area,” Unpublished, May 2011. 13. Ibid.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 25

26 SECTION OF THE BOOK THAT WE’RE IN

ESSAYS

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 27

LESSONS FROM PETRA LUNa KHIRFAN

LUNA KHIRFAN

Assistant Professor, University of Waterloo

Petra’s archeological ruins have been inscribed on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) since 1985. They have also been listed among the 2006 “New Seven Wonders of the World,” and have been included among the Smithsonian magazine’s 2008 list of “28 Places to See Before You Die.” Nationally, Petra has earned the national epithet “the oil of Jordan” due to its contributions to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). According to the National Tourism Strategy 2011–2015: “Tourism expenditure reached more than 2.423 billion JD, which contributed 12.4% to the national GDP.” Petra’s contribution is indeed significant considering that its entry fees stand at 50 Jordanian Dinars per tourist per day (approximately $70 USD), and consider-

28 ESSAYS

ing that it attracted over 629,000 visitors in 2011, of which more than 508,500 were foreign tourists.1 When one considers that the runner up, which is the near-intact Greco-Roman ruins of Jerash in the north of Jordan, received less than half the arrivals at Petra for the same year (241,900 tourists, of which 179,700 were foreign tourists), then Petra’s role as the primary tourist attraction of Jordan is firmly confirmed. But how do these international recognitions and national contributions to Jordan’s GDP manifest at the local level? What planning measures are the Jordanian authorities adopting to ensure the sustainability of Petra as the country’s primary attraction? And, most importantly, what lessons may we extrapolate from planning Jordan’s primary attraction for the benefit of developing other destinations around Petra, such as Shobak, and beyond? Since its introduction in the Bruntland Report in 1987, the term “sustainability” has received many definitions, but among tourism planners, it has been established that sustainability “is not necessarily about preservation, but is more about managing and controlling change.”2 Sustainability in tourism planning refers to a set of planning strategies that essentially consider

this heritage as a capital resource, and ensure that future generations will both enjoy and benefit from its tangible and intangible elements.3 Accordingly, these planning strategies account for three critical components: namely, the site, the tourists, and the local community.4 Parallel to the strategies for each of these components, objective indicators should be effectively employed in order to guarantee effective management of change through monitoring, assessment, and adaptation.5 The Jordanian authorities have indeed sought to address the management of the tangible heritage of Petra through historic preservation measures and legislative arrangements. For example, there are continuous efforts through research and practice that seek to counter the weathering of Petra’s sandstone facades and to mitigate its causes. But it is administratively that the Jordanian authorities seem to place most of their efforts. Since the establishment of the Petra Regional Council in 1995, several plans, initiatives, and bodies have been created, ending more recently in 2009 with the establishment of the Petra Development and Tourism Regional Authority (PDTRA). The latter controls the entire Petra Region (755 km2), including

the Petra Archeological Park, and enjoys independent legislative authority within the park’s boundaries. Furthermore, since 1968, several management plans have been proposed for Petra concurrently with indicators in order to conserve its monuments such as those that focus on hydrology and the channeling of rainwater so as to decrease the weathering of the facades. Also, there have been at least three carrying capacity studies to determine the limits of acceptable change and thus monitor the numbers of tourists at Petra’s monuments. This emphasis on Petra’s physical fabric continues to this day with new initiatives such as the “Risk Mapping Project” at the Petra Archeological Park, for which the UNESCO office in Amman invited me among a select group of experts throughout 2011–2012 to review the development of the various criteria. These strategies to protect the tangible heritage of Petra, primarily its monuments and sites, stand in stark contrast to the other two components: the tourists and the host communities. The needs of the visitors can be met through strategies that ensure a positive tourist experience whether by providing tourism services, interpretation, and signage, or proper footpaths and facilities. Since his “discov-

ery” of Petra in 1812, the Swiss Orientalist Johann Ludwig Burckhardt reintroduced this rose-red city to the Occident, though during the 19th and early 20th centuries, tourism was fairly limited due to the difficultly of reaching Petra and the antagonism of the local tribes towards foreigners. The 1920s witnessed the establishment of the Hashemite rule over Jordan, and also the setting up of the Thomas Cook Camp, which attracted rich European tourists. As the Hashemite rule in Jordan stabilized over the subsequent decades, it developed better road networks across the country, while during the 1970s and 1980s additional accommodation services were constructed in Petra. Consequently, accessibility to Petra increased and tourists’ numbers surged until Petra gradually, yet indisputably, assumed its position as Jordan’s primary tourist attraction. Throughout, the five plans put forward since 1968 have systematically prioritized tourism development and sought to increase tourists’ numbers and their length of stay in Petra. Tourist surveys would ideally provide clear indicators of the success of such strategies and the level of satisfaction among tourists through the use of measurements such as the value for money of tourist attractions

and assessments of the levels of various tourist services. In the absence of such studies, however, a review of travel blogs provides an alternative method to gauge the perceptions of tourists. Such online sources largely reveal tourists’ fascination with Petra’s archeological ruins, but also their dissatisfaction with the entry fees compared to the level of available services. For example, the 510 Places blog lists the entry fees for all of the New Seven Wonders of the World and concludes that Petra’s are exorbitant in comparison to the other six sites—almost double the fees of the next most expensive site.6 Likewise, in the Lonely Planet blog, one tourist commented: “The government is ripping everyone off with the entrance to Petra—only a year ago it was JD21 to get in—now it’s JD50! No student discounts... That’s close to £50. I have travelled to 80+ countries and nowhere on earth does an attraction cost anywhere near this.” In fact, some commentators on this blog go as far as offering other travelers advice on how and where to resell their three-day passes.7 Lastly, but most importantly, the strategies that address the needs of the local communities seem to be the most controversial among Petra’s planning initiatives. Ideally, planning strategies that aim to

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 29

sustain a heritage resource should ensure that the benefits of tourism (whether economic, social, or cultural) accrue back to the local communities and contribute to the improvement of their quality of life. Also, such strategies must ensure the inclusion, representation, and empowerment of the local communities in the decisionmaking process.8 In contrast, John Shoup9 traces how, from the outset, the Bidul, who are the local Bedouin tribe that traditionally inhabited the caves of Petra, have been marginalized. The Bidul have been excluded from the tourism industry and instead, tourism entrepreneurs (Thomas Cook and subsequently the Nazzal family) brought in Egyptians to work at the aforementioned camp while other tribes from outside of Petra, primarily the Lyathneh from the nearby village of Wadi Musa, have gradually monopolized the governmental tourism services since the 1950s. Furthermore, and as far as the 1970s, the Jordanian government sought to relocate the Bidul outside of Petra, claiming that their lifestyle in the caves is destructive to Petra’s archeological remains and that their presence is a nuisance to foreign tourists.10 These perceptions overlook the facts that the Bidul, whose presence is intrinsic to Petra, had maintained this lifestyle for hundreds of years

30 ESSAYS

(if not more), and that it is the foreign tourists who are imposing on the site. Objective studies, or studies of any sort, that justify either of these two claims are completely absent. Nevertheless, by 1984, more than 60 families—over half of the Bidul at the time— were displaced from their caves and relocated to newly constructed housing units known locally as wihdãt in Umm Sayhoun, a vacant area outside the boundaries of the contemporary Petra National Park. John Shoup relays how the Jordanian authorities constructed one unit of these wihdãt as a test model that was vehemently rejected by the Bidul as too small and incompatible with their lifestyle, yet the authorities chose to go ahead with the same model without any modifications.11 Currently, all the Bidul families have been displaced outside of their traditional habitat. In her 2008 memoir Married to a Bedouin, the New Zealander Marguerite Van Geldermalsen documents the lifestyle that she led as the wife of one of the local Biduls living the traditional way of life in the caves, their displacement to the new wihdãt, and the eventual loss of these Biduls’ distinctive lifestyle. Again, and in another ironic twist, and notwithstanding the loss of their lifestyle, the Jordanian government succeeded in 2008 in inscribing the Bedouin tribes of Petra

and Wadi Rum on the UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage List. This continuous exclusion of the Bidul from the benefits of tourism and their displacement erupted in violence in March of 2001, when government officials demanded that one of the families that had adapted its housing unit in Umm Sayhoun must remove the new additions. The family refused, and then the government officials tried to demolish the additions–an action that led to an exchange of fire between the two groups. An editorial titled “Regrettable End” appeared on March 27, 2000, in the Jordan Times—Jordan’s daily English language newspaper—which lamented the use of gun violence to end the situation with the Bidul. In response, I wrote an oped, published on March 30, 2000, in the same newspaper, which was titled “Regrettable End, or Regrettable Beginning?” in which I argued that this is only the beginning in a sequence of regrettable events and that in order to avoid such events, it is imperative that a share of Petra’s revenue should accrue back to the Biduls; that their quality of life should be enhanced; that they should have priority in employment in the local tourism services; and that they should be guaranteed an adequate level of infrastructure and development.

Indeed, a decade later, the daily newspaper The National of the United Arab Emirates reported in its March 22, 2010, issue that the Bidul of Petra were still pondering a return to their caves.12 More recently, on August 20, 2012, a group of local tribesmen demonstrated against the PDTRA’s planned celebrations to commemorate the 200-year anniversary of Burkhardt’s discovery of Petra. Among many other reasons, they were demonstrating against the controversial spending on such events while simultaneously they—those living in Petra, which is “the oil of Jordan”—were deprived of basic services such as paved roads, social infrastructure, and, mostly, of job opportunities.13 As the Arab Spring is transforming the Arab world in ways that, until very recently, were deemed unimaginable, the Jordanian authorities cannot afford to continue their systemic marginalization of the local communities at their tourism destinations. Simultaneously, and equally important, anthropological studies on the notions of hospitality in Jordan, such as Andrew Shryock’s,14 reveal that tourists to Jordan are indeed curious about experiencing the Bedouin culture. The practices of tourism entrepreneurs, who typically respond to direct demand from tourists, also support

this, and in Petra’s case these entrepreneurs have long provided exotic experiences for foreign tourists that include sleeping in a tent or a cave and communal eating of the traditional mansaf.15 Traditional crafts such as wool weaving, ceramics, and jewelry have also witnessed a revival after a period of decline during the 1970s. Online photography records and travel blogs offer but one way for gauging this fascination with the lifestyle of the Bidul of Petra in the absence of objective studies by Jordanian authorities and academics. The consideration of the needs of the host communities not only in Petra, but also at other Jordanian tourist destinations, is necessary for ensuring true democratic practices in an era where such practices are not a luxury but a right. Such consideration also ensures the sustainability of the tourism industry as one of the country’s primary sources of revenue. The marginalization and the exclusion of Petra’s Bidul and the development of strategies that fail to address the needs and preferences of tourists offer many lessons for Jordanian authorities as they set about developing other destinations, and as they seek to diversify Jordan’s tourism offerings.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 31

A HISTORY OF TENTS DAVID J. LIEBERMAN

DAVID J. LIEBERMAN

Associate Professor, University of Toronto

“These are the black tents which balance on the wind, on the summit of the mountains. And neither earthquakes nor thunder can manage to uproot their slightest branch, the least piece of wood.” (Excerpt from an Arab riddle) To build responsibly in the fragile ecology of the desert presents a number of challenges—challenges that have for generations been met by the Bedouin in the development of the Black Tents of Northern Arabia in their demountability, in their materiality, and in the gentle way in which they touch the landscape. The building of the Shobak Ecolodge requires a delicate balance of temporality and permanence. Simple, small concrete foundations with steel mounting brackets are carefully placed in the ground, waiting to accept

32 ESSAYS

the delicate yet stable attachment of the lightweight aluminum and steel structure and the drapery of the fabric enclosures. The tents are durational, staying in place long enough to accommodate the seasonal visitors or even a camp that may hold its locations for years, but the foundations act as markers for a future archeology, the traces of occupation not to be erased but to mimetically register for travelers in a distant future that in times past, others stopped to rest and to engage the spirit of the place. The proposition is rooted in an appreciation of traditional materials and techniques but takes full advantage of local skills, technological developments, understandings of complex geometries, and structural performance in seeking to develop a model of environmentally appropriate shelters for the visitor to this extraordinary landscape. The Black Tents were composite weaves of pre-stressed fabric predominantly composed of goat hair, often supplemented with camel hair, cotton, and wool. The extended fabric was composed of smaller “s” units stitched together with the patterning of parallel pieces giving further strength and structure to the membrane. In the current proposal, the minimal sur-

face structures are composed of gore patterns in order to approximate Gaussian curvatures, again with the seams and stitching giving form and shape and structure to the tents. There is a single module that is repeated, albeit with variation, to form a series of combinatory spaces giving hierarchy and specificity of function to accommodate the range of activities necessary to the operations of the facility. Solar chimneys enhance the stack effect of natural ventilation and act as light cannons or funnels to at times welcome the stars of the desert night skies. Unlike the tents of old, the forms are further enhanced by flexible, lightweight steel and aluminum exterior skeletons or frames, increasing stability. They also make possible the clustering of units, and the development of protected “courtyard” areas in keeping with the urban morphology and cultural patterns of sociability in the region, and of critical importance to the dynamics of occupation. It should be noted that fabrication of the lightweight frames is possible in Jordan and that there are manufacturers in Saudi Arabia that have advanced fabric technologies incorporating synthetics into the natural weave. It is further proposed

that in researching the possibilities and performance of hybrid weaves, consideration should be given to multi-layered fabrics enhancing the insulative qualities for resisting the heat of the day and the cold of the night. Careful consideration must also be given to the exact chromatic range of the tents, looking to both performance and the aesthetics of their role in the painted occupation of an inhabited landscape. Simple mechanical connections without the requirement of specialized tools are proposed for the assembly of the truss-like frames, which not only rely on the rigidity of composite members but are also strengthened by the bowstring action of curvature in a dynamic relationship with fabric forms. The dynamic curvilinear plans of the rooms or chambers provide degrees of privacy and discretion without the necessity of wall-like room separations. Furnishings are kept to a minimum, referencing again the Bedouin traditions, and are based on reinterpretations of the form and structure of camel saddles. The floors are sand and carpets; it is important to walk in the history of the place. There are spaces of privacy to listen and to observe the beauty and the specificity of the desert and to understand the

constantly shifting nuances of its character and the environment. There are also spaces of gathering and congregation, to dine and to converse, and to share in the experience of a place and of spaces previously unknown. The beautiful, sinuous shapes embrace the natural topographies and yet they stand apart. The ambition and intent is to welcome the gentle breezes but also to withstand the battering of the unexpected sandstorm; the desert has many characters and qualities and can be both tender and violent. The critical integration of the provision of water in placement of facilities for both bathing and drinking is again a question of balance, providing both comfort and perhaps even luxury, but with the knowledge that water is precious, water must not be wasted, and water is an absolute necessity. Ecotourism asks important questions as we seek to understand the range of natural environments offered by regional landscapes. The lightweight structures, the new tents of Shobak, continue the exploration and investigation of the relationship between the natural and the constructed, seeking to establish a harmony, but not shying away from the inevitable contradiction and question of whether or

not we should even tread, no matter how lightly, on these fragile lands. I look forward to the pleasures of spending time in the encampment and returning to the desert sands. “Mountain streams often carry answers, but I long only for their coolness like laughter, crystal clear... rivers flowing inside, flowing out...does wisdom quench a man’s thirst...” “alone on a mountaintop, I no longer need to look for water.” (Fragments of Poems from the Moroccan Desert, 1973)

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 33

THE “ECO” IN JORDANIAN TOURISM muna haddad

muna haddad

Tourism Consultant, Director, Baraka

I remember the times when I would stare at puzzled faces when I said I was from Jordan. The Kingdom was rarely portrayed in the international media, and if so, it was usually regarding a crisis. We have come a long way. As tourism grew, so did the fame of Petra consolidating its well-earned position as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, scoring headlines in acclaimed travel publications and securing a spot on the travel list of every globetrotter. Today, tourists visiting Jordan are taking a longer route towards its crowning jewel, taking in parts of its landscapes, natural heritage, people, and culture. Jordan is now a wholesome tourism destination with an array of experiences to offer, ranging from its deep historical roots and ancient heritage to its religious significance for all monotheistic faiths, to its diverse ecosystems and land-

34 ESSAYS

scapes, its luxury, and its welcoming and hospitable people. Despite occasional shocks, tourism has been on an upward slope in Jordan. Total overnight arrivals for 2011 reached almost 4 million, with receipts of 2 billion Jordanian Dinars (2.6 billion USD). Based on the Central Bank of Jordan database, in the second quarter of this year, tourism receipts reached 1.2 billion JD (1.58 billion USD), a 19% increase over 2011. According to Jordan’s National Tourism Strategy 2011–2015, receipts are expected to grow to 4.2 million by 2015.1 Today, tourism offers 65,000 jobs in direct employment and an estimated 195,000 in indirect employment; it is expected to create 25,000 additional jobs by 2015. According to Reid and Schwab,2 tourism is being used by most emerging economies specifically in the Middle East to diversify their economies. Modern tourism has become a key driver of socio-economic progress through export revenues, the creation of jobs and enterprises, and infrastructure development. As a niche market, ecotourism has played a considerable role in bringing tourism jobs into marginalized communities worldwide. Ahead of his time, in 1983 Mexican architect Héctor Ceballos-Lascuráin coined the

term “ecotourism,” which was officially adopted by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 1996: “Ecotourism is environmentally responsible travel and visitation to relatively undisturbed natural areas, in order to enjoy, study, and appreciate nature (and any accompanying cultural features—both past and present), that promotes conservation, has low negative visitor impact, and provides for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of local populations.”3 In 2006, the International Ecotourism Society (TIES) valued ecotourism to be growing at 20–30% per year since the beginning of the 1990s. In 2004, nature-based tourism was growing globally three times faster than the tourism industry as a whole. In 2002, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) found the percentage of consumers consciously looking for sustainable travel packages to be as high as 5% of the overall travel market, although up to 30% felt that it would be “nice to have,” without the willingness to pay.4 The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature in Jordan tried its hand at ecotourism for the first time in 1994 in Dana Biosphere Reserve, working directly with local villages and Bedouin communities

and creating income-generating projects that used the reserve’s natural beauty and wildlife to create job opportunities and alterative livelihoods. These included small handicraft enterprises, like the famous “Dana Jewelry,” and a range of tourism facilities including a campsite, guesthouse, and ecolodge. Such ventures continue to make nature conservation important to Dana residents and create a constituency of local support for the reserve, which, in the past, was often a source of conflict with locals. Dana today is firmly on the “tourism map of Jordan,” attracting over 30,000 visitors a year and winning four international awards for sustainable development. The RSCN’s six reserves attracted a total of 166,978 visitors in 2010.5 The global tourism industry is evolving as economic hardships modify consumer behavior, globalization creates better educated and more demanding travelers, and social media steps into the industry spotlight. These trends are pressuring the Jordanian industry to step up in an everevolving market to meet these new trends. The economic crisis of 2009 had a strong impact on tourism. Arrivals dropped at least 6% internationally with harder hits in Europe (-8%) and the Middle East (-18%).6 As it played out, the industry was glad to

see that vacations were one of the last things to be given up Europe-wide, and that different market groups behaved differently in crisis; nature-based tourism was the last to slow down and the first to recover.7 The economic crisis pushed the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) to escalate its efforts in reaching out to new source markets and strengthening the promotion of the more resilient niche markets. The JTB invested in a network of new representation offices and/or promotional efforts in Brazil, China, Australia, Turkey, Argentina, Chile, and India, to name a few. Tour operators today are under pressure by more knowledgeable and demanding tourists looking for tailor-made holidays that appeal to their interests. Specialization has become a necessity for tour operators; some have grown from the traditional package tour and are offering specialized trips including bird-watching, ecotourism, adventure tourism, and voluntourism—a wise investment given the resilient nature of these market segments. Others have yet to follow suit. Facebook is shaping 2012 travel decsions, according to Forbes. According to a 2011 poll featured on UK-based flight comparison site Skyscanner.com, 52% of Facebook users stated that seeing friends’

vacation pictures inspired them to book a trip to that particular place. Numerous recent statistics speak to the revelatory link between social media and travel decisiveness. In addition, the World Travel Market 2011 Industry Report states that 22% of travel companies generate revenue from social media efforts. Tourism specialists in Jordan, specifically the ones specializing in nature-based tourism, should have social media in the forefront of their strategies as a primary way to generate travel bookings and revenue. There are still a lot of challenges to overcome within Jordan’s tourism sector. Many tour operators and most tourists are not aware of all the activities they can do in the country, thus limiting their length of stay. There is always the fear factor; after all, the region often fills the news with unfair depictions of Arabs and Muslims, leading travelers to think twice before booking that flight. Lastly, there is a lot of room for product development in Jordan, bringing up the quality of the existing products and creating the necessary environment to develop new ones. One thing is for certain, though: tourism has been changing the expressions on those puzzled faces and putting the country on the global map. We can only expect that to grow.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 35

PERMANENT BUILDING TYPOLOGIES IN SHOBAK BASHAR TALEB

bashar taleb

Teaching Assistant, University of Toronto

The cluster of villages found in the region of Shobak is experiencing rapid and multifaceted social and economic shifts. Architecture is one of the most tangible symptoms of this change. Since the creation of the modern state of Jordan, Jordanian society transformed from exclusively rural communities dependent on an agriculturebased economy into predominantly urban communities connected to an increasingly globalized world. This phenomenon is perhaps a result of the migration of qualified labor forces from the villages toward urban centers in search of work opportunities and alternative lifestyles. Immediate consequences of these demographic and economic changes were a decrease of agricultural production and the drastic transformation of the once traditional village, architecture notwithstanding.

36 ESSAYS

The architecture of the traditional Jordanian village is shaped by its social, economic, and environmental conditions. In the Shobak region, villages were established close to water sources—typically water springs. Gracefully engaging the rugged landscapes of the region, these villages are situated in close proximity to, but not encroaching on, arable land. The people of Shobak lived in temporary, mobile dwellings, such as goat-hair tents, or naturally occurring caves, as well as permanent houses built with stone.1 The latter can be categorized into two groups: the traditional village house and frontcourt, and structures appended to natural landscape features. The typical Shobak village house is composed of two parts: the stone built structure and the open frontcourt or hosh.2 The house has a rectangular plan set in varying dimensions. The walls of the buildings are constructed of hewed rectangular stones. The 500 mm thick walls have a double layer of stones spaced about 200 mm apart. The cavity is filled with mud grout, large stones, and dry organic materials. The specific thickness of the walls was employed to control the extremely hot temperatures during summer and retain

warmth during the colder seasons. One distinguishing feature in the Shobak village house is the absence or minimal use of windows. Instead, small square-shaped openings, set on a high elevation, are used to facilitate air circulation. All doorways and windows have lintels constructed with naturally available long, flat pieces of stone, or strong arar3 wood trunks.4 Typically, the traditional village house has one to four parabola-shaped stone arches, depending on the desired depth of the space and length of available beams. Set parallel to the front door, these arches segment the plan into smaller bays. As noted by Jordanian architect Ammar Khammash, in some Shobak houses arches are replaced by two short walls set perpendicular and abutting to the exterior walls. The walls are connected with two thick beams.5 In this scheme a shorter span is achieved and shorter beams are used for the roof structure. The arches support a composite roof structure of three layers. The bottom layer is made of wooden beams arranged in the shorter span between the arches. Occasionally, steel beams salvaged from the Hijazi railway track are used alongside the wooden logs, a surprisingly com-

mon practice throughout Jordan.6 Inside the house, the ceiling is plastered with mortar and painted with lime rock paint. The intermediate layer is composed of dry organic materials laid over reeds. Meanwhile, the third and top layer is composed of mud grout mixed with straw to provide much needed thermal insulation. In some cases, the flat roofs were also occupiable and served as a frontcourt for a house on a higher elevation. The interior of the village dwelling is primarily used for sleep, while a large space is designated for storage of grains. In the Shobak village house, grain is stored in large clay silos built by the village women. These bins are highly stylized and are decorated with abstract vegetal forms, eye-shaped motifs, and Qur’anic verses— to ward off the evil eye.7 The architecture of the traditional Jordanian village reflected the social practices and lifestyle of its users. The community of the village consisted of one or many large extended families/clans and tribal groupings. These groups tended to live in close proximity and would employ the frontcourt as a central planning element. The frontcourt is defined as an open physical space surrounded by one or several dwellings belonging to one or many

families with a shared lineage. Around the frontcourt each house was occupied by one family, or a smaller unit of the larger family. Meanwhile, the larger family would gather in the frontcourt and, hence, this space played the important role of preserving kinship and identity within the community. In a given village we can observe several such spaces flanked by smaller spaces and houses. Eventually, with the passage of time, the physical borders between families are less visible and the village is transformed into an assortment of adjacent open courts. The frontcourt as a space readily served the economic needs of the agricultural community. A small structure usually adjacent or opposite to the main house and flanking the court was designated as a stable for domestic animals. The frontcourt was also the ideal space for certain agricultural production activities, including daily cooking, screening wheat and barley, packing the surplus for storage, grinding seeds, and drying vegetables on the roofs of the houses for winter consumption.8 In the Shobak region, many stone structures are constructed as appendages to natural landscape features, such as caves and large boulders, or are simply affixed to the topography of the hillside. Examples include:

Houses Built as Appendages to Caves These dwellings are constructed into the steep hillside by enclosing a naturally occurring cave with a wall or constructing a building that protrudes out of the natural cavity. The interior of the house can be further adjusted by digging into the soft limestone of the hill.9 Examples of this typology are seen at the village of Abu Makhtoub and the nearby clusters of houses locally known as Tor Abu Ras. Houses Attached to Large Boulders At the village of Al-Mgar’iyeh, large boulders are used as pre-existing walls for otherwise typical village houses. Houses on the Contours of the Hillside This is a common feature of village architecture in Shobak. These fully integrated houses had minimal impact on the landscape. Built from materials found in the immediate environs, these houses cascade down along the hillside, often using pre-existing topography as a back wall, while the open space immediately preceding the building is transformed into a terraced pathway. Today, the village house found in the region of Shobak retains some of the characteristics of its predecessors, however it falls short in many ways. To a degree, the contemporary village house is unsuit-

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 37

able for an agricultural lifestyle since it provides little storage space and has no open space for daily social activities and for animal husbandry. Another departure from the traditional village house are the changes in both materiality and building practices. The contemporary village house has a concrete frame with concrete cinder block walls; since it is a common practice in Jordan to build without thermal insulation, these houses lack any of the environmental responsiveness found in their predecessors. Hence, there is a dire need for architects to reinvent the Shobaki village house of tomorrow, which will respond to its environmental and cultural context while answering its users’ current lifestyle needs.

38 ESSAYS

NOTES (ESSAYS) LESSONS FROM PETRA 1. These figures are significantly lower than those in 2010, probably due to the unrest in the region in the wake of the Arab Spring at the outset of 2011. In 2010, Petra attracted 975,000 tourists, of which 876,200 were foreign tourists. 2. S. Beioley, “Green Tourism, Soft or Sustainable?” Insights 6 (1994/1995): 75–89. 3. D. Throsby, “Cultural Capital and Sustainability Concepts in the Economics of Cultural Heritage,” in Assessing the Values of Cultural Heritage, edited by Marta de la Torre, Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Institute, 2002, pp. 101–117. 4. V.T.C. Middleton and R. Hawkins, Sustainable Tourism, A Marketing Perspective, Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, 1998. 5. F.P. Bosselman, C.A. Peterson, and C. McCarthy, Managing Tourism Growth: Issues and Applications, Washington, DC: Island Press, 1999. 6. Retrieved August 29, 2012: http://www.501places. com/2011/03/entrance-fees-to-the-7-wondersof-the-world-how-much-is-too-much/. 7. Retrieved August 29, 2012: http:// www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread. jspa?threadID=2043676. 8. M. Robinson, “Cultural Conflicts in Tourism: Inevitability and Inequality,” in Tourism and Cultural Conflicts, edited by M. Robinson and P. Boniface, Oxon and New York: CABI Publishing, 1999, pp. 1–32. 9. J. Shoup, “The Impact of Tourism on the Bedouin of Petra,” Middle East Journal 39 (1985), no. 2: 277–91.

10. Ibid. 11. Ibid. 12. Retrieved August 29, 2012: http://www. thenational.ae/news/world/middle-east/jordansbedouins-consider-returning-to-caves#. 13. AlRai Daily, August 21, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2012: http://www.alrai.com/article/533936. 14. A. Shryock, “The New Jordanian Hospitality: House, Host, and Guest in the Culture of Public Display,” Comparative Studies in Society and History 35 (2004), no. 1: 35–62. 15. Mansaf is a traditional lamb and rice dish accompanied by a stew prepared from dried yogurt that is produced locally. THE “ECO” IN JORDANIAN TOURISM 1. Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Jordan National Tourism Strategy 2011–2015, 2011. 2. M. Reid and W. Schwab, “Barriers to Sustainable Development, Jordan’s Sustainable Tourism Strategy,” Journal of Asian and African Studies 41 (October 2006), no. 5–6: 439–57. 3. H. Ceballos-Lascuráin, Tourism, Ecotourism and Protected Areas, Gland, Switzerland: IUCN, 1996. 4. P. Schneider, P. Latkova, and C. Vogt, “Consumers’ Need for Uniqueness: Seeking the Trait UNWTO Through Adventure Travel,” Travel and Tourism Research Association, 2008. 5. The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, Annual Report, 2010. 6. E. Smeral, The Effects of the Financial and Economic Crisis on Tourism Activities, EURAC, Bolzano/ Bozen: Austrian Institute of Economic Research, 2009.

7. M. Hartmann, Consumer and Travel Trends in Times of the Financial Crisis, Berlin: GfK, ITB Berlin, 2012. PERMANENT BUILDING TYPOLOGIES IN SHOBAK 1. F. al-Rishayidah, “Tarikh al-Shawbak,” in The History of the Shobak, Amman: Wizarat al-Thaqafah, 2009, p. 133; H. al-‘Arabi. “Jawlah bayna al-athar,” in An Archeological Tour (2), Irbid: Dar al-Kindi, 2002, p. 263. 2. An hosh, as they are known in colloquial Jordanian Arabic, is an open semi-private or private frontcourt or courtyard. 3. The preferred type of wood used in the Shobak village house is the native arar (tetraclinis) tree. The arar is a very strong species wood from the cypress family. Elsewhere in Jordan oak wood is used. 4. A. Khammash, Notes on Village Architecture in Jordan, Lafayette, Louisiana: Arabesque Int., 1995, p. 76. 5. Ibid. 6. From personal observation. 7. A. Khammash, Notes on Village Architecture in Jordan, Lafayette, Louisiana: Arabesque Int., 1995, p. 79. 8. A. Alhusban and A. Al-Shorman, “The Social, Political and Economic Functions of Courtyard Houses in Umm Qais, Northern Jordan,” International Journal of Historical Archaeology 15(2011): 7. 9. A. Khammash, Notes on Village Architecture in Jordan, Lafayette, Louisiana: Arabesque Int., 1995, p. 75.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 39

40 SECTION OF THE BOOK THAT WE’RE IN

METHODOLOGY

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 41

THE TEAM DANIELS FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE, LANDSCAPE, AND DESIGN, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

aziza Chaouni

nick roland

Gladys Cheung

mani k. tabrizi

Avis Yau

lisa Sato

Crystal Waddell

keren golan

Bashar Taleb

Brendan Whitsitt

yi (Louis) Liu

Amanda chong

Rodolphe El-Khoury

michel caron

sara Kamalvand

Assistant Professor, University of Toronto

Teaching Assistant

M.Arch Alumnus, Teaching Assistant

GUEST CRITICS

katy chey Architect

david j. lieberman

Associate Professor, University of Toronto

Luna Khirfan

Assistant Professor, University of Waterloo

Associate Professor, University of Toronto

Architect

Architect

GRAPHIC DESIGN

taymoore balbaa

Assistant Professor, Ryerson University

42 METHODOLOGY

Abdel Munem Amin

Real Estate Operations, University of Toronto

guilherme lassance

Associate Professor, UFRJ

Alfredo Brillembourg

Chair of Architecture and Urban Design, ETH Zurich

kristina ljubanovic

Ladan Sharifpour

THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE

yehya khaled

tarek Abulhawa

Mahmoud Bdour

ANAS abu yahya

AMER MAMOUH

ADNAN

Director

Project Director

Project Manager

Raed Alkhawaldeh

Dana Tourism Manager

ma’en Smadi

Dana Director

OMAR abed

Fauna Researcher

m Team Flora Researcher

Dana Manager

Ranger

Ali MAZAIMEH

Logistics Officer

AMjED tawara

Fauna Researcher

RSCN COLLABORATORS

Bashar Lisa

Lisa

MUNA HAdDAD

Tourism Consultant

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

Dana

dana hasala

Architectural Consultant

RSCN

Dana Muna

chris Johnson

Director, Wild Jordan, USAID RSCN

Muna MOHAMED Tawara

Freelance Guide

PETRA DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

SalamRaed RSCN

sabah

SabahSalam

hanin

Sabah Nahid

NAHID

Nahid Hanin

PETRA AUTHORITY DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM AUTHORITY PETRA DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM

SALAM Hanin

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 43

METHODOLOGY aziza chaouni The choice of methods for developing the Shobak masterplan was guided by both the wish to test innovative planning approaches and the agenda of the RSCN: to develop a new protected area typology, one in which local stewardship and involvement are central. The RSCN’s vision, and the methods it entails, reflects a major shift in protected areas’ definition and agency. The masterplan conceives of the protected area’s actual establishment as the result of a series of measures taken inside and in the vicinity of the PA. These measures aim to incentivize stewardship and strengthen institutions while introducing a series of economic opportunities for locals as well as ecotourism development. Rather than a final, preestablished goal, the formal delineation of the protected area is a possible end. This approach is not advanced to shift the responsibility of running and managing a national protected area onto civil society, but rather is deliberately chosen for its capacity for resilience. Whatever unfolds, the masterplan is crafted to ensure the safeguarding of Shobak’s landscapes. What should be the method used to develop such an unorthodox definition of protected areas?

44 METHODOLOGY

Shifts In Protected Areas’ Role The world’s system of protected areas has grown exponentially over the past 25 years, particularly in developing countries where biodiversity is greatest. In parallel, the mission of protected areas has expanded from biodiversity conservation to improving human welfare.1 This change in protected areas’ role echoes the significant changes in global conservation discourses and practices, which have integrated the language and approaches of socio-economic development and participatory natural resource management into their own narratives. At the 1982 World Parks Congress in Bali, the consensus emerged that “protected areas in developing countries will survive only insofar as they address human concerns.”2 A few years later in 1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission) reiterated the importance of integrating biodiversity conservation with sustainable economic development.3 In 1992, the World Parks Congress promulgated the same goals, yet went one step further and encouraged conservationists to conceive of scenarios in which conservation and human use of resources occur simul-

taneously.4 An international commitment to these goals was established in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit (UN Conference on Environment and Development), in which countries drafted the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)5 to address the loss of biodiversity and develop mechanisms for funding.6 After multiple debates regarding definition of key terms, the CBD adopted the following, more conventional definition of biological diversity: “the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems.”7 To answer the complex nature of protected management and biodiversity conservation, the World Commission on Protected Areas developed six different management categories that can be sorted as: (a) areas managed primarily for biodiversity conservation (categories I and II); and (b) areas managed mainly for the sustainable use of resources (categories III–VI).8 Today, around 83.6% of protected areas allow human activities within their precincts. This fact corroborates the shift in favor of pro-

tected areas allowing local resource use as well as tourism-related facilities and activities. Moreover, the group’s advocates for protected areas have grown far beyond ecologists, foresters, and recreational land-use planners to include development agencies, indigenous people’s leaders, farmers, hydrologists, and human rights advocates. Both this upsurge of support and their dual goals has led to an ever-moreambitious agenda for protected areas. In developing world countries such as Jordan, this agenda is made even more complex by the political volatility of the region. Protected areas are expected to address seemingly irreconcilable goals: preserving natural areas and meeting the needs of visitors and locals.9 To operationalize a plurality of objectives inside protected areas and their periphery, there is a need for specific planning and management principles that support the newly expanded socio-economic goals of protected areas. Protected areas and their adjacent territories are in fact interdependent, as one influences the other. Despite their morphological and functional differences, they must be understood in a complementary and symbiotic manner. The role of the buffer zone is to mitigate threats and to respond to socio-economic needs of

local populations.10 11 To respond to pro- guarantees full participation of local comtected areas’ agency, a multidisciplinary munities in conservation and management approach thus seems necessary. of these protected areas. Most notably, IEM was adopted by the RSCN in its World Integrated Ecological Management Bank-funded Rift Valley Project as a new Approach national model for biodiversity.13 Integrated Ecosystem Management or Although there are many definitions of IEM seems an appropriate tool for ap- IEM, there is a consensus on some of its prehending the complex role of protected core principles.14 Recurrent themes in areas, and in particular Shobak. IEM of- discussions about IEM include: a requirefers a holistic approach that integrates ment that environmental goals should be all components of the ecosystem (air, soil, treated on the same footing, and at the water, and organisms including humans) same time, as the economic and social and ecosystem functions in a broad per- goals; a dedicated management processes spective that encompasses environmen- collaborative; a focus on long-term and tal, social, and economic dimensions. IEM sustainable results; the delimitation of the is the method of choice for national parks boundaries of the study area in different and protected areas for many countries, ecosystems; adaptive management and including, since the ‘90s, both Canada12 resilience; and recognition of temporal and and Jordan. Since the earth summit (1992), spatial scales.15 the RSCN has altered its management apBeyond the above strategies, the Shoproach from having “isolated islands” of bak masterplan proposes to extend the protected areas with no interference or scope of the IEM approach to the fields participation of local people to IEM, an of architecture and landscape, namely integrated approach that takes into con- in zones inside and adjacent to protected sideration the ecological, social, and eco- areas, which, paradoxically, are not usunomic aspects in protected areas manage- ally incorporated by IEM. This omission is ment. The RSCN aims to use IEM to conserve all the more shocking because the most biodiversity and integrate its conservation severe threats facing national parks stem programs with socio-economic develop- from unsustainable buildings, land use, ment in a network of protected areas that and landscape systems.16 Thus, the mas-

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 45

terplan instrumentalizes the IEM approach to regulate human activities through interdisciplinary collaboration. Buildings, landscape, and infrastructure should be designed to minimize their impact on their environment and assist in the conservation and restoration of habitats in the protected area (for instance, roofs can be designed to store, manage, and direct stormwater towards areas in need of rehabilitation). Similarly, the protected area and its ecosystems are conceptualized to benefit targeted stakeholders, mainly through ecotourism activities. (Note that not all stakeholders will be beneficiaries.) In our vision of IEM, the protected area and its surroundings form an adaptive, fluid, and flexible system, which ignores the traditional separation between the protected area and the “beyond.” This conceptualization of IEM as symbiosis between design disciplines and ecology is popular among urban ecologists and landscape ecologists, who see it as a way to create a resilient urban/natural interface that has the ability to adapt to environmental changes. This collaboration is not without difficulty because, as underlined by Ahern17 and Lister,18 the design disciplines tend to define “site” as a fixed entity, which does not correspond to

46 METHODOLOGY

the complexity of ecological systems.19 When planning is accepted as a dynamic system, which is self-organizing, the concept of sustainability is no longer static. So, rather than aspire to integrate linear/ fixed planning and formal concepts, the sustainable protected area of tomorrow should be resilient. It should be conceived with a capacity to accommodate failures, yet without compromising its conceptual integrity: safeguarding biodiversity and insuring locals’ welfare.20 By considering the institutionalized delineation of Shobak not as a necessity, but as a possible end, the Shobak masterplan does just that. Departing from our interpretation of the IEM approach, we have outlined three typologies of tools used on top of usual biodiversity and ecosystem conservation criteria in order to construct actions for the Shobak masterplan: • Social tools, which include: local involvement and local benefits. • Systems tools, which include: waste management, waste procurement, waste water treatment, passive systems, and energy sources. • Building tools, which include: building techniques and materials. These tools are conceived as strategies to be assembled to form different compo-

nents of the masterplan. In the approach of protected area planning usually utilized by the RSCN and other nations, sustainable design practices and local involvement come after the establishment of the protected area. In the case of Shobak, they are not an afterthought but rather the cornerstone of the masterplan, which views the actual formal establishment of the protected area in a subsequent phase. Process and Schedule The masterplan was developed during the summer and fall of 2012 by the Designing Ecological Tourism (DET) team at the University of Toronto, in collaboration with the RSCN staff and Canadian and Jordanian experts and scholars. The masterplan departed from both data collected by the RSCN and the research developed by a graduate option studio course taught during the 2012 winter semester by Aziza Chaouni, the director of DET. In its effort to establish Shobak as a special conservation area, the RSCN assembled over two years a rich database on the geology, hydrology, fauna, flora, and social groups of the area. Conversely, the option studio at Daniels researched processes of stakeholder involvement and implementation of design projects in

the developing world as well as innovative sustainable technologies suited to arid climates. Students from the option studio spent a week in Shobak and worked in thematic groups in collaboration with the RSCN to complement the existing site data. Students later developed speculative ideas for Shobak’s future and for ecoaccommodations. The pedagogical intent of the course was to introduce students not only to a foreign site with a different design culture, but also to stakeholders and an NGO with whom they could interact and collaborate. Throughout the course, professors and experts from Toronto and the RSCN critiqued the research and contributed to a rich dialogue on the role of design vis-à-vis protected area planning. Working hand in hand with the RSCN staff and expert consultants, namely Chris Johnson, Dana Halasa, and Muna Haddad, DET set up priorities for planning goals, phasing strategies, and zones of ecotourism development. The aforementioned masterplan criteria were derived not only from discussions and workshops between the RSCN, DET, and expert collaborators, but also from research led by DET. This research proceeded from the data collected by the RSCN and the studio course, including the case study of

exemplary design projects focusing on The results were analyzed and evaluatsocial welfare and the analysis of inno- ed depending on the Reserves Evaluation vative sustainable building and energy guide, and they served to define the goals strategies. DET analysis also covered an and criteria of the masterplan. in-depth site examination, supported by both cartographic and in situ investigations led in July 2012. While on site, the work methodology comprised recording the observations in the daily walk at the working area, according to a pre-established route. During the study, a map that had been prepared by the RSCN’s geographical information systems team was used to illustrate the routes and preliminary boundaries of the site. The map also showed the names of the most important valleys in the study area and its topography. There was also a heavy reliance on the Global System Signature devices (the Garmin Etrex type), with an accuracy value of approximately 5 m, in order to record all spatial points of interest. The walks lasted a full day, during which the team identified the plant and animal species as well as panorama points, landmarks, and architectural artifacts. The team then recorded their locations, identifying the plant vegetation, plant species collection, and risks and opportunities for the development of the location.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 47

NOTES (METHODOLOGY) 1. L. Naughton-Treves, M. Buck Holland, and K. Brandon,“The Role of Protected Areas in Conserving Biodiversity and Sustaining Local Livelihoods,” Annual Review of Environment and Resources 30 (2005): 219–52. 2. D. Western and M. Pearl, eds., Conservation for the Twenty-First Century, New York: Oxford University Press, 1989. 3. C. Brundtland, The Report of the Brundtland Commission: Our Common Future, London: Oxford University Press, 1987. 4. K. Brandon, K.H. Redford, and S.E. Sanderson, eds., Parks in Peril: People, Politics and Protected Areas, Washington, DC: Island, 1998. 5. Secretariat Convention on Biological Diversity, Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992. Retrieved September 15, 2012: http://www.cbd.int/doc/ legal/cbd-en.pdf. 6. By 2012, the CBD had been ratified by 179 governments, including Jordan. The US has not yet ratified the CBD. 7. Secretariat Convention on Biological Diversity, Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992. Retrieved September 15, 2012: http://www.cbd.int/doc/ legal/cbd-en.pdf. 8. UN Environ, Programme World Conserv. Monit. Cent., 2005. Retrieved September 14, 2012: http:// web.mnstate.edu/wisenden/TFB2014/NaughtonTreves%202005.pdf. 9. J.C. Miles, Wilderness in National Parks— Playground or Preserve, Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2009.

48 METHODOLOGY

10. D. Martino, “Buffer Zones Around Protected Areas: A Brief Literature Review,” Electronic Green Journal 1 (2001), no. 15. Retrieved September 1, 2012: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/02n4v17n. 11. C.L. Shafer, “US National Park Buffer Zones: Historical, Scientific, Social, and Legal Aspects,” Environmental Management 23 (January 1999), no. 1: 49–73. 12. M.S. Quinn and J. Theberge, “Ecosystem Based Management in Canada: Trends from a National Survey and Relevance to Protected Areas,” in Making Ecosystem Based Management Work: Connecting Managers and Researchers, edited by N. Munro, P. Deardon, T. Herman, K. Beazley, and S. Bondrup-Nielsen, Wolfville: Proceedings of the fifth international conference on science and management of protected areas, Science and Management of Protected Areas Association, 2004. 13. Retrieved September 15, 2012: http://www. rscn.org.jo/orgsite/RSCN/AboutRSCN/OurProjects/ CurrentProjects/IntegratedEcosystemManage mentintheJordanRift/tabid/182/Default.aspx. 14. S.L. Yaffee,“Three Faces of Ecosystem Management,” Conservation Biology 13 (1999), no. 4: 724–27. 15. For IEM definitions please refer to: D.B. Botkin, P. Megonigal, and R.N. Sampson, “Considerations of the State of Ecosystem Science and the Art of Ecosystem Management. Background Paper for the SERDP-Sponsored Workshop on ManagementScale Ecosystem Research,” Santa Barbara, CA: Center for the Study of the Environment, 1997; J.F. Franklin, “Ecosystem Management: An Over-

view,” in Ecosystem Management: Applications for Sustainable Forest and Wildlife Resources, edited by M.S. Boyce and A. Haney, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1997, 20–53; M.S. Quinn, “Ecosystem-Based Management,” in Tools for Environmental Management: A Practical Introduction and Guide, edited by D. Thompson, Gabriola Island, BC: New Society Publishers, 2002, 370–82; H.L. Keough and D. J. Blahna, “Achieving Integrative, Collaborative Ecosystem Management,” Conservation Biology 20 (October 2006), no. 5: 1373–82. 16. R.I. McDonald, R.T.T. Forman, P. Kareivac, R. Neugartena, D. Salzerd, and J. Fisher, “Urban Effects, Distance, and Protected Areas in an Urbanizing World,” Landscape and Urban Planning 93 (2009): 63–75. 17. J. Ahern, “Urban Landscape Sustainability and Resilience: The Promise and Challenges of Integrating Ecology with Urban Planning and Design,” Landscape Ecology 21 (September 2012). 18. N.M. Lister, “Sustainable Large Parks: Ecological Design or Designer Ecology?” in Large Parks, edited by G. Hargreaves and J. Czerniak, New York: Architectural Press, 2007, 35–54. 19. Ibid. 20. J. Ahern, “Urban Landscape Sustainability and Resilience: The Promise and Challenges of Integrating Ecology with Urban Planning and Design,” Landscape Ecology 21 (September 2012).

PROCESS MATRIX

Ecological Corridor Tourism Social Aspect Overall Masterplan Adaptive Reuse Dismountable Structure Synthesis Case Studies

Chris Dana Muna

Ec Tr Sa Mp Ar Dis

Faculty

Aziza Chaouni

Re

Re

Re

Avis cs

Syn cs

Crystal cs

Gladys University of Toronto

cs

Students

Keren cs

Lisa cs

Mani

Page Number

cs

Type

Aa Aa

pg

Nick cs

Category Alumni Results 50 METHODOLOGY

First Jordan Review

Theme of Work

Chris Muna Nesreen Dana

Assignment 3: Sustainable Technologies

The RSCN

Luna Michel Alfredo Sara

Assignment 2: Ecolodge Case Studies

Bk Dv Re Ds

Aziza David Brendan Bashar

Assignment 1: Research Methodology

Book Development Research Design

Reviewers:

Tarek

Second Review

Typology of Work

Masterplan

First Review

Case Studies

Yehya

64 Re 62 Re 72 Re 70 Re 68 Re 66 Re

cs cs cs cs cs cs cs

92 Re 88 Re 84 Re Re 76 Re 80 Re

cs cs cs cs cs cs cs

Re Re Re Re

Students Students refined organized in the first draft of 3 groups: their masterplan. Tourism (Tr), Social Aspect(Sa), and Ecological Corridor (Ec).

Trip to Jordan

Daniels team paired up with the RSCN team for each category to conduct research in their field.

Re

Ds/Re

Sa Gladys Crystal Avis

Sa Aziza Mahmoud The RSCN Team 1

Ds/Re

Sa

Ds/Re

Ds/Re

Tr Mani Lisa

Tr

Ds

Ds/Re Ec Nick Keren

Ds/Re

Ec

Ds/Re Tr

Re Re

Mahmoud

Mp

Bashar Muna Dana The RSCN Team 2

Ds/Re Tr

Bashar

Chris Brendan The RSCN Team 3

Brendan Preliminary Masterplan

Refined Masterplan

On-site Research

Ecolodge Design

Three different approaches combined within one masterplan. pg

Students divided into two teams designing two types of ecolodge: one a restoration of a village and another for a demountable ecolodge.

Tent Ecolodge Ds/Re

Ds

Ds

Proposal for Final Masterplan

Mp

Refined Masterplan

Tent Ecolodge Ds/Dv

Dis Nick Keren Lisa

Dis

Village Ecolodge

Village Ecolodge

Ds/Re Mp

Students refined and developed their design in each category.

Ar Gladys Crystal Avis Mani

Designing Ecolodge

Tarek Dana David Abdel Rodolphe Luna

Masterplan and ecolodges were presented to the RSCN and academic critics.

Final Review 2

The masterplan was refined and developed.

Final Review 1

At the end of the trip a draft of the new masterplan was presented to the RSCN.

Taymoore Dana Luna Abdel Sara

Abdel Guillaume Third Review

Second Jordan Review

Yehya Mahmoud Tarek The RSCN Team 1,2,3 Dana Chris

Three students worked during the summer on the new ecolodge and a new, refined masterplan.

Sponsored Desert Research Ephemera Ecolodge 172 232 Ds/Dv Ds Dis Mp

Nick Keren Mani

Bk Syn

Ladan

Ds/Dv Ar

Exh Syn

Refined Final Masterplan ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 51

A GUIDE HOW TO READ THIS BOOK This is a guide to reading the tools and beneficiaries selected for the masterplan’s actions and to identifying the origin of the material showcased. Each recommended action in the masterplan can be broken down into subcomponents, which are extracted from case studies, field research, and creative practice. These subcomponents include: local involvement, local benefits, waste management, water procurement, wastewater treatment, passive systems, energy sources, building techniques, and materials. The delamination of the masterplan actions into subcomponents not only allows for a bet-

ter understanding of their complex nature, but it also generates an index of tools that could be used in protected area planning in other arid regions. The colored tabs at the lower corners of the book showcase the origin of the research displayed, as the masterplan benefited from both the investigations led during the studio and those by the summer research team, which helped lay a solid foundation for the Shobak masterplan. The identification of the beneficiaries of each action of the masterplan ensures that benefits are equally distributed among all stakeholders.

Overview: Basic concept describing the rationale behind each theme/category

Sections done by the DET research team Tools appear in this area of the page

LOCAL INVOLVEMENT

LOCAL BENEFITS

52 SECTION OF THE BOOK THAT WE’RE IN

WASTE MANAGEMENT

WATER PROCUREMENT

WASTEWATER TREATMENT

Beneficiaries: The primary beneficiaries of the theme/category

Tools: Strategies used to develop the masterplan, based on existing case studies, field research, and collaborations with experts

Sections done by studio students

Tools appear in this area of the page

PASSIVE SYSTEMS

ENERGY SOURCES

BUILDING TECHNIQUES

MATERIALS ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 53

TOOL CATALOGUE LOCAL INVOLVEMENT = SOCIAL TOOLS = SYSTEMS TOOLS = BUILDING TOOLS

Planning: Involving local people in the planning process is vital in ensuring that benefits will be distributed in an effective and appropriate way.

Education: Scholarship programs, direct investment into education, as well as skills training are some ways that a project can impact education.

Skills + Know-How: From building techniques to management style, a project can strongly benefit from applying existing local skills and know-how.

Cultural Environmental Preservation: By involving local tradition in a project or by adapting old ways into sustainable practices (e.g., hunter to ranger program).

Culture Sharing: A project can gain depth and regional relevance if local cultures have an outlet within that project. Food Production: Tying into local food production networks is vital in reducing food miles and the carbon footprint while benefiting local economies. Product Preparation: Involving local people in the production of value-added products is a good way to encourage existing skills or bring in new skills to a region.

54 METHODOLOGY

LOCAL BENEFITS

Direct Employment: The community and a project can benefit by planning jobs and building maintenance according to local abilities. Indirect Employment: Indirect employment is the additional jobs created as a result of the institution’s economic impact. Local companies that provide goods and services to an institution increase their number of employees as purchasing increases, thus creating an employment multiplier.

WASTE MANAGEMENT

WATER PROCUREMENT

Compost: Composting reduces dependency on landfills by bringing uneaten food and organic products back into a productive form: earth.

Well: Groundwater is often available in arid areas where no other obvious source of water exists. It is one of the purest natural sources of water.

Recycling: Processing used materials (waste) into new products reduces demands on natural resources and landfills.

Spring: Springs occur when groundwater naturally surfaces through artesian pressure or when a water table is exposed on a hillside.

Minimized Packaging: Eliminating excess waste at the source is the most effective way to impact the waste generated by a project.

Rainwater Collection: In arid areas, rain is infrequent and often occurs in the form of flash floods. By harnessing these events, using water towers, water reservoirs connected to roofs, or simple open containers, water can be collected and stored for use during the rest of the year.

WASTEWATER TREATMENT Constructed Wetland: A constructed wetland is an artificial swamp which uses aquatic plants to remove BOD5 and suspended solids from wastewater or water runoff. If properly designed, a wetland can provide substantial wildlife with habitat. Subsurface Flow Wetland: It maintains the water level below the surface of gravel or other media placed in the wetland bed. Significant advantages include lack of odors, lack of mosquitoes and other insect vectors, and minimal risk of public exposure and contact with the water in the system. Solar (UV): Solar Aquatics Systems replicate and optimize natural wetlands processes to treat wastewater. Natural Systems can treat effluent to be used for irrigation of plants, flushing toilets, and groundwater recharge. Ceramic: A ceramic filtering system is an inexpensive and effective technique for filtering water. Dirty water is passed through a silvercoated ceramic filter; the porous ceramic provides filtration and the silver coating is a bactericide.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 55

PASSIVE SYSTEMS Thermal Mass: Reduces temperature extremes by storing thermal energy in the materials of the building. Sun Shade/Overhang: Takes advantage of daily and seasonal changes in sun angles to control and direct sunlight. Cross-Ventilation: Coordinating wind patterns and room design, controlled cross-ventilation provides optimal air quality and thermal comfort.

ENERGY SOURCES Photovoltaic Panels: Convert energy from the sun into electricity that is either used directly or stored in high-efficiency battery packs. Solar Hot Water Heater: Uses solar energy to heat water that is stored in insulated water tanks. Wind Turbine: Converts wind energy into electricity that is either used directly or stored in high-efficiency battery packs.

Double Skin: Though many types exist, double skins provide a buffer between interior and exterior spaces to assure thermal comfort.

Biofuel: A type of energy derived from renewable plant and animal materials. Biofuels are most useful in liquid or gas form because they are easier to transport, deliver, and burn cleanly.

Ventilated Roof: Ventilated roofs reduce solar gain from the sun by providing a ventilated air cavity between the interior space and the sun shade.

Non-Renewable Combustibles: Produce energy derived from non-renewable resources. Oil and coal are currently the most used forms of non-renewable energy.

Deep Window Openings: Control solar gain by limiting the amount of direct sunlight entering a space while allowing natural lighting, views, and ventilation.

56 METHODOLOGY

BUILDING TECHNIQUES Vernacular: The application of local materials and use of traditional building techniques, forms, and typologies. Basic: A building technique that utilizes cheap, easy-to-use, and readily available tools. High-Tech: Building techniques that require expert knowledge and supervision, and sometimes imported materials. Kit-of-Parts/Modular: Allows higher levels of complexity to be achieved without the need for highly skilled labor.

MATERIALS Recyclable Material: Refers to materials that can be easily taken apart and recycled after the building life cycle. Recycled Materials: Refers to materials that are from a recycled source, such as aluminum, steel, and others. Renewable Resource: Refers to materials that are replenished by natural or biological processes. (e.g., wood, bamboo, etc.) Local Material: As important in reducing the carbon footprint as employing local techniques. High-Tech: High-performance materials and innovative system solutions used in a wide range of products for everyday life. Low-Tech: The materials for creating a low-tech system are easily obtainable at relatively low cost. Low-tech materials can be extremely efficient and powerful. Composite/Layered: Combining the properties of different materials can result in a system where the sum is greater than the parts.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 57

58 SECTION OF THE BOOK THAT WE’RE IN

CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 59

CASE STUDIES STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT PROCESSES The first section of the case study chapter describes collaborative public projects. The goal of this analytical research is to extract innovative strategies and design methods that could be applicable to the Shobak masterplan. The case studies are five architectural projects set in the developing world, which house public programs and involve local communities throughout their design process and, sometimes, through their implementation. Each project’s design methods and planning are gathered and then illustrated through a timeline and diagrams that describe the evolving relationships between designers, experts, clients, contractors, local tribes, tourists, and local communities. Collaboration with the stakeholders and local experts is crucial for the success of public projects in the developing world. If communication technologies and computer tools have facilitated a rapid design process and information gathering, it is rarely the case in the developing world, especially in remote desert areas. In such cases, site-specific information is not readily accessible through libraries, primary sources, or the Internet; rather, it resides within the population and local knowledge becomes essential to the design process. This knowledge can be har-

nessed through interviews (case 1), workshops (case 3), or informal events such as parties (case 6). The analysis has also revealed that the involvement of stakeholders in the design process appears to have helped the project’s sustainability and its maintenance after completion. If the project is instigated, developed, and managed by local communities, chances of success have proven high (case 3). However, several cases studies demonstrated that integrating local communities within the design is not a guarantee for the success of the project: lack of funds can hinder its maintenance (case 6) and poor management skills can lead to the development of practices not in line with the project’s original goals (case 5).

60 CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES

ACTORS NGO

Expatriate Community

Government Entity

Consultant

Indigenous Community Foreigner

General Community

Contractor

Architect

Tourist

Tjibaou Cultural Centre, designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop, is an exemplary project for its high integration with indigenous culture.

gladys 6 4

1 page 62

3 It was difficult to decode tribal relationships, territories, and assets from far away because so little documentation is available on the topic.

4

5

2

1

Crystal

2 page 64

Through concerted efforts involving the community in the decision-making process, a coordinated vision was created that became implemented through community involvement.

nick One of the most exciting aspects of the evolution of the design is the architect’s presentation of the images and concept of the final scheme to the community, the client, and the different government officials.

keren

Despite taking all the right steps in terms of community involvement and planning with the local indigenous people, the UKTCC, through mismanagement, failed to meet its goals.

6 page 72

lisa

3 page 66

Comparing two schools of similar types and scales, we can isolate patterns; namely the difference between focusing on research before construction or combining it with the designbuild phase.

5 page 70

mani

4 page 68

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 61

TJIBAOU CULTURAL CENTRE NOUMÉA, NEW CALEDONIA Client: French Government Architect: Renzo Piano Building Workshop Project Type: Cultural Center Year: 1991–1998 Case Study By: Gladys Cheung The Tjibaou Cultural Centre is representative of the success of careful research methodologies and attentiveness to feedback. Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW) was selected through a competition process to design a cultural center in Nouméa, New Caledonia. The project was developed and completed despite much political controversy over the independent status sought by the Kanaks from French colonial rule. It is named after Jean-Marie Tjibaou, the leader of the independence movement who was assassinated in 1989 and who had a vision of establishing a cultural center which blended the linguistic and artistic heritage of the Kanak people. RPBW’s vision reflected this goal. RPBW attempted to address the Kanaks’ aspirations for this center throughout the design development and construction phases. For example, RPBW’s project manager, Paul Vincent, worked closely with anthropologists and landscape architects in order to build a landscape setting around the center that responded to the Kanaks’ reverence to nature, and RPBW’s constant engagement with the community representatives helped fine-tune its design. The result is an architectural symbol of the Kanak heritage that overcame all existing controversy surrounding the commission of the project and one that truly relates to the indigenous culture.

62 CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES

Study & Analysis Actors Consultants (Engineers) Interviews Commissioned in 1991

Consultants (Anthropologists) Interviews Renzo Piano Building Workshop Site Visits & Surveys

French Government Site Architect (Paul Vincent)

Interviews Consultants (Landscape Architects)

Design Development

Construction

Opened to Public in June 1998

Affected Parties Provide info about their cultural and social needs and local traditions Indigenous Kanak

Director of the Tjibaou Centre

Site (Tina Peninsula)

Provide info about how the center operates and how it relates to the local Kanaks

Geological, ecological, and climatic constraints and significance to the Kanaks

Feedback Loop

Response

Implementation

Evaluation

Results

Proposal

Contractors

Inspection

Grand Opening

Provide info about what will be implemented in the cultural center

N

Agency for the Development of Kanak Culture (ADCK) Feedback Loop Feedback Loop

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 63

RED LOCATION MUSEUM OF STRUGGLE PORT ELIZABETH, SOUTH AFRICA Client: The Mayor of Mandela Municipality Architect: Noero Wolff Architects Project Type: Masterplan and Museum Year: 1998–2005 Case Study By: Crystal Waddell

Boer and English army barracks buildings relocated at end of Second Boer War to New Brighton, Port Elizabeth. Became Red Location (one of the oldest black townships in SA), though it was initially a mixed-race, working-class town.

The Red Location Museum by Noero Wolff Architects is exemplary for its engagement of the history and actions of national struggles associated with its site. Located in the first settled black township of Port Elizabeth, Red Location’s name refers to the color of the site’s corrugated iron barracks actually built from concentration camps during the Boer War. The informal development of houses and buildings in the early 20th century and onwards illustrates a complex past. How this past is remembered is the main goal of the architects, who cite professor of comparative literature Andreas Huyssen’s ideas as shaping theirs and henceforth the building. The architects see the past as multifaceted, “represented as a set of memories that are disconnected yet bound together by themes.” They use the analogy of the Memory Box, traditionally used by migrant workers to hold their most valuable possessions, to fashion the interior spaces of the museum. Twelve unmarked, rusted boxes (each two cubes high) are located under the shed-like space. Each box contains a singular exhibition or “experience,” with the space in between intended for reflection.

Group Areas Act passed. All non-black residents forced to move from New Brighton and other black residents moved in. Red Location became a center for the anti-apartheid movement.

Jo Noero designed/built churches and Jo Noero, realized part of anti- numerous apartheid low-income movement in housing South Africa. projects.

1903

64 CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES

1950

1952

1956

1979

1982

?

Apartheid Government attempts to demolish Red Location and mitigate protests, which instead increased.

NEW

Lisa Findley suggests that apartheid was the first step in the struggle that continues today. The museum must therefore not be only about memory, but about current events, about the history that’s being created daily in the nation.

Expat Community

Indigenous Community

The Mayor of Mandela Municipality Design competition to restore The municipality first Second construction delay: Municipal council worked with the community to help houses in Red Location while built a tree-shaded providing residents with a street and bus station members representing push the project forward with the intended vision. They came up with a library, art center, gallery, in front of where the white neighbourhoods new name for the museum, The who endured reduced market hall, conference museum was to be center, and accommodations, located as a symbol of wealth suggested money Museum of Struggle, as well as discussed the focus and content of with an Apartheid Museum as the construction that be relocated to other the museum. projects. its central piece. was to come. Created rotating system for unskilled The 30 million rand that went into the project Community ensured that Community organized a project committee to serve laborers: every 3 months a new pool of could have paid for 1,500 new houses in the funds for this project be as representatives of the community during placed in secure account construction. Committee elected a project coordina- 90 workers rotated onto the job as a community. The community, when way to give many more opportunities tor to work on-site full time and serve as a liaison so that municipal confronted with this option, chose the between builders, architects, the community, and the in both training and making money. museum despite the fact that a large number government couldn’t municipality, as well as a mediator for labor issues. raid the account. of them live in desperate conditions. Apartheid ended. Plans to build museums to honor those who fought against it. Prior to this date, black people were not allowed into museums.

Museum opened.

The main issue for planning the museum was to ensure acceptance for both present and future within the Red Location neighborhood.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu named Jo Noero Architect for the Transvaal diocese. Jo Noero and Heinrich Wolff established Noero Wolff Architects.

Noero Wolff won competition to design the museum.

Architect

Tourist

Consultant

Contractor

?

First construction delay: The community demanded that housing be built first. SIDAfunded housing designed by Noero Wolff Architects.

N

?

Local Community

Municipality hires an equity partnership contractor that consists of a black builder and an old white construction company.

Foreigner

Construction time and budget have to be increased due to rotation of unskilled workers.

Government

Long-term goal: Masterplan designed to eventually include library, arts center, market hall, sports center.

Construction begins.

?

N

NGO

Architecture

1985 1986

1994

1998

2000

2001

2003

2004

2005

2012

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 65

KUO-HAIN VILLAGE NATURE PRESERVE KUO-HAIN VILLAGE, TAIWAN Client: Kuo-Hain Village Designer: Building & Planning Foundation, National Taiwan University Project Type: Masterplan and Nature Preserve Year: 1998–2005 Case Study By: Nick Roland

Taiwanese Government Occasional Government Infrastructure Project: Little Input by the Villagers BPRF National Taiwan

Concept: Masterplan focused on ecotourism potential based on natural and cultural assets.

Landscape Architect

This project is a masterplan conceived in University Research and Proposals the wake of a major natural disaster in the village of Kuo-Hain, Taiwan. It called for a Youth Moving Preliminary Prelim. Goal: Preliminary to Cities coordinated vision that included environDesign Design Community Proposal mental remediation, social infrastructure, Dwindling Charette Rejected: Empowerment Masterplan Agriculture and an economic plan with ecotourism at Economic Unfeasible/ Plan Unnecessary Community its core. Community Community Agricultural Local Liaison Meeting Meeting Meeting The project’s inclusive process shows Society Housewives’ in Decline Local Liaison the importance of community participaGroups Major Earthquake Village with tion and engagement in the early planning Common Goals phases of a project with a limited budget. Kuo-Hain Environmental “A masterplan would allow the villagers to take Indeed, the community felt empowered Village Degradation some degree of initiative in public works by the masterplan methodology that they Deforestation Major Damage projects.” helped develop with the Taiwan National to Housing Stock Conclusion 1: The village is in need of a masterand Other University and became key actors in its plan. Facts: There are no official plans or fiscal Infrastructure implementation. mechanisms at the village scale. Villages are recipients of public works projects but are The community showed their collective marginally, if at all, involved in their conception. strength when they began implementing Conclusion 2: The community is in need of an parts of this vision independently, without Economic Alternative to Agriculture, which the need for outside coordination. has been in decline. Defining Scope of Work

News A

bout Cr

isis

N

Mandate 1: Extend participation to diverse community groups. Mandate 2: Base any physical site transformation on scientific grounds. 66 CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES

Government Provides Funding for Phase 1 of Construction

Japanese Specialist Agrees to Provide Pro-Bono Consultation Government Infrastructure Project Influenced by Masterplan and Other Community Achievements

News of funding and involvement of the specialist reaches village

Design Development

Accepted with Changes

Community Work Force

Assessment

Kuo-Hain Village Volunteer Skilled Labor Local Liaison Construction Housewives’ Groups Supervision Masonry Landscape Self-Organized Project Project Community Groups Environmental Site Preparation Clean-Up Construction Project Begins Complete Contractor

Education Session

Community Groups Action Volunteer Skilled Labor Plan Local Liaison Community Community Housewives’ Groups Meeting Meeting

Aftermath and Monitoring

Community Meeting

Stream Management Specialist

Self-Organized Additional Improvements

Community Meeting

BPRF National Taiwan University

Phase 1+2 Design

Implementation

Masterplan: General

$

Phase 2: River Management

N

Phase 1: Pearl Hill Trail

Landscape Architect

Environmental Clean-Up

Community Meeting

Site Preparation Project Continuation

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 67

METI HANDMADE SCHOOL RUDRAPUR, BANGLADESH GHANA SCHOOL DESIGN/BUILD GHANA, HO, KPEDZE TODZE Client: Dipshikha/Modern Education and Training Institute Architect: Anna Heringer and Eike Rosewag Project Type: School Year: 2005–2006 Case Study By: Mani K. Tabrizi

Fundraising

This project was conceived after a long period of on-site research by the architects Heringer and Rosewag based on their study of vernacular architecture and building methods in Rudrapur. The project includes a two-storey school building built with earth and bamboo. Conversations with teachers and students led to the inclusion in the classroom of innovative nooks for napping and playing. Client: Kpedze Todze Leading Faculty: Ian McBurnie Project Type: School Year: 2008 This design/build and research project, led at Ryerson University, focused on the construction of a fast-track small school for the village of Kpedze Todze in Ghana. Parallel to research on sustainable building techniques, faculty members and students from other disciplines (fashion design, education, interior design) joined the team and initiated their own research, with the goal of providing furniture, uniforms, and educational curriculum to the school.

Research & Consultation

N

Research & Design Development

N

$ N

$ 1

2

3

4

1

15 Days 30 Days 15 Days 30 Days 15 Days 30 Days 15 Days 30 Days 15 Days

METI HANDMADE SCHOOL

68 CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES

Research & Design

2

Expat Com

Indigenous C

Fundraising

Construction & In Situ Design

Research Research & Consultation & Design

Construction & In Situ Design

Research & Design Development

Local Com

Archit

Touri

$ N

$

Consult

$

Contra

Meti Handmade School in Bangladesh

?

Future Projects 1

2

Foreign

3

Governm

3

4

1

5

N

NGO

15 Days 30 Days 15 Days 30 Days 15 Days 30 Days

15 Days 30 Days 15 Days 30 Days 15 Days 30 Days 15 Days 30 Days 15 Days 30 Days 15 Days 30 Days

GHANA SCHOOL DESIGN/BUILD

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 69

Archite

ULURU-KATA TJUTA CULTURAL CENTRE ULURU, AUSTRALIA Client: Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Architect: Gregory Burgess Architects Contractor: Sitzler Brothers Project Type: Cultural Center Year: 1990–1995 Case Study By: Lisa Sato The need for a cultural center was identified in the Uluru Park’s first plan of management in 1986, which recommended that a cultural center be established for the following purposes: 1) presentation of interpretive material relating to traditional culture; 2) display and sale of contemporary aboriginal art and crafts; 3) display of park history; and 4) the conduct of other appropriate Anangu-controlled cultural and commercial activities. Anangu are the aboriginal tribes associated with the park’s lands. In September 1990, Gregory Burgess Architects was commissioned to produce a design brief. They set up a work studio in the Mutitjulu community where Anangu and other interested parties could comment on the requirements of the proposed building. Anangu made sure that everyone involved in the process learned about Tjukurpa, the foundation of Anangu culture: it provides the rules for behavior for living together. The Mutitjulu community members and design consultants worked together on the texts and concepts. Artists from the Mutitjulu community worked on paintings, ceramics, glass, wood, video, and audio-visual displays. Joint management and other topics of interest within the national park are presented at the information desk. The aspirations of Anangu are represented in owned and operated businesses including souvenir stores, cafés, and guided tours.

70 CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES

Settlers increase

Tourism increases

? 1688

1944

1986

Sept 1990

William Dampier visits area

Tourism starts in area

Discussion of building a cultural center for the Anangu

Gregory Burgess Architects commissioned

Burgess talks and works with elders Meetings around aerial map; Anangu tell stories of area

Collaborative conversation

Desire to show the way joint management was working

Peters meets with women elders Power of dead oak as center of site

Research on ecosystem

Site meetings every 2 weeks

Lightest impact on site Winter 1993

Spring 1994

June 1994

Spring to Fall 1995

October 27, 1995

Research on Anangu

Locally available resource: Adobe Site research: How to create little impact on site while maintaining connection to Anangu

Meeting: Info gathered & intentions discussed

Educating and gaining respect from tourists

Sitzler Brothers Showing model to Party Ltd. Anangu Community: from Alice Springs Elders happy with design selected as contractors

Construction begins

Opening of center

Local buildings not durable Must find durable materials Local Problem: Termites Must find termiteresistant hardwood

Connecting site to historical tales

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 71

CULTURAL PARK FOR CHILDREN CAIRO, EGYPT Client: Ministry of Culture, Cairo, Egypt Architect: Abdelhalin I. Abdelhalin Contractor: El Giza General Company Project Type: Park Year: 1983–1990 Case Study By: Keren Golan The Cultural Park for Children is 2.5 acres and is comprised of cultural facilities for children. It is located in Sayyida Zeinab, Cairo, a vibrant community of 1.5 million people. The park includes libraries, studios, computers and video games, playgrounds, and fountains. The significance of this project lies in the integration of the local community within the design process. The design of the park masterplan and its program were based on information gathered during discussions between the client, contractor, and members of the community. Some unusual events, such as ceremonies and block parties, marked the evolution of the design concept. In these ceremonies, instead of presenting drawings and working models to the community, the architect used a 1-to-1 scale model of one portion of the scheme to provide the whole community with a glimpse of project features. Unfortunately, once completed, the project fell into disarray due to a lack of funds for maintenance.

Actors

Competition

Process

The Preliminary Scheme

Developed Scheme

Cornerstone Ceremony Timeline

72 CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES

1970

June 1983

Nov 1983

Developed Scheme

Ceremony 2

Final Scheme

Developed Scheme

Ceremony 3

Working Drawing & Bidding Documents

Construction

Ceremony 4

Oct 1985

Jan 1987

1990

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 73

CASE STUDIES ECOLODGES The student research team was tasked with exploring one ecolodge from each arid zone provided. Prior to analysis of the ecolodges, the research team studied the factors that make up an ecolodge. There were found to be no specific rules, just guidelines, such as: being located in a natural area, or in a rural area within a short distance to a natural area; and being small, usually less than 30 rooms. The lodges employ systems that protect the environment and often employ energy-saving tactics. It is common for the lodge to distribute money, such that it contributes to the local economy. It is this background study that allowed the research team to approach each ecolodge with a critical eye, examining key factors, such as: site plan, natural resource management, room design, money flow, regional connections, material components, and which sustainable approaches are being used within the design. The team found that not all designs are created equal and that, in fact, some lodges were not eco-friendly at all, but were for-profit luxury getaways. Under optimum circumstances, arid-friendly ecolodges offer many creative approaches to living comfortably in a water-scarce extreme temperature environment.

Site Plan A ecolodge’s site plan is essential in determining how buildings impact the site, respond to the program’s demands, and address surrounding landscapes. Focusing on the ecolodge’s immediate context, the key elements to investigate are the buildings’ footprints, outdoor spaces, use of local plants, circulation, and the organization of public versus private spaces. Natural Resource Management Water resources are scarce in the desert, so ecolodges should use them carefully. Ecolodges often embrace strategies related to safeguarding water (from a spring, a well, or the municipal grid), managing wastewater, and toilet and shower typologies. Waste management is key to preserving the fragile desert landscapes. Finally, ecolodges use the desert’s natural resources such as wind and sun to generate electricity.

offer a low-energy and more comfortable environment. Regional Ecolodges are often located in remote areas, and thus their architecture, proposed activities, and use of natural resources impact their site at large. Hence, a regional map showing how the ecolodge fits within its larger region and connects to the surrounding infrastructure is key. Building Components (Axo) The ecolodge’s construction systems are deconstructed in this section. Exploded axonometric drawings are used to showcase the building’s assembly, including structure, materials, and mechanical systems.

Money Flow This diagram traces the way in which money being paid by tourists reaches different actors that are involved in the opRoom Design eration and maintenance of the ecolodge The ecolodge’s room types, design, lay- and represents how the ecolodge economout, cooling and heating systems, and ically relates to the area. furniture all contribute to shaping the experience of the tourist. Besides, in an arid Sustainable Approaches climate, rooms equipped with adequate Sustainable approaches to design are insulation and passive cooling systems what makes ecolodges stand out com-

74 CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES

pared to other typologies of accommodations. Such approaches include the use of local materials for building, as they are more adapted to the hot climate: rooms remain cool during the day and warm during the chilly evenings. Cross-ventilation using dominant cool winds, stack effects, and solar chimneys are sustainable strategies to create room. Also, water collection, recycling, and distribution systems are essential infrastructure for an ecolodge in an arid setting.

1 Longitude 131°, page 76

5

2

3

1

4

2 Amangiri Resort, page 80

3 Geolodge Camp, page 84 For image credits—see References, page 279

4 Hotel Explora Atacama, page 88

5 Three Camel Lodge, page 92

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 75

LONGITUDE 131° ULURU, NORTHWEST TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA Total Built Area: 7,240 m² Architect: Cox and Richardson Architects Completion of Construction: 2003 Desert: Simpson Desert Max. Temperature: 47.0°C Min. Temperature: -3.6°C Annual Rainfall Average: 289.8 mm Case Study By: Mani K. Tabrizi Comments: Longitude 131° is an exclusive, luxury ecolodge that overlooks Uluru in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia. Built in a culturally sacred and environmentally sensitive site, many constraints had to be abided by, and as a result, a highly innovative design was developed by the architect. Rooms are placed on an elevated platform, have a PVC double-skin fabric roof, and are equipped with solar panels. The double-skin, pitched-roof system allows for passive ventilation to occur, as hot air rises up and leaves the top of the roof. Not only does the room design minimize its footprint by being elevated on pilotis, but it is completely dismountable, a condition requested by the local aboriginal tribes. The ecolodge is composed of 15 rooms, a swimming pool, and a large fixed structure housing public programs such as the lobby and the restaurant.

76 CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES

1

3 5

2

4

1 Drop-Off 2 Viewing Platform 3 Main Lobby/Amenities 4 Tent-Apartment 5 Pool Area N 0

SITE PLAN

50 m

REGIONAL

NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Lake Lewis Simpson Gap

Papunya

MacDonnell National Park Glen Helen Resort

Haasts Bluff

Alice Springs

Hermannsburg Kings Canyon Resort Watarrka National Park Lake Amadeus Erldunda

Yulara

Lasseter Hwy

Chambers Pillar Historical Reserve

Longitude 131°

Uluru Kulgera Roadhouse

Uluru(Ayers Rock)

Alice Springs 338 km

Uluru Adelaide 1265 km Melbourne 1934 km

Sydney 2139 km

Airport

Hotel

Campground

Ecolodge

Railroad

Dirt Road

Recycling Center

Information Center Swimming Area Other Park System

Parking

Mountain

Highway

National Park

Main Road

Water Main

Water Management Center National Park

Power Main Staff Housing

N 0

5 km

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 77

LEGEND 1

2 5

3

3

4 5

5

11 m 8.3 m

4 8

7

17

18

1

11 12

2

9

6

14

6m 8.6 m

10

15

13 16

7m 4.2 m

Components (Axo) 1 Powder-coated aluminum sheet 1200 mm steel ring 2 PVC-coated stretched polyester fabric 3 PVC-coated polyester fabric 4 Cotton fabric 5 102 mm steel tube 6 Corrugated aluminum sheeting, vapor barrier, 75 mm thermal insulation, 12 mm plasterboard 7 Central mast 8 Water heating tank 9 PV solar panel–185 W 10 Service storage 11 In-built furniture 12 Aluminum sliding door with double glazing 13 Guardrail 14 Tile on mortar, 20 mm plywood, 75 mm thermal insulation, vapor barrier, 10 mm fiber cement, 180 mm steel channel 15 Steel I beam–240 mm 16 102 mm dia. steel screw-pile 17 Steel stairs assembled on site 18 Stairs platform

2 6

Room Design 1 Main entrance 2 Bedroom 3 Storage 4 Shower 5 Bathroom 6 Services

78 CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES

8.6 m

BUILDING

ROOM DESIGN

MONEY FLOW

SUSTAINABLE APPROACHES

Tourist

Government of Australia

N

Ecotourism Australia

Owner

?

Revenue tax

+

Guided nature tours & walks

Indigenous cultural tours

Maintenance

Anangu tradi- Parks Australia tional owners Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park managed by its Anangu traditional owners and Parks Australia

External consultants

Employees External tour guides Indigenous Community

Cash Flow Regulative Control Certification and Award

Sun Angle Cool Breeze Warm Air

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 79

AMANGIRI RESORT CANYON POINT, UTAH, USA Total Built Area: 7,240 m² Architect: Rick Joy, W. Burnett, and M. Sayed Completion of Construction: 2009 Desert: Mojave Max. Temperature: 40°C Min. Temperature: -15°C Annual Rainfall Average: 106.9 mm Case Study By: Nick Roland Comments: Despite not meeting the stringent criteria to classify it as an ecolodge, this project has a number of lessons to be learned regarding site integration and curation of experience. Built at the base of a large stone formation, the resort integrates with the landscape and uses it as integral elements of the architecture. Because the emphasis is placed on nature, which serves as a sublime backdrop to a luxurious and therapeutic experience, the architecture is subtle. The role of architecture in this context is to organize views and experiences into different degrees of public and private and to choreograph the exposure to nature by varying access to views and tuning the degrees of enclosure of different spaces.

11

1 10

6

B

8

7 4

2

3

5

1 Entrance Trail 2 Tree Garden 3 Lounging Area 4 Pool 5 Large Rock Formation 6 Reception Area 7 Living and Dining Space 8 Bar 9 Piazza 10 Broad Semi-Private Corridor 11 Desert View Suites 12 Mesa View Suites 13 Spa Facilities 14 Desert Lounge A Pool Pump and Filtration B Waste Storage

14 9

10

A 12

13

SITE PLAN N 0

80 CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES

25

50 m

REGIONAL Big Water

NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

e

om

nd

ga

Utah

Amangiri Resort

m

k .8-

National Parks Service

Glen Canyon Dam

in ark

lc we

op

dt

oa tr

Arizona

41 Las /2 hrs Veg to as

t

in po

dir

Hi gh wa 25 y8 Ut mi 9 ah n t Re o P gio ag na e, lA irp ort

3

Grand StaircaseEscalante National Monument

Page

Amangiri Resort Utah

Nevada

Zion Bryce Canyon

Las Vegas Hoover Dam

o et

Canyon Arches Capitol Lands Colorado Reef 12 12

Grand StaircaseEscalante National Monument

Grand Canyon

Hopi Indian Flagstaff Reservation

California N

N Arizona 0 0

200

200

New Mexico 400 km 400 km

Desert View Suites

l

utt

sh

id er

Mesa View Suites

ter

Mesa Verde

Canyon de Chelly National Monument

n rai

ort

res

m

-k

1.1

all

Airport

Hotel

Campground

Ecolodge

Railroad

Dirt Road

Recycling Center

Information Center Swimming Area Other Park System

Parking

Mountain

Highway

National Park

Main Road

Water Main

Water Management Center National Park

Power Main Staff Housing

N 0

1 km

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 81

LEGEND Components (Axo) 1 Insulation and weather barrier 2 Light framing elements 3 Concrete cores with all-wet facilities 4 Concrete partition wall 5 Wooden screen (allows air to pass through while limiting views) 6 Operable insulating glass partition 7 Timber cabinet 8 Solid sandstone bed, desk, and sofa unit 9 Chair, table, lounger, and fire pit 10 Irrigated planter bed 11 Interior radiant-heated floor 12 Foundations on bedrock or on strip footing Room Design 1 Patio with open fire pit 2 Bedroom and living space 3 Bathroom and dressing room 4A Shower 4B Bath 5 Private courtyard 6 Entrance corridor 7 Private pool 8 Private spa 9 Irrigated planter bed 10 Semi-public circulation space

1 2 5

3

8

7 4 5 6

6 7

5 9

8

3

6 9

1

2

1 4

10

10 11

12 0

BUILDING COMPONENTS (AXO)

82 CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES

2

ROOM DESIGN

10 m

MONEY FLOW

SUSTAINABLE APPROACHES

Pool & Jacuzzi

Included

Water Pump/ On-Site Treatment Lighting and Electric Outlets On-Site Treatment

Extras

Amangiri Resort

Public Space/ Amenities Massage Off-Road Tour

Hot Air Balloon Boat Tours

Restaurant/Bar

Energy

Big Water, Utah Glen Haven, Arizona Page, Arizona National Parks Entertainment

Management Maintenance Energy Cleaning Staff Decor Maintenance

Big Water, Utah Glen Haven, Arizona Page, Arizona National Parks Supplies

Massage Therapist Maintenance/ Supplies Profit

Winter Sun Angle: 32.89º

S

Summer Sun Angle: 72.43º

N

S

N

Big Water, Utah Glen Haven, Arizona Page, Arizona National Parks Housing

Guide Maintenance Profit Guide Maintenance Profit Boat Tour Company Profit Chef Cooks and Helpers Wait Staff Cleaning Staff Food and Supplies Management Profit

Hydroelectricity Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona Propane (for heating needs)

Local Community Staff

Guest Suites State of Nevada State of Colorado State of Arizona State of Utah

National Parks Service

Reception

Staff Management Maintenance Staff Management Maintenance Staff Heating and Cooling Maintenance Management Maintenance Energy

Morning Sun Student Visa Workers Immigrant Workers Outside Specialists Chef/Managers

Money Input from Tourists Overhead Expenditures Money Extracted as Profit

Afternoon Sun

Sun Angle Cool Breeze

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 83

GEOLODGE CAMP ERG CHEGAGA, MOROCCO Total Built Area: 565 m² Architect: Etienne Dufour Completion of Construction: 2013 Desert: Sahara Max. Temperature: 40°C Min. Temperature: 5°C Annual Rainfall Average: 2–25 mm Case Study By: Keren Golan Comments: Developed by Etienne Dufour, an engineer who previously designed tents for the French military, the Geolodge combines high performance, portability, and luxury living into a nomadic type of accommodation that is deployable nearly anywhere in the world. Dufour boasts that the camp materials are 100% recyclable and that its unique elevated floor system allows each tent to leave almost no trace on the environment. Water, waste, energy, and transportation are all thoroughly considered as part of the Geolodge as it is non-site-specific, and therefore must adapt to almost any circumstance. Each tent is composed of four modules which can be combined in different manners depending on the room size and program needed. The shower, toilet, and sink come as a tool kit. Similarly, a battery-powered AC unit, wind energy, and flexible solar panels can be easily mounted onto the

tents. If the modular system is ingenuous, leaving little impact on the site, it does not take advantage of passive ventilation systems. Also, the Geolodge camp lacks shaded outdoor spaces and a diversity of public spaces, which would have broken the monotony of the repeated module.

3

4 3

5 2

6 1

1 Restaurant/Kitchen 2 Suite Lodge 3 Standard Lodge 4 Deluxe Suite Lodge 5 Washroom 6 Reception/Event Hall NN

SITE PLAN

84 CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES

00

2020mm

REGIONAL Toubkal Mountain

NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Ouarzazate Al-Mansour Ad-Dahbi

Toubkal National Park

Ouarzazate Airport Zagora Zagora Airport

Erg Chegaga

Erg Chegaga Tangier 1,029 km Casablanca 697 km

Geolodge Camp

To Zagora Airport through N9 Highway, 107 km, 1 hr 27 mins

Fes 816 km

Marrakech 471 km

Mhamid

Agadir 548 km

Dunes of Erg Chegaga

Morocco

Western Sahara

Airport

Hotel

Campground

Ecolodge

Railroad

Dirt Road

Recycling Center

Information Center Swimming Area Other Park System

Parking

Mountain

Highway

National Park

Main Road N

Water Main

Water Management Center National Park

N 0

500 km

0

500 km

Power Main Staff Housing

0

1 km

N ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 85

LEGEND

5

4

4.4 m

3 20 m2

4.4 m

2.4 m

H2 4.4 m

20 m2

4.4 m

6

2.16 m 4.4 m 10 m2

2.15 m

ABSIDE

2.16 m

SAS

1m 4.4 m 5 m2

ROOM DESIGN

2.3 m

7

BUILDING COMPONENTS (AXO) 86 CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES

2.4 m

2

4.4 m

Room Design H4 Main room with 4 doors Weight: 470 kg; Floor area: 20 m² Modular in 4 directions with connection spaces 2 hours to build for non-professional staff H2 Main room with 2 doors and 4 side windows Weight: 470 kg; Floor area: 20 m² Modular in 2 directions with connection spaces 2 hours to build for non-professional staff ABSIDE Extension room Weight: 224 kg; Floor area: 10 m² Modular space to connect with a main room 1 hour to build for non-professional staff SAS Extension room connecting space Weight: 100 kg; Floor area: 10 m² Modular space to connect two main rooms together 1/2 hour to build for non-professional staff

H4

1 4.4 m

Components (Axo) 1 100% recyclable raw material 2 Renewable energy production 3 Shower and sink (99% of water is recycled) 4 Furniture 5 Lighting 6 Bamboo flooring 7 Lifted floor without impact of biotope

SUSTAINABLE APPROACHES Universal Bag Weight: 3 kg Suitable for all equipment Easily stackable Can be carried easily by hand

Heating Weight: 21 kg Powered by propane gas Air heating for temperature above -5°C

Shower Weight: 65 kg Size: 2.4 x 1.3 x 0.9 m Water treatment system 2 integrated LED lights Water tank: 30 L Autonomy: 30 showers Energy: 24 VDC

Container Container ISO 20 ft 1 container = 30 palettes

Toilet Weight: 16 kg Size: 1 x 0.5 x 0.4 m Water tank: 30 L Autonomy: full Energy: 24 VDC

Truck Weight: 550 kg Max. 500 kg at 1.6 m high Diesel engine, 1.5 hrs/gallon Palette Weight: 30 kg Size: 77 x 116 x 114 cm Max. load capacity: 500 kg Foldable and stackable Protective cover

Air Conditioning Weight: 50 kg Powered by natural gas generator Air heating and cooling to maintain temperature 5–40°C Monitor and switch control pad inside the tent

Transportation and Storage Geolodge has achieved a significant breakthrough in logistics that ensures access to any part of the world, while protecting natural landscapes and biodiversity. Each individual element may be stored in standard bags and carried onto any type of transport vehicle.

3 1

Flooring Weight: 17 kg/m² Modular with 4 basic elements Adaptable to ground slopes up to 20% Honeycomb floor Load resistance: 500 kg/m²

2 3

2

1

1 Standard door 2 Screened door and side walls 3 Transparent window or side wall

Doors and Windows Doors and windows are interchangeable and removable. The insect shields are polyester mesh that has “oneway visibility” for enhanced intimacy. Polyester mesh is treated with permethrin insecticide. Transparent walls are made from transparent polyurethane film panel. Transparent windows are made with clear polycarbonate panels.

Optional Water Heater Weight: 12 kg Size: 0.36 x 0.21 x 0.66 m Fuel: Propane, butane Electronic control for safety thermostat Sink 1 integrated LED light Must be connected to a shower Large mirror Size: 1.6 x 0.8 x 0.4 m Weight: 16 kg

Water Pack The shower and the sink are built in a closed loop employing a recycling system that allows guests to take up to 12 showers per day during a 60-day period, using 60 liters of water. Autonomously equipped with energy, the water supply is coupled with a temperature-regulated heating system. Windmill Weight: 6 kg 400 watts at 12.5 m/s Startup speed: 2.7 m/s

Portable Rigid Solar Panel Weight: 12.84 kg Size: 1.16 x 0.76 m Power: 120 watts; 24 VDC

Natural Gas Generator Weight: 115 kg Size: 0.75 x 0.6 x 0.58 m Power: 4,800 watts; 230 VAC Fuel: Liquid petrol gas propane

Flexible Solar Panel Weight: 1.4 kg Size: 1.3 x 0.7 m Power: 62 watts; 24 VDC Portable, flexible, supple, waterproof

Energy Pack Geolodge has selected a panel of complementary solutions with engineering that follows the methodology, adapting energy production while taking into account critical factors such as the locations, humidity, and wind solar conditions. All the electrical equipment and the insulation have been carefully considered in order to provide a completely autonomous energy supply system for lighting and pumping water in any part of the world.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 87

HOTEL EXPLORA ATACAMA SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA, CHILE Total Built Area: 169,968 m² Architect: German de Sol Completion of Construction: 1998 Desert: Atacama Max. Temperature: 32°C Min. Temperature: -0.9°C Annual Rainfall Average: 25 mm Case Study By: Gladys Cheung Comments: Unlike other luxury retreats, this ecolodge promotes the “luxury of the essential,” rather than excess, as the best way of experiencing the peace of the desert landscape. There are 50 rooms housed in three long buildings, positioned to form a central square planted with large trees for ample shade. On the southern side of the square, a building houses the lodge’s public spaces. Within this area are four interconnected, outdoor swimming pools, two of them heated by solar panels. Through the use of an innovative irrigation system which combines gravity channels and reservoirs, the 17 hectares of land surrounding the ecolodge have been planted with local trees and vegetation, and ancient pathways have been maintained. The rooms are naturally ventilated thanks to a double-roof system, and all the hotel waste is recycled. The hotel gives some of its benefits to a not-for-profit foundation,

Fundación Explora, which promotes initiatives that contribute to conserving nature and culture and also helping local communities. The fact that the foundation is run by the hotel, and that no concrete actions were found to have been completed as of yet, raises questions on the actual goals of such an NGO.

1 Outdoor Parking Space 2 Horse Stables 3 Observatory 4 Solar Panels 5 Outdoor Swimming Pools 6 Outdoor Saunas 7 Water Reservoir 8 Guest Lodging–Yali Rooms 9 Guest Lodging–Tulut Rooms 10 Guest Lodging–Catur Suites 11 Bar 12 Loading Dock and Storage 13 Private Parking 14 Waste Storing Center 15 Washrooms 16 Outdoor Picnic Area 17 Chapel 18 Entrance 19 Visiting Room 20 Sleeping Quarters 21 Computer Room 22 Electrical Room

7

5 4

6

9

1

8

9

Eletrical/

9 21 22 14 19 17 20 18 11

2

Eletrical/ Mech RoomMech Room

15 9 13

12 N

16

Eletrical/

10

SITE PLAN

0

50 m

Eletrical/ Mech RoomMech Room

1

3

88 CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES N 0

50 m

REGIONAL

NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

EI Loa International Airport

Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve of Andean Fauna

Calama San Pedro de Atacama

Laguna Verde Laguna Blanca Los Flamencos National Reserve San Pedro de Atacama Airport Pacana Caldera Cerro Pill

2 SP de A airport > Ruta 27 > Ruta 23 > Caracoles > Domingo Atienza Distance: 6.1 km Total time: 8 mins (driving)

1

1 El Loa Airport > Ruta 165 > Ruta 23 > Licancabur > Caracoles > Domingo Atienza Distance: 101 km Total time: 1 hr 50 mins (driving)

2

Lascar Volcano

Paraguay

Argentina Santiago 1,640 km Chile

Buenos Aires 2,520 km

Uruguay Airport

Hotel

Campground

Ecolodge

Railroad

Dirt Road

Recycling Center

Information Center Swimming Area Other Park System

Parking

Mountain

Highway

National Park

Main Road

Water Main

Water Management Center National Park

Power Main Staff Housing

N 0

500 m

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 89

LEGEND 1 2 3

First Roof Construction

Room Design 1 Furniture made by local Chilean artisans 2 Openings in ceiling for natural ventilation 3 Hydro-massage bath (in every room)

Second Roof Construction

Components (Axo) 1 Roof cladding: Plywood decking and copper cladding 2 Rafters: Spruce wood/Douglas fir 3 Roof structure: Dried, treated glulam 4 Ventilation fan covers 5 Roof: Plywood and weatherproofing membrane 6 Rafters: Spruce wood/Douglas fir 7 Ceiling: Cedar wood decking with batt insulation above 8 Foundation wall cover: Painted white slats to protect concrete from overheating 9 Building envelope: Concrete frame and handmade clay bricks with plaster finish 10 Floor finishes: Slate tiles 11 Foundation & floor slab: Poured concrete foundation and reinforced concrete slab

4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 1

BUILDING COMPONENTS (AXO) 90 CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES

ROOM DESIGN

2

3

MONEY FLOW

SUSTAINABLE APPROACHES

Termas de Puritama

Atacameño Community

Internado Andino Boarding School

Chilean Government (GDP)

Maintenance

Observatory

Distribution System

Conveyance System Massage

Leisure

Room

Specialists

Food

Meal $$

Active

Souvenirs N

Donations

Explorations

Horseback Riding

1 6

Service Staff

Explora Atacama

$$

Tourist

Local Farmer

$$

Local Supplier

4

Local Supplier

Transportation

Atacameño Community

Equipment

Room

6 Water Reservoir

Researchers

Tour Guides

3 4

Scholarships

2 Path 3 5

Surface Irrigation: Border Irrigation System

$$

N

Fundación Explora

2

3 Conveyance System 1 Rain 2 Distribution 4 Pumping Station 5 Slope of Canal 1:2 System

Horses

Manufacturer/ Retailer

1 Slope Toward Drainage System

Distribution Structure: Division Boxes Chilean Farms

2

6 5

1

2

2 3

Flow of Money Potential Flow of Money

1 Gates/Outlets 2 Distribution System

5 Drainage System 3 Conveyance 6 Water Reservoir System 4 Pumping Station

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 91

THREE CAMEL LODGE MONGOLIA Total Built Area: 2,141 m² Architect: Local architects (unknown) Completion of Construction: 2002 Desert: Gobi Max. Temperature: 35°C Min. Temperature: -25°C Annual Rainfall Average: 2–35 mm Case Study By: Crystal Waddell Comments: Three Camel Lodge is exemplary in the way it has integrated the existing assets of its site, including agriculture, building techniques, and local customs, into the final product of the ecolodge. The lodge also boasts an array of projects that aim to enhance and conserve the local population and environment. Most notable of these are: a cooperative agreement between a local village and the Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park to serve as a base for scientific research and wildlife monitoring; and a program that planted over 6,000 native plants and trees throughout the camp.

6

3

1

7

9 8

9 10

5

4

1 Deluxe Ger 2 Regular Ger 3 Staff Ger 4 Reception 5 Restaurant/Eating Hall 6 Washroom Ger 7 Greenhouse 8 Wind Turbine 9 Laundry and Kitchen 10 Events Hall, Lounge & Library

2 1

6 1

Trees Trees&+ Plants Large LargeStones Stones N

100 m

SITE PLAN

92 CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES

REGIONAL

NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Ulaanbaatar

Gorkhi Terelj National Park

Toson Khulstai

Kherlen River

Ikh Nart

Mongolia Gobi Gurvansaikhan Gobi Small A

Sainshand

Three Camel Lodge Gobi Small A

To Sainshand Airport 37.9 km, 53 mins

Inner Mongolia

Russia Mongolia

Three Camel Lodge

Ulaanbaatar 480 km

Dalanzadgad 600 km

Sainshand 37.9 km

Three Camel Lodge China Inner Mongolia

Airport

Hotel

Campground

Ecolodge

Railroad

Dirt Road

Recycling Center

Information Center Swimming Area Other Park System

Parking

Mountain

Highway

National Park

Water Management Center National Park

N N0

0

Power Main Staff Housing

Main Road

Water Main N 0

500 m

1,000 km

1,000 km ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 93

LEGEND Components (Axo) 1 Solar panel 2 Canvas cover 3 Wooden crown 4 Felt insulation 5 Willow or hazel poles 6 Traditionally wooden or hazel poles for wall structure 7 Insulating layers of felt sandwiched between the frame and the cover 8 Hand-painted wooden door for security 9 Canvas cover 10 Wooden slat floor 11 Locally hand-crafted and painted traditional Mongolian furniture 12 Wood-burning stove 13 Unprotected natural stone Room and Amenity Design 1 Locally hand-crafted and painted traditional Mongolian furniture 2 Wood-burning stove 3 Gathering hall 4 Washrooms

1 2

3 2

4 5

6 7

3 4

9 8

3

10

11 12

4

13

BUILDING COMPONENTS (AXO) 94 CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES

1

ROOM DESIGN

4

MONEY FLOW

C Consultants

4

5

F Architects

E Local Community

D Indigenous Community

1 Canvas protective outer layer 2 Felt insulation 3 Winter wood-burning stove 4 Summer cross-ventilation 5 Thermal mass Solar & Wind Power, Solar Water Heaters

No Illegal Fossil Removal No Hunting for 12-Mile Radius D

H Contractors

Local Initiatives

Construction

Handicrafts

Lotions & Soaps

Gardening

Furniture

100% Lodge Staff

2012

E Local farmers involved with food production and benefit from organic waste and revitalization of well. I Tourists: Increasingly more young professionals, 20–35, interested in eco-travel.

2

I Tourists

2009

A Support projects alongside nomadic expeditions. E Education and training provided by nomadic expeditions to work as staff at the lodge. 100% local staff. I Tourists: Mostly American, 50+, looking for luxury travel and soft adventure expeditions.

G Foreigners

2003

1

3

G Foreigners

2002

B Expat Community

2001

Room Elements

A Mongolia held first democratic elections in 1990. Along with the new government there was a push to create tourism. A Met Town Council in Bulgan and received blessing. B Jalsa Urubshurow, Mongolian-American, CEO, and president of Nomadic Expeditions and the Three Camel Lodge, saw a need to promote sustainable tourism in Mongolia. C Local consultants hired by Nomadic Expeditions to choose the best site for the project based on surrounding attractions, local community, and existing, but nonfunctioning well that was revitalized for the project. D Met with each family that stays in the area to receive their okay. E Local community consulted to be involved directly and indirectly with projects. F Went through several renditions, architects, and concepts for the project before approving one group of architects from Ulaanbaatar. B Planted 6,000 indigenous trees and plants around the site. Planted 2,000 trees and plants for a local school and fought against removal of dinosaur fossils, for nature conservation, and to prohibit hunting for a 12-mile radius. D Provided knowledge of traditional methods of building, cultural customs, crafts, and souvenirs made for the gift shop. Hand-crafted roofs, constructed and painted beds, natural lotions, and shampoos for lodge guests were made. G, H Local and foreign general contractors, engineers, builders. Construction of gers.

A Government

1999

SUSTAINABLE APPROACHES

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 95

96 SECTION OF THE BOOK THAT WE’RE IN

RESEARCH IN SITU

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 97

BEFORE THE TRIP TO JORDAN HYPOTHESES ON THE TOPIC OF: THE ECOLOGICAL CORRIDOR We were so impressed with the biodiversity that exists in such a difficult climate. Seasonal events, such as desert blooms and animal migrations, could become attractions in themselves.

The escarpment landscape is more dramatic than I could have ever imagined. Working with local ecological experts gave insight into the landscape that no amount of research could parallel.

keren

nick

TOURISM Travel websites, journals, and other online information provide a very clear picture as to what tourism is like in Jordan. What they don’t provide is insight into untapped tourist locations.

From a distance, it was very difficult understanding the character of the topography and how people access and use it. Without this information, proposing implementation strategies is challenging if not impossible.

lisa

mani

LOCAL CULTURE It was difficult to decode tribal relationships, territories, and assets far away because so little documentation is available on the topic.

Grasping the political and cultural dimensions of Jordan from readings and web searches was a daunting task, as sources gave us contradictory information sometimes.

Language barriers and cultural differences were two of my biggest concerns before visiting a foreign country. It was also very difficult to understand the cultural differences between the tribes living in Jordan.

Crystal

gladys

avis

98 RESEARCH IN SITU

METHODOLOGY This section covers the methods used to gather information on site in Jordan. Students, the RSCN staff, and local experts were mixed in order to form three research groups focusing on the following themes: the ecological and tourist corridors that cross Shobak, the tourism infrastructure inside and around Shobak, and the socioeconomic conditions and culture of the local population. Once the team arrived in Jordan and started gathering information it became clear that the correctness and quality of information were highly dependent on proximity to the source of the information. The team recognized that using the following three methods of gathering information locally would be critical in providing a meaningful architectural solution to this project. Each of the three methods presented their own challenges in implementation and benefits. For example, with peer collaboration, some of the benefits were: producing one masterplan that coalesces the ideas and research of the three research terms and bringing different background knowledge to the design. When collaborating with experts, the knowledge gained from personal site tours and presentations far outweighed the language and gender barriers. When conducting in-

terviews we were able to cope with obvious language barriers from locals and tourists alike and leave with invaluable information concerning the needs and wants of the current users of the site. This all provided much valued information that led to a design that satisfied the RSCN’s requirements while servicing the needs of the users. COLLABORATION WITH PEERS Methods • Producing masterplan as a team composed of three groups • Exchanging knowledge on each research topic • Overlaying each team’s research outcome in order to highlight complex issues • Integrating the different backgrounds and skills of each team member into the project Challenges • Getting a unified vision for the masterplan • Coordinating tasks according to team members’ skills • Trimming the fat: Editing information that does not contribute to the final vision • Finding common ground in the work of three distinct groups Highlights • Getting feedback from each team member • Seeing the work come together as a whole

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 99

COLLABORATION WITH EXPERTS

INTERVIEWS

Methods • Preparing and exchanging information about the site through e-mail, and sharing data and maps • Verbal presentations by experts • Visiting the site with experts and interpreting the information firsthand Challenges • Occasional language barrier between Jordanian and Canadian members • Difference in knowledge backgrounds • Filtering through preconceived ideas imposed by different disciplines Highlights • Getting instantaneous, in-depth information while on site • Gaining a new point of view

Methods • Preparing questionnaire beforehand • Interviewing tourists • Interviewing locals • Interviewing experts • Collaborating on site Challenges • Language and gender barriers between interviewers and respondents • Limited time to conduct and interpret interviews • Limited sampling pool due to time constraint • Difficulty obtaining permission to take pictures of respondents Highlights • Getting to know people from around the world • Getting in-depth experience with local culture

100 RESEARCH IN SITU

CHRONICLE OF RESEARCH ECOLOGICAL & TOURIST CORRIDORS TEAM Saturday, February 18 The students arrived in Amman at various times and met at the hotel, Abraj Zamzam. The next morning they would present their prior research to the RSCN staff. Some worked late into the night in their hotel rooms. Sunday, February 19 The team met up at the Wild Jordan headquarters in Jabal Amman. Once there, an introduction to the Jordanian team members and the studio’s site occurred. The team was previously split into three groups, each responsible for research on three related topics: tourism readiness of the site, socio-economic conditions and culture of locals, and ecological and tourism corridors on the site. The tourism group members were: Lisa Sato (student), Mani K. Tabrizi (student), Bashar Taleb (T.A.), Dana Halasa (RSCN, architect), Muna Haddad (tourism consultant), and Raed al-Khawaldeh (RSCN). Eco-corridor group members: Chris Johnson (RSCN), Omar Aboubeid (RSCN), Anas Abu Yahya (RSCN), Brendan Whitsitt (T.A.), Nick Roland (student), and Keren Golan (student). Socio-economic and local culture group members: Aziza Chaouni (Assistant Professor), Mahmoud Bdour (RSCN), Crys-

tal Waddell (student), Avis Yau (student), and Gladys Cheung (student). The student groups presented the research that they had carried out in Toronto before lunch. It was decided that over the course of the week, students would develop their research ideas, and would eventually decide whether they would present separate masterplan proposals or a single, unified plan for the entire group. After lunch the team took the long bus ride heading to the RSCN-run Dana Nature Reserve located in the southern municipality of Tafila. The team spent the night at the Dana Ecolodge overlooking the protected reserve in the gorge below. Monday, February 20 The team toured the Dana Village. The village is currently under extensive renovation supervised by Khammash Architects. The site architect, Mohammad Qas’as, and Chris Johnson, the head of Wild Jordan, led the tour. After the tour, some of the students presented their research on sustainable architecture practices recommended for future projects. The students also presented examples of international architectural precedents in ecotourism constructed in arid climates. Architect Dana Halasa presented a slideshow on the

distinctive vernacular architecture of the region of Shobak. After lunch, the team headed to the region of Shobak for a quick inspection before sundown. On display was the Crusader castle of Shobak. Also, observed from a distance, the old, abandoned, rectangular stone houses of villages hugging the topography of the distinctive rolling hills of Shobak. Finally, the team headed to Hotel Panorama in Wadi Musa where they spent the night. Tuesday, February 21 The tourism group headed back to the Shobak Castle. The aim was to conduct interviews with tourists and tour guides operating in and around the site, along with operators of the Montreal Hotel and other accommodations found in the region. The group was successful in meeting many of the targeted entities, including: the government-assigned castle managers, tour groups, individual tourists, a camp operator (who also gave the group access to and a tour of his camp), and the Montreal Hotel management. Lunch was eaten at a local Yemeni restaurant, and an interview with the restaurant operator was conducted. After lunch, the tourism group explored the rugged terrain of Shobak by car. This

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 101

excursion was eye-opening, as it displayed the tremendous allure of the region to the group. At sundown, the team headed back to the Panorama Hotel in Wadi Musa. After dinner the tourism group met again to prepare a plan of action for the next day. The plan was set to explore the so-called back door of Petra. The eco-corridor group spent the day exploring Wadi Araba and the nearby valleys by car and on foot. The objective was to find reasonably easy trekking routes across the site, east to west. Taking GPS coordinates along the way, they were able to plot the locations of key corridors once back in the hotel that evening. Wednesday, February 22 The tourism group headed north from Wadi Musa to the Shobak region. The group explored sites of interest along the path, including Nabatean archeological sites, abandoned villages, fauna, flora, and geological spectacles. The group explored the southern part of the proposed nature reserve for Shobak on foot. On the way back to Wadi Musa the group conducted interviews with camp operators in the region of Bad’a and Little Petra. The eco-corridor group conducted more surveys of possible route locations and began brainstorming the location and character of future

102 RESEARCH IN SITU

ecotourism facilities, including a campsite the group made the long drive north to Amand permanent ecolodge. man via the Dead Sea route. Thursday, February 23 The tourism group headed again to the Shobak region to conduct more precise interviews with the accommodations operators. Also, the mission’s aim was to draw sketch plans and sections of different types of accommodations available. More research was conducted at Wadi Musa, including interviews with individual tourists at the gate of Petra and tour operators in the town of Wadi Musa. The eco-corridor group carried out their final full day of scouting for potential corridors by splitting into groups. One group explored the upper ridge and possible ecolodge locations, while the other went by car to seek out a family-appropriate area where children could hike and utilize the site. The groups eventually met and shared a lunch with local men on their way back to the hotel. Friday, February 24 After a morning of work in the hotel, the group left their rooms. The group headed to Wadi Araba, Wadi Feynan, and then to the Feynan Ecolodge. The team was treated to a talk by manager/owner Nabil Tarazi about the unique Feynan Ecolodge. In the evening

Saturday, February 25 Architect Ammar Khammash presented a wonderful talk about the unique geology of the Shobak region. He explained that in the Shobak region, 500 million years of geology are exposed and on display. The groups met at the Wild Jordan Headquarters to present their findings to the studio professor Aziza Chaouni and Chris Johnson. Each of the three groups presented their work and discovered the commonality of their ideas and decided to work on a unified masterplan for all of the students. The group worked at the Wild Jordan Center until closing time, and then returned to the hotel. Once back at the hotel, the students worked through the night to prepare their final presentations. Sunday, February 26 The team presented their findings and masterplan key concepts to the RSCN.

AFTER THE TRIP TO JORDAN INSIGHTS ON THE TOPIC OF: THE ECOLOGICAL CORRIDOR I was impressed by the incredible variety of fauna and flora of the site. Before the trip, I imagined desert landscapes to have limited biodiversity. Working with an avifauna expert from the RSCN was eye-opening!

I was amazed to see how integrated the landscape was with the everyday life of many locals. The Bedouin were very welcoming and exposed us to a unique cultural experience.

keren

nick

TOURISM Studying the site and its surroundings firsthand helped us confirm much of our previously conducted research. It also gave us the chance to theorize new approaches of addressing tourism in the region.

We gained a lot of insight from faceto-face collaboration with various tourism experts as well as speaking with tourists directly. Areas that needed improvement became very clear to us.

lisa

mani

LOCAL CULTURE We discovered that in the small villages surrounding our site, women were not only a marginalized group, but were also one of the region’s greatest assets because of their numerous skills and knowledge.

Meeting and speaking with Jordanians from the RSCN team and leading interviews with Shobakis was an eye-opener on the local culture. I was touched by the generosity and hospitality of the Jordanians.

I gained a lot of understanding of the cultural aspect. The hospitality of Jordanians was awesome. I felt welcomed by the many different families that we visited and interviewed. The confusion between different tribes became clear to us.

Crystal

gladys

avis

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 103

Introductory workshop at the RSCN’s headquarters 104 RESEARCH IN SITU

In situ research, workshops, presentations, and work sessions with the RSCN staff and experts ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 105

106 SECTION OF THE BOOK THAT WE’RE IN

SITE ANALYSIS: NATIONAL SCALE

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 107

TOURISM Tourism Site: Tourism in Jordan is a strong TOURIST SITES and thriving industry that has become one of the major national sources of income. 3 The popular destinations in Jordan have 13 5 international reputations and attract 3 millions of tourists from around the world 13 annually. Petra has the largest share in attracting tourists. Madaba and Jerash in the north of Jordan and Aqaba and Wadi Rum in 10 the south also are major international and 4 regional tourist destinations. 10 11

Popular Itineraries: The common tourist itineraries in Jordan usually start from Amman and then, after exploring the northern region of Jordan (Jerash and Madaba), head south via either Desert Highway and King’s Highway or Dead Sea Highway. Seasonal Peaks: Tourist seasons in Jordan usually start to peak around spring and then again in the fall. The rise of temperature in the summer and cool winters contribute to their low tourist turnout. Seasonal peaks also are dependent on demographic trends and specific types of tourists and destinations. For instance, there are regional markets including GCC tourists who choose Aqaba and Amman as their major destinations during the hot season in the region.

108 SITE ANALYSIS: NATIONAL SCALE

2 5

15

15 6 6

11 9 9

141 1

7

8 8

12 12

4

14

2

Gulf Corporation Tourist Sites Jordanians Foreigners Council (GCC) 1 Petra 92,886 366,743 12, 228 2 Jarash 46,050 135,400 402 Gulf Corporation Tourist Sites Jordanians Foreigners Council (GCC) 34,941 3,455 3 Um Qais 147,144 4 Mount Nebo 845 1 Petra 92,886 152,625 366,743— 12, 228 5 Ajlun 81,527 2 Jarash 135,4009,377 402 46,050 48,270 6 Madaba 740 147,144 157,784 34,941 924 3,455 3 Um Qais 7 Wadi RumNebo 92,379 7,021 4 Mount 152,625587 — 845 — 81,527 134,503 8 Aqaba 5 Ajlun 48,270 24,440 9,377 72,850 9 Karak 62,250 6 Madaba 157,78436 924 740 10 Maghtas 6,288 7 Wadi Rum 92,379 4,819 587 7,021 65,445 11 Dead8Sea 10,330 5,047 — Aqaba 134,503— 24,440 — 12 Qusayer Amra 2,063 29,818 9 Karak 72,850 62,250 36 13 12,528 10Pella Maghtas 6,288 13,829 65,445 — 4,819 1411 Shobak 3,110 — Dead Sea 10,330 4,074 5,047 14,074 15 AfraAmra 28,241 12 Qusayer 2,063 4,268 29,818 — — — 13 Pella 12,528 13,829 Shobak Proposed4,074 Reserve 14,074 14 Shobak 3,110 15 Afra 28,241 4,268Airport— Marka International Queen Alia International Airport Shobak Proposed Reserve KingMarka Hussein International Airport International Airport N

7

Queen Alia International Airport Airport 100 km 0 King Hussein 50International N 0

50

100 km

6

g

8

N 0

50

100 km

Dec Oct Jul Jun

Adventurer

May

Jul Jun

Building

Adventurer

Campers

Campers Ecotourists

Ecotourists

Feb

Jan

Feb

Mar

Mar

Apr

Apr

May

Corporate Team Corporate Team Building

Students on School Trips

Jan

7

Queen Alia International Airport International 100Airport km 0King Hussein50

20,000

N

g

8

20,000 10,000

7

30,000

1

30,000

141

40,000

14

40,000

9

50,000

9

Tourist Sites Foreigners 1 Petra 366,743 2 Jarash 135,400 Tourist Sites 34,941 Foreigners 3 Um Qais 4 Mount Nebo 1 Petra 152,625 366,743 52Ajlun Jarash 48,270 135,400 6 Madaba 3 Um Qais 157,784 34,941 74Wadi Rum Mount Nebo 92,379 152,625 8 Aqaba 134,503 5 Ajlun 48,270 96 Karak Madaba 62,250 157,784 10 7Maghtas Wadi Rum 65,445 92,379 11 Dead8 Aqaba Sea 5,047 134,503 12 Qusayer Amra 29,818 9 Karak 62,250 13Maghtas Pella 13,829 10 65,445 14 11Shobak Dead Sea 4,074 5,047 15 Afra 12 Qusayer Amra 4,268 29,818 13 Pella 13,829 Shobak Proposed 14 Shobak 4,074 Reserve Marka Airport 15 AfraInternational 4,268 Queen AliaProposed International Airport Shobak Reserve King Hussein International Airport Marka International Airport

50,000

11

12 6

LuxuryLuxury SeekerSeeker

Honeymooners Honeymooners

12

60,000 60,000

4

Family

Aug

15

Aug

10

Sep

15 2

Nov

Dec Nov

13 5

Oct

2

Number of Tourists

10,000

13 5 3

Family

Sep

3

4 10 11

10 °C

20 °C 10 °C

30 °C

20 °C

40 °C

30 °C

40 °C

COMMON ITINERARIES

Temperature

Temperature

Students on School Trips

Number of Tourists

SEASONAL PEAKS

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 109

Temperature: The climate in the Shobak these waterways remain dry for a majority Region varies dramatically over a very of the year. small area due to the dramatic altitude difference of the escarpment of the Jor- TEMPERATURE dan Rift Valley. The eastern flank includes one of the coolest regions in the country while the western flank includes one of the hottest regions. Precipitation: Most rainwater in Jordan originates from the clouds generated in the Mediterranean Sea that are carried into Jordan by westerly winds. Most rainfall occurs along the western edge of the country where the escarpment forces clouds into higher altitudes, making them release a majority of their water. There is a strong correlation between precipitation levels as well as the location and intensity of human settlement and agriculture. Average precipitation in Jordan in 2009 was 111 mm. In Shobak, at an altitude of 1,365 m, the average annual precipitation is 312 mm, way above the national average. Hydrology: This hydrology map shows the drainage pattern in Jordan. It is important to note that the distribution and concentration of lines on this map does not necessarily reflect water accessibility and concentration because many of

110 SITE ANALYSIS: NATIONAL SCALE

Temperature in oC 13.0 13.0 15.5 15.5 18.5 13.0 18.5 23.5 15.5 23.5 26.5 18.5 26.5 29.5 23.5 29.5 26.5 Shobak Proposed Reserve Reserve 29.5 Proposed Shobak Amman Amman Shobak Proposed Reserve Dana Biosphere Reserve Dana Biosphere Reserve Amman Petra Petra Dana Biosphere Reserve N Petra 100 km 0 50 N 100 km 0 50

i an

HYDROLOGY (WADIS AND STREAMS) Ha

sb

PRECIPITATION Lake 33°

Elon

4

35°

Se a

1

i an sb

3

2

Ha

Ha

sb

an

i

Tirat Tzvi

6

5

Ramallah Bet Dagan

4

Jerusalem

rra di t e

1

6

Beer Sheva

5

7

9 8

10

30°

11

dS

ea

12

Re

13

14

15

7

9 8

3

2

1 North Rift Side Wadis 2 Zarqa 3 Azraq 4 Hammad 5 Sirhan 6 South Rift Side Wadis 7 Wala Mujib 1 North 8Rift Side Wadis 9 Dead 12North SideSea Wadis ZarqaRift 23Zarqa Azraq 10 Hasa 11 Sirhan 34Azraq Hammad 45Hammad Sirhan12 North Wadi Araba El Side JafraWadis 56Sirhan South13 Rift 14 South Wadi Araba 67South Side Wadis Wala Rift 15 Disi 78Wala Mujib 89Mujib Dead SeaShobak Proposed Reserve 9 Dead Sea Amman 10 Hasa 10 Hasa Dana Biosphere Reserve 11 Sirhan 11 Sirhan Petra 12 North Wadi Araba 12 North NWadi Araba 13 El Jafra 13 El Jafra 0 100 km 14 South Wadi Araba 50 14 South Wadi Araba 15 Disi 15 Disi ShobakProposed ProposedReserve Reserve Shobak Amman Amman DanaBiosphere BiosphereReserve Reserve Dana Petra Petra 4

1

ne

an

32°

6 0 100 1 North 200Rift Side Wadis 2 Zarqa 300 400 3 Azraq 500 4 Hammad 600 5Precipitation Sirhan in mm 700 6 South 0 800Rift Side Wadis 900 7 Wala 100 8 Mujib 200 Shobak Proposed Reserve 9 Dead Sea 300 Amman 10 Hasa 400 Dana Biosphere Reserve 500 11 Sirhan Petra 600 Wadi Araba 12 North 13 El700 Jafra 800 Wadi Araba 14 South 900 15 Disi ShobakProposed ProposedReserve Reserve Shobak Amman Amman DanaBiosphere BiosphereReserve Reserve Dana Petra Petra N

3

2 10

12

11

7

9

13

8 10

11

14

12

15

13

14

15

5

N 0

50

100 km

0

50

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 111

100 km

Altitude: Shobak Escarpment contains the ALTITUDE most dramatic elevation change in the entire country, ranging from over 1,500 m above sea level to roughly -200 m below sea level over a 10-km distance. Altitude plays an important role in determining the climate and ecosystems of the region. Geology: The Jordan Valley Rift is a slip fault zone which extends from the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea in the south all the way past Lake Tiberias in the north. It consists of a central land depression that includes the Dead Sea, the lowest elevation on Earth at 400 m below sea level; and the entire Wadi Araba region, which is over 200 km in length but only roughly 20 km wide. The east and west boundaries of this central depression are two escarpments that in the distant geological past (23.8–5.3 million years ago) constituted a single undifferentiated landmass. These escarpments reveal millions of years of geological history. RSCN Protected Areas: Since 1966, the RSCN has established six protected areas in strategic locations throughout Jordan, aimed at conserving specific ecosystems as well as species of flora and fauna. These are Jordan’s equivalents of National Parks in countries such as Canada, the USA, and Australia.

112 SITE ANALYSIS: NATIONAL SCALE

0 300 Altitude in m 600 0900 0300 1,200 300 600 1,500 600 900 900 1,200 1,200 Shobak Proposed Reserve 1,500 1,500 Amman Dana Biosphere Reserve Shobak ProposedReserve Reserve Shobak Proposed Petra Amman Amman DanaBiosphere BiosphereReserve Reserve N Dana Petra 100 km 0 50 Petra N 100 km 0 50

GEOLOGY

RSCN PROTECTED AREAS 2

Lake Tiberias

1

Ha

sb

an

i

15

3

14 J

Jericho

A

Jerusalem

Lake Tiberias

5

1 4

Gaza

Precambrian 2 6 6 Paleozoic Lower Cretaceous 31 Upper Cretaceous 8 Paleocene & Upper Cretaceous Eocene 7 Paleocene & Eocene & Upper Cretaceous 9 9 Miocene & Pliocene & Pleistocene & Holocene Precambrian Pliocene Paleozoic 8 Pliocene & Pleistocene Lower Cretaceous Pleistocene 10 Precambrian Upper Cretaceous Paleozoic 10 Shobak Reserve Paleocene &Proposed Upper Cretaceous 11 31 Lower Cretaceous Eocene Amman Upper Cretaceous Paleocene Eocene & Dana Biosphere Reserve Paleocene &&Upper Cretaceous 12 12 Upper Cretaceous Petra Eocene Miocene &&Pliocene &Upper Cretaceous13 Paleocene Eocene & N Pleistocene & Holocene Miocene 100 km& Holocene 0 & Pliocene 50 & Pleistocene 13 Pliocene Pliocene Pliocene & Pleistocene Pliocene & Pleistocene Pleistocene Pleistocene ShobakProposed ProposedReserve Reserve Shobak Amman Amman 14 15 DanaBiosphere BiosphereReserve Reserve Dana Petra Petra

J

Jericho

A

Jerusalem

Re dS

ea

Re dS

ea

Gaza

N

3 75

11

1 Yarmouk Proposed Reserv 2 Burqu Proposed Reserve 3 Rajel Proposed Reserve 4 Mujib Nature Reserve 5 Shaumari Wildlife Reserve 4 6 Abu Rukbeh Proposed Res 7 Bayer Proposed Reserve 8 Dana Biosphere Reserve 9 Shobak Proposed Reserve 10 Masuda Proposed Reser 1 Yarmouk Proposed Reserve 11 Qatar Proposed Reserve 2 Burqu Proposed Reserve 12 Wadi Rum Protected Are 3 Rajel Proposed Reserve 13 Aqaba Proposed Reserve MujibRift Nature 14 North SideReserve Wadis 14 Azraq Wetland Reserve Shaumari Wildlife Reserve 25 Zarqa Zubya Nature Reserve Abu Rukbeh Proposed 15 Reserve 36 Azraq Bayer Proposed Reserve The Royal Society for the 47 Hammad of Nature Proposed Area Dana Biosphere Reserve The Royal Society for the 58 Sirhan 69 South Rift Side Wadis Shobak Proposed Reserveof Nature Protected Are 710Wala Masuda Proposed Reserve Shobak Proposed Reser 811Mujib Qatar Proposed ReserveAmman 912Dead Sea Wadi Rum Protected Area Dana Biosphere Reserve 10 13Hasa Aqaba Proposed ReservePetra 11 14Sirhan Azraq Wetland Reserve N 12 Araba 15North ZubyaWadi Nature Reserve 0 1 50 13 El Jafra RSCN Wadi Proposed 14 South ArabaArea RSCN Protected Area 15 Disi ShobakProposed ProposedReserve Reserve Shobak Amman Amman DanaBiosphere BiosphereReserve Reserve Dana Petra Petra N

0

50

100 km

0

50

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 113

100 km

114 SECTION OF THE BOOK THAT WE’RE IN

SITE ANALYSIS: REGIONAL SCALE

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 115

REGIONAL CONTEXT The Shobak Protected Area (PA) is located west of the village of Shobak, with an approximate area of 60 km2. The boundaries of the PA have been outlined by the RSCN with regard to the land tenure and biodiversity to be protected. The PA extends from Wadi Barwas in the north to Wadi Al Namla in the south, and from the ridge of Al-Suffaha in the east to 3 km beyond the mountainous ridge to the west. The topography of the eastern edge of the studied area is gently rolling with a few seasonal wadis dissecting the landscape, typical of many eastern desert areas within the Kingdom of Jordan. A few kilometers to the east, steep cliffs dominating deep wadis (characteristic of the Jordan Valley escarpment), in the Wadi Dana and Wadi Musa areas, descend to over 1 km, sometimes more, before opening up several kilometers to the west into Wadi Araba. The PA is flanked to the north by the Dana Biosphere, the RSCN’s jewel reserve and ecotourism destination, and to the south by Petra. While Petra is immediately adjacent to the PA, Dana’s boundaries are situated a full day’s hike from the PA. The King’s Highway is situated less than 5 km from the PA’s eastern edge and is the main means of access.

116 SITE ANALYSIS: REGIONAL SCALE

1

D

6

2

S 7

S D P

P

Shobak Proposed Reserve Dana Biosphere Reserve Petra Archeological Park

1 Dana 2 Shobak 3 Little Petra 4 Petra 5 Wadi Musa 6 King’s Highway 7 Dead Sea Highway

3

4

5

N 0

10 km

HYDROLOGY The main water resources that exist in this region can be divided into two different types: surface water (wadis) and groundwater (springs and wells). Wadis or narrow valleys are seasonal water reservoirs and considered the main water sources for the pastors and nomads. Dry for most of the year, wadis are formed after rainfall between the valleys as drainage courses. This ephemeral phenomenon also poses the danger of flash floods after heavy rainfall. In this region, and especially in the mountainous area of Shobak, the second form of water source is groundwater. Southern Jordan is characterized by a complex multi-aquifer system up to 3,000 m thick. It comprises three widely extended aquifer systems separated by intercalated marly and clayey aquitards of very low permeability. The shallow aquifer system consists of sedimentary rocks from the tertiary and quaternary age. At the base of this system lies a marly limestone formation that separates the shallow system from the Upper Cretaceous hydraulic system. The Upper Cretaceous aquifer system constitutes a major aquifer system for groundwater abstraction. In the project area, the majority of the groundwater wells are tapping this aquifer.

D

S

P

S D P

Shobak Proposed Reserve Dana Biosphere Reserve Petra Archeological Park

N 0

10 km

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 117

GEOLOGY The Dead Sea Rift Valley, which demarcates the western border of Jordan, and which is one of the country’s defining geological features, was formed in the Miocene period when the Arabian Plate separated from Africa. Subsequently, the land separating it from the Mediterranean rose. Inundated with salt water, the valley became the site of the lowest land elevation on earth—the Dead Sea. The structure of the valley was formed as a result of the strike-slip fault line between the Arabian and African Plates, and a 105-km offset separates similar geological features on either side of the valley. The grabens— depressed segments of the earth’s crust in relation to the surrounding portions— and compressional folds characterize the landscape. Shobak, which is located at the western edge of the fault system, is a composition of dramatic cliffs, gullies, and badlands. These unique geological features are the result of erosion of the soft mudstones and siltstones, which were deposited in the lakebeds that covered the site until a few thousand years ago.

-

B

A

B'

A'

B'' C C'

WSL DS NL PL/PLG2

AM GR PL FN

PLG1 IN ALFO LM

PL FN SB MR

For legend descriptions—see Appendix, page 281

118 SITE ANALYSIS: REGIONAL SCALE

ASL AK PL URC

PL MCM AL LS

DI MM PG2 DC N

AL/AIS WG B PL 0

S KS WB FHS 10

HK ND AM/BA HS 20 km

GEOLOGICAL CROSS-SECTION A-A' SCALE 1:50,000 A'

A

1,750 m A' m 1,500 1,750 m m 1,250 A' m 1,500 1,000 m A' 1,750 m 1,250 750 mm 1,500 m m 1,750 1,000 m 500 m 1,250 m 1,500 750 mm 1,000 m 1,250 500 mm 750 mm 1,000 500 m m 750 500 m

1,500 m 1,250 mA 1,500 m m 1,000 A 1,250 m 750 m A 1,500 m 1,000 m 1,250 m 1,500 750 m m 1,000 m m 1,250 750 m m 1,000 750 m GEOLOGICAL CROSS-SECTION C-C'

C SCALE 1:50,000

C'

1,500 m 1,000 mC 1,500 m 500 m C 1,000 m 0m C 1,500 m 500 m 1,0000 m m 1,500 500 m m 1,000 m 5000 m 0m

B

1,500 m 1,250 mB 1,500 m m 1,000 B 1,250 m 750 m B 1,500 m 1,000 m 1,250 m 1,500 750 m m 1,000 m m 1,250 750 m m 1,000 750 m

B'

GEOLOGICAL CROSS-SECTION B-B'-B" VERTICAL/HORIZONTAL SCALE 1:50,000

B' B' B'

IN AS FN IN RDS AS IN FN AS RDS IN FN AS RDS FN RDS

DI MM MCM DI HS MM DI MCM MM HS DI MCM MM HS MCM HS

ND B URC ND LS B ND URC B LS ND BURC LS URC LS

WSL WB FHS WSL DI WB WSL FHS WB DI WSL FHS WB DI FHS DI

For legend descriptions—see Appendix, page 281

ASL/AHP KS HK ASL/AHP LM KS ASL/AHP HK KS LM ASL/AHP HK KS LM HK LM

DS NL AM DS GR NL DS AM NL GR DS AM NL GR AM GR

1,500 m C' m 1,000 500 m 1,500 C'm m 01,000 m C' 1,500 500 mm m 01,000 m m 1,500 500 mm 1,000 0 mm 500 0m

Dana Fault

Salawan Fault

Malqa Fault

Dana Fault

Salawan Fault

Malqa Fault

Dana Fault Dana Fault

Salawan Fault Salawan Fault

Malqa Fault Malqa Fault

HK BA SB HK HS BA HK SB BA HS HK SB BA HS SB HS

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 119

B'' 1,500 m B'' m 1,000 1,500 m 500 B'' m m 1,000 0B'' m 1,500 500 mm m 1,500 01,000 m m 500 mm 1,000 0 mm 500 0m

FLORA The flora of southern Jordan has been extensively studied. The mountainous parts of Shobak belong to the Mediterranean bioclimate and occur at altitudes 1,200–1,600 m above sea level. Although the PA falls under the Irano-Turanian bioclimatic subdivision of Jordan, it is influenced by the Saharo Arabian realm at the eastern parts. Vegetation can be classified as the Artemisia herba alba and Noaea mucronata brush. The common species that can be seen in the area is the juniper tree, which dominates the eastern part, with patches of Pistacia atlantica, Quercus coccifera, Ziziphus spina christi, and Retama raetam, in addition to a typical steppe vegetation dominated by Artemisia herba alba. Iris petrana was found at the high elevation of the eastern border. Down to the wadi’s drainage and close to their exit, Moringa pregrina was noticed, as was a strip of Acacia tortilis and Acacia radiana. The Shobak area harbors some rare and endangered species, including the Petra Iris, Iris petrana, and the Goat’s Beard, Tragopogon collinus. Both species are listed on the 1997 IUCN Red Data List and globally classified as “Endangered” and “Rare” respectively. A list of observed and potentially occurring species is presented in the Appendix (page 280).

120 SITE ANALYSIS: REGIONAL SCALE

Wadi Araba Wadi Araba Escarpment Southern Highlands Plateau Jordan Highlands Plateau Wadi Stream Desert Pattern Steppe Pattern Forest Pattern N 0

5 km

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 121

FAUNA Little information on the natural history and fauna of the Shobak area has been published. The available literature reports that several snake species were collected from the vicinity of Shobak; various lizards were also identified in the Shobak area; one species of amphibian; and 42 species and subspecies of reptiles belonging to two orders and 12 families. At least two reptilian species and 11 species of mammals were found to be rare and endangered. The mammals of southern Jordan, particularly Dana Nature Reserve, have been extensively studied. At least seven carnivorous species have been reported to roam the reserve, some of which, including the Red Fox, have a wide home range. The Dana Nature Reserve also harbors the Nubian Ibex, Capra nubiana. Finally, 29 species of mammals belonging to six orders and 14 families were reported in the area of Petra by the RSCN survey team.

Wadi Araba Wadi Araba Escarpment Southern Highlands Plateau Jordan Highlands Plateau Wadi Stream Desert Pattern Steppe Pattern Forest Pattern N 0

122 SITE ANALYSIS: REGIONAL SCALE

5 km

s

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 123

EXISTING HIKING TOURS Based on the interviews we led with tourists, tour operators, and the RSCN staff, three major hiking routes were recognized, which cross the site from north to south. Although only one route passes through the site, these corridors should be taken into consideration for any future planning and development of nature-based tourism in the Shobak region. The first existing hiking route, used mainly by French hiking groups, departs from the village of Mansura, then crosses the western edge of Shobak. Hikers usually camp overnight while in Shobak proper. The route ends the next day in Little Petra, where tourists are picked up by 4x4s and driven to a hotel in Petra. The second hiking route, run by the operator Jordan Experience, starts at the Feynan Ecolodge located inside the Dana Biosphere Reserve, and leads hikers for a full day through the reserve’s wadi landscapes to the village of Dana. The next day, hikers head south through the stunning rocky landscapes separating Dana and Mansura. After a night in Mansura, hikers follow the edge of the Shobak High Plateau to Little Petra. The third hiking route run by the operator Petra Moon is similar to that described above, except that it bypasses Dana, taking hikers directly from the Feynan Ecolodge to Mansura.

124 SITE ANALYSIS: REGIONAL SCALE

D

1

1st day

2 2nd day

9 3rd day

2nd day

8

3 3rd day 4

S

P

5

6 7

French Hikers’ Route Jordan Experience Route Petra Moon Route Main Road Transfer by Vehicle Road 1 Dana 2 Feynan 3 Mansura 4 Shobak 5 Little Petra 6 Petra 7 Wadi Musa 8 King’s Highway 9 Dead Sea Highway S Shobak Proposed Reserve D Dana Biosphere Reserve P Petra Archeological Park N 10 20 km 0

EXISTING ATTRACTIONS Shobak is located within an area with many tourist attractions and destinations. Petra and Dana Biosphere reserves act as two strong attractions for tourists while other interesting locations such as Shobak Castle remain somehow undiscovered by the majority of tourists. The region also bears multiple obscure archeological sites around Shobak and north of Wadi Al Namla. Petra and Little Petra in the southern part remain the busiest of these attractions. The unique geological and natural setting of the site also should be considered as an appeal for naturelover tourists. The tourism group studied these attractions in depth and conducted multiple interviews on each site, firstly to categorize the type of tourists that frequently visit each site and secondly to make an inventory of existing tourism infrastructure. Special attention was paid to the architecture of the accommodations, their placement on the site, the arrangement of public and private spaces, their relationship to the landscape, their circulation systems, and their amenities.

1

D 22

Al Maqar'eiah

3

8

9

Wadi Sakakeen 4

S

Wadi Al Namla

P

5

6

Petra 7

Castle Campsite Archeological Site Feynan Ecolodge Dana Guesthouse 1 Dana 2 Feynan 3 Mansura 4 Shobak 5 Little Petra 6 Petra 7 Wadi Musa 8 King’s Highway 9 Dead Sea Highway S Shobak Proposed Reserve D Dana Biosphere Reserve P Petra Archeological Park N 10 20 km 0

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 125

EXISTING ACCOMMODATIONS By surveying the existing accommodations within the region, we aimed to first perform an inventory of the existing tourism infrastructure and secondly to learn and measure the positive and negative aspects of the each existing campsite and hotel, such as planning, management, and local involvement. The results of this inventory were synthesized to inform the proposed masterplan and also the design of the ecolodge. A comparison between the existing accommodations in three areas of Dana, Shobak, and Petra demonstrates that an overflowing cluster of accommodations has taken shape around Petra and Little Petra, while in Dana and Shobak areas, with the exception of three RSCN-owned accommodations (Feynan Ecolodge, Dana Guesthouse, and Camp Rummana), there are not enough facilities. It is also notable that five- and four-star hotels are distributed around Petra, but there is no high-standard accommodation on the north side of the region. The cluster of camps is around Little Petra and Beida areas. Some of these camps are owned by local cooperatives and communities.

3 1

D 2

4

S

5

6

P

7 8

126 SITE ANALYSIS: REGIONAL SCALE

Camps Hotels Accommodation Density Main Road Road Single Accommodations 1 Dana Guesthouse 2 Feynan Ecolodge 3 Camp Rummana 4 Montreal Hotel Concentration of Accommodations 5 Beida 6 Little Petra 7 Petra 8 Wadi Musa S Shobak Proposed Reserve D Dana Biosphere Reserve P Petra Archeological Park N 10 20 km 0

Petra Petra MUSA Petra PETRA/WADI Petra Petra INTERNATIONAL HOTELS International Hotel International Hotel International International Hotel Hotel International Hotel ***** ***** ***** ***** **** **** ***** **** **** ****

$$$$ $$$$ $$$$ $$$$ $$$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$

Dana Dana Dana LITTLE PETRA/BEIDA Dana Dana

Shoubak Shoubak Shoubak DANA Shoubak Shoubak

Marriott Petra Taybet Zaman Marriott Petra Petra Marriott Marriott Petra Petra Marriott Marriott Petra Petra Marriott Marriott Petra PetraGolden Marriott Marriott Petra Petra Marriott Crown PlazaTaybet Tulip Crown Plaza Zaman Crown Plaza Taybet Zaman Crown Plaza Taybet Zaman Crown Plaza Taybet Zaman Grand View Taybet Petra Moon Crown Plaza Zaman Grand View Golden Tulip Grand View Golden Tulip Grand View Tulip Grand View Golden Golden Tulip Movenpick Panorama Grand View Golden Tulip Movenpick Petra Moon Movenpick Petra Moon Movenpick Petra Movenpick Petra Moon Moon Movenpick Petra Moon Panorama Panorama Panorama Panorama Panorama

ECOLODGES

Feynan Ecolodge

Ecolodge Ecolodge Ecolodge Ecolodge Ecolodge

Feynan Feynan Ecolodge Feynan Ecolodge Feynan Ecolodge Ecolodge Feynan Ecolodge ???? ?

$$$$ $$$$ $$$$ $$$$ $$$ $$$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$

LOCAL HOTELS Local Hotel Local Hotel Local Local Hotel Hotel Local Hotel *** *** *** *** ** ** *** ** ** **

$$$$ $$$$ $$$$ $$$$ $$$ $$$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$

LOCAL LODGES/MOTELS Local Local Lodge/Motel Local Lodge/Motel Local Lodge/Motel Lodge/Motel Local Lodge/Motel

** ** *** *** *** **

$$ $$ $$ $$$ $ $$$ $$

CAMPSITES Camp Camp sites Camp sites Camp sites sites Camp sites

SHOBAK

???? ?

$$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$ $$$ $$ $$ $$ $$

Silk Road Al Anbat Silk Road Al Anbat Silk Al Silk Road Road Al Anbat AlAnbat Anbat Petra Inn Silk Road Al Anbat Amra Palace Petra Inn Petra Inn Amra Palace Amra Palace Petra Inn Petra Inn Amra Palace Amra Palace PetraNabatean Inn Amra Palace Nabatean Candles Hotel Nabatean Candles Hotel Candles Hotel Petra Palace Nabatean Candles Hotel Nabatean Candles Hotel Nabatean Candles HotelPetra Palace Edom Petra Palace Edom Edom Petra Palace Edom PetraPetra Rest Palace Edom Petra Palace Edom House PetraInn Inn SilkPetra Petra Petra Rest House Petra Inn Petra Rest House Petra Inn Petra Rest Rest House House Petra Inn Petra Rest House Petra RoadInn Sella Sella Sella Sella Sella Sella

Petra Gate Moon Valley Sab’aa Musa Spring Sharah Moun- Orient Gate Petra Gate Cleopetra Petra Gate Cleopetra Petra Gate Cleopetra Petra GateWay Cleopetra tains Peace Cleopetra Petra Gate Moon valley Moon valley Sab’aa Sab’aa Moon valley Valentine InnSab’aa Moon valley Sab’aa Sab’aa Moon valley Musa Spring Cleopetra Musa Spring Sharah Mountains Musa Spring Sharah Mountains Musa Spring Sharah Sharah Mountains Mountains Sharah Mountains Musa Spring Orient Gate Valentine Inn Valentine Inn Orient Gate Orient Valentine Inn Inn Orient Gate Gate Valentine Orient Gate Valentine Inn Peace Way Peace Way Peace Way Peace Way Way Peace

Ammarin Ammarin camp Ammarin camp Ammarin camp camp Ammarin camp Helali Helali Bedouin Bedouin camp camp Helali Bedouin camp Helali Bedouin camp Helali Bedouin camp King Aretas camp King Aretas camp King Aretas camp King Aretas camp King Aretas camp Seven Wonders camp Seven Wonders camp Seven Seven Wonders Wonders camp camp Seven Wonders camp Rock camp Rock camp Rock camp Rock camp camp Rock

Hotel Montreal Hotel Montreal Hotel Hotel Montreal Montreal Hotel Montreal ** ** ** ** **

Dana Guesthouse Dana Hotel Dana Dana Guesthouse Dana Guesthouse Dana Guesthouse Guesthouse Dana Guesthouse Hotel Dana Hotel Dana Hotel Dana Hotel Dana Hotel

Amareen Camp Helali Bedouin Camp King Aretas Camp Seven Wonders Camp Rock Camp Little Petra Camp Rummana Campsite Rummana Rummana Campsite Rummana Campsite Rummana Campsite Campsite Rummana Campsite

Hotel Montreal Cave Hotel

Cave Cave hotel Cave hotel Cave hotel hotel Cave hotel

Rummana Camp

Jaya Camp

Jaya Jaya Camp Jaya Camp Jaya Camp Camp Jaya Camp

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 127

EXISTING ACCOMMODATION TYPES The tourism group managed to interview tourists and tour operators in 15 different locations around the region. A standard set of questions was asked by group members, followed by more detailed discussion about the future protected area of Shobak and future development of the region.

1

MONTREAL HOTEL 7

D

3

D

P

1 Storage 2 Tents 1 Storage1 Storage 2 Tents 2 Tents3 Common Tent 4 Kitchen 3 Common3 Tent Common Tent 5 Water Tank 4 Kitchen4 Kitchen 5 Water Tank 5 Water6 Diesel Tank Generators 7 Washrooms 6 Diesel Generators 6 Diesel Generators 8 Ovens 7 Washrooms 7 Washrooms 9 Parking 8 Ovens 8 Ovens Utilities Utilities Amenities 9 Parking9 Parking Amenities

128 SITE ANALYSIS: REGIONAL SCALE

4

5

6

1

Montreal Hotel

Montreal Hotel S Rock Camp Rock Camp Amareen Camp P Camp Seven Wonders Bedouin Camp Amareen Seven Wonders Bedouin CampHotel Movenpick Movenpick Hotel

3

6

3

S

SEVEN WONDERS9 BEDOUIN CAMP

3

7 3

1 5

2

2 3

3

4 6

9 7

4

2

6

1

2

3

5

2

5

4

7 2

N

NTS

N

NTS

Utilities Amenities

N

NTS

N

NTS

6

6 2

7

7

4 2 3

4 2 3

2 3

5 N 66

8 3

N

NTS 11

1-Storage 1-Storage 2- a Tents pad 2- a Tents pad 1-Storage 2-b Black Tents 2-ba Black 2Tents Tents pad 3-Common Tent 3-Common Tent 2-b Black Tents 4-Staff rooms 4-Staff rooms 3-Common 1-Storage 5-Water TankTent 5-Waterrooms Tank 4-Staff 2- a Tents 6-Solar Panelpad 6-Solar Panel 5-Water Tank 2-b Black Tents 7-Washrooms 7-Washrooms 6-Solar Panel Tent 3-Common 8-Ovens 8-Ovens 7-Washrooms 4-Staff rooms 9-Parking 9-Parking 8-Ovens 5-Water Tank 9-Parking 6-Solar Panel 7-Washrooms 8-Ovens 9-Parking

ROCK CAMP AMAREEN CAMP MOVENPICK HOTEL

66

22 22 22 77

2 2 2 2 3 34 4 8 8 1

55

8 5 2

NTS N NNTS NTS 1

3 3

2 2 2

N N NTS NTS

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 129

INTERVIEWS WITH TOUR OPERATORS

D 15

14 S

10 11 12 13

9 7 6 P 8 53 4 2 1

1 Petra Moon Travel Agency & Jordan Experience Travel Agency 2 Movenpick Hotel and Panorama Hotel 3 Petra Development and Tourism Authority 4 Petra Entrance 5 Seven Wonders Camp 6 Little Petra Camp 7 Ammarin Camp 8 Little Petra 9 Rock Camp 10 Shobak Castle 11 Jaya Camp 12 Cave Hotel 13 Hotel Montreal 14 RSCN Visitor Center 15 Feynan Ecolodge

130 SITE ANALYSIS: REGIONAL SCALE

wendy botham

Petra Moon

Major nationalities of tourists? German Groups, UK, American, Swiss, Australian expatriates from GCC, and Brazilian What is the age range? 20–80 Do you have nature tourists? Yes, majority Types of accommodation the majority of tourists choose? Petra Moon provides tents and personal chefs but not hotels, though you can book in advance through them What are the popular itineraries? Dana Guesthouse, Feynan, Mansura, Little Petra Average number of nights in Jordan? Sometimes up to 15 nights total in Jordan (3 days hiking, 3 days Petra) Free Independent Travellers or Groups? FIT 50%, Groups 50% Normal price range? $30–40 per day Main types of tourists? Ecotourist, adventurer Sources of advertisement? Foreign operators called Hauser, website, and professional hiking catalogues

mohammed khalili

Jordan Experience

Major nationalities of tourists? Dutch, Belgian, Polish, Hungarian, Charter Tours to Aqaba (Polish, Hungarian, Belarusian) What is the majority’s age range? 40–60 Do you have nature tourists? Less than 20% ecotourism Types of accommodation the majority of tourists choose? 50% of accommodation is 3-star, 30% 4-star, and 20% 5-star What are the popular itineraries? Amman, Madaba, Dead Sea, biblical and historical tours Do you offer any hiking itineraries? In spring and autumn: Dana, Wadi Ghweir (take a RSCN guide from Dana), Mansura, Little Petra Average number of nights in Jordan? 6 nights Free Independent Travellers or Groups? FIT 20%, Groups 80% Normal price range? 3-star: $700, 4-star: $800, 5-star: $1,100 Main types of tourists? Classical, history, and culture Sources of advertisement? Foreign operators, and website

Interviews atPetra Petra Interviews Petra Interviews at nterviews atatPetra Interviews at Petra Interviews at Petra Interviews at Petra Interviews atINTERVIEWS Petra SAMPLE WITH TOURISTS

NATIONALITY: NATIONALITY: NATIONALITY: American NATIONALITY: NATIONALITY: Jordanian NATIONALITY: NATIONALITY: Italian NATIONALITY: Dutch NATIONALITY: American NATIONALITY: Jordanian NATIONALITY: Italian Italian NATIONALITY: Dutch Dutch NATIONALITY: American NATIONALITY: Jordanian Italian NATIONALITY: Dutch American Jordanian Nationality: Dutch NATIONALITY: Nationality: Jordanian Nationality: Italian Nationality: American AGE: 20s AGE: 60s AGE: 30s AGE: 20s AGE: 20sAGE: 20s AGE: 60sAGE: 60s AGE: 30sAGE: 30s AGE: 20sAGE: 20s AGE: 20s AGE: 60s AGE: 30s AGE: 20s Age: 60s Age: 20s Age: 20s Age: 30s WHY JORDAN: WHY JORDAN: PilgramageWHY JORDAN: WHY West Bank WHY JORDAN: WHY JORDAN: Petra WHY JORDAN: Pilgramage WHY JORDAN: to Close West Bank WHY JORDAN: Petra WHY JORDAN: Petra Petra WHY JORDAN: Petra Petra WHY JORDAN: Pilgramage WHY JORDAN: toClose West to Bank WHY JORDAN: Petra WHY JORDAN: Pilgramage Close to Close West JORDAN: Bank WHY JORDAN: Petra SOURCE INFORMATION: SOURCE OF INFORMATION: SOURCE INFORMATION: livingto there) OFyou INFORMATION: OF INFORMATION: OF INFORMATION: (Currently living there) OF INFORMATION: SOURCE OF INFORMATION: SOURCE OF INFORMATION: (Currently livingtravel there) OF INFORMATION: OF INFORMATION: SOURCESOURCE OF INFORMATION: (Currently living there) Why didOFyou travel to Jordan? Why didSOURCE travel toOFJordan? Why didSOURCE you travel toSOURCE Jordan? Why did(Currently you Jordan?SOURCESOURCE n/a Lonely Planet Internet/Friends SOURCE OF INFORMATION:n/a n/a Television, LonelyTelevision, Planet Internet/Friends OF INFORMATION: n/a Lonely Planet Internet/Friends SOURCE OF INFORMATION: Television, LonelyTelevision, Planet Internet/Friends SOURCESOURCE OF INFORMATION: Pilgrimage Visiting Petra Visiting Petra Close to West Bank 0 NUMBERNUMBER 7 5 Friends/Word of Mouth OF NIGHTS: 0 OF NIGHTS: OF NIGHTS: 7 OF NIGHTS: OF NIGHTS: 5 OF NIGHTS: Friends/Word Mouthof Mouth NUMBER OF NIGHTS: 0 NUMBER OF NIGHTS: 7 NUMBER OF NIGHTS: 5 NUMBERNUMBER OF NIGHTS: 0NUMBER OF NIGHTS: 7NUMBER NUMBERNUMBER OF NIGHTS: 5NUMBER of Friends/Word Mouthof Friends/Word SHOBAK?: Yes, it is boring SHOBAK?: Never Heard SHOBAK?: Never heard NUMBER OF NIGHTS: 4 SHOBAK?: Yes, it issource boring SHOBAK?: Never Heard SHOBAK?: Never heard NUMBER OF NIGHTS: 4 What washeard your source NUMBER of What your What was yourSHOBAK?: source ofNever Heard (currently living there) Yes, it isof boring SHOBAK?: Never NUMBER 4 SHOBAK?: Yes,was itSHOBAK?: is boring SHOBAK?: Never Heard SHOBAK?: Never heard OF NIGHTS: 4 OF NIGHTS: ECOLODGE: Yes ECOLODGE: No Opinion ECOLODGE: Yes SHOBAK?: Never heard ECOLODGE: Yes ECOLODGE: No Opinion ECOLODGE: Yes SHOBAK?: Never heard Yes No Opinion Yes SHOBAK?: heard ECOLODGE: YesECOLODGE: ECOLODGE: NoECOLODGE: Opinion ECOLODGE: YesECOLODGE: SHOBAK?: Never heardwas Never information? Internet/friends information? N/A information? What your source offeesextra HOW MUCH WOULD YOUON SPEND HOW MUCH WOULD YOUON SPEND ON HOW MUCH WOULD YOUON SPEND ON ECOLODGE: Yes, feesMUCH isHOWWOULD MUCH YOU SPEND HOWWOULD MUCH YOU SPEND HOWWOULD MUCH YOU SPEND ECOLODGE: Yes, if the extra fees isif the HOWWOULD MUCH WOULD YOUON SPEND HOWWOULD MUCH WOULD YOUON SPEND HOWWOULD MUCH WOULD YOUON SPEND ECOLODGE: Yes, extra isHOW YOU SPEND ON HOW ON MUCH YOU SPEND ON HOW MUCH YOU SPEND ON ECOLODGE: Yes, if the extra fees isif the How many nights will you stay? 5 benefitting How many nights willMid-range you stay? Television, Lonely Planet information? AN ECOLODGE: Mid-range actually benefitting AN ECOLODGE: Mid-rangeAN AN ECOLODGE: Mid-range AN ECOLODGE: Mid-range actually the local AN ECOLODGE: Mid-range AN ECOLODGE: Mid-range AN ECOLODGE: AN ECOLODGE: Mid-range AN ECOLODGE: Mid-range actually benefitting the localthe local AN ECOLODGE: Mid-range actually benefitting the local AN ECOLODGE: Mid-range ECOLODGE: Mid-range HIKING?: No 7 Yes community No HIKING?: No will Yes HIKING?: community No Yes you community HIKING?: No HIKING?: No stay? HIKING?: No nights HIKING?:HIKING?: Yes HIKING?: community HIKING?:HIKING?: No day Have heard about Shobak? Only trip HIKING?: How many you Friends/word of mouth MOSTBedouins MEMORABLE: Bedouins HOW MUCH WOULD YOUON SPEND MOST Petra MEMORABLE: MOST Petra MEMORABLE: MOST MEMORABLE: HOWWOULD MUCH YOU SPEND MOST MEMORABLE: MOST MEMORABLE: MOST Petra MEMORABLE: Petra Petra MOSTBedouins MEMORABLE: Bedouins HOWWOULD MUCH WOULD YOUON SPEND MOST Petra MEMORABLE: Petra PetraMOST MEMORABLE: MOST MEMORABLE: HOW MUCH YOU SPEND ON MOST ON MEMORABLE: Never Have you heard about Shobak? Have you heard about Shobak? How many nights willBudget you stay? 4 ACCOMODATION: n/a n/a AN ECOLODGE: ACCOMODATION: n/a ACCOMODATION: n/a ACCOMODATION: n/a heard AN ECOLODGE: Budget n/a ACCOMODATION: n/a ACCOMODATION: n/a AN ECOLODGE: Budget ACCOMODATION: n/a ACCOMODATION: n/a ACCOMODATION: ACCOMODATION: n/a ACCOMODATION: AN ECOLODGE: Budget ACCOMODATION: n/a OF HOTEL: Mid-range OFyou HOTEL: HIKING?: OF HOTEL: Mid-range TYPE OF TYPE HOTEL: Mid-range OF TYPE HOTEL: Mid-range Yes you OF HOTEL: Mid-range OFTYPE HOTEL: Mid-range OFTYPE HOTEL: Mid-range OFTYPE HOTEL: Mid-range Yes TYPE HOTEL: Mid-range TYPE OFTYPE HOTEL: Mid-range HIKING?:HIKING?: Yes HIKING?: TYPE OFTYPE HOTEL: Would stayMid-range at an ecolodge? Yes, it TYPE isMid-range boring NeverOFheard Have heardYesabout Shobak? TRANSPORTATION: Bus MOST MEMORABLE: MOSTPetra MEMORABLE: TRANSPORTATION: TRANSPORTATION: TRANSPORTATION: Bus MOST MEMORABLE: TRANSPORTATION: Group Group GroupTRANSPORTATION: TRANSPORTATION: TRANSPORTATION: Bus MOSTPetra MEMORABLE: Petra PetraTRANSPORTATION: TRANSPORTATION: Tour BusTour BusTour BusTour Bus TRANSPORTATION: BusTRANSPORTATION: Group Yes n/a n/a Would youPetra stay atPetra an ecolodge? Would ITINERARY: youn/a stay atn/a anITINERARY: ecolodge? Never n/a ACCOMODATION: n/a ITINERARY: Petra ITINERARY: n/a ITINERARY: ACCOMODATION: n/a ITINERARY: ITINERARY: n/a ACCOMODATION: n/a ITINERARY: ITINERARY: n/a ITINERARY: ACCOMODATION: n/a heard ITINERARY: PetraITINERARY: NOTES: Using Tour Bus NOTES: Initially going to Oman but TYPE OF HOTEL: budget NOTES: Using Tour Bus NOTES: Initially going to Oman but TYPE OF HOTEL: budget NOTES: Initially goingwould to Oman butspend OFyou HOTEL: NOTES: NOTES: Yes Using Tour Bus Using Tour Bus NOTES: Initially going toHow Omanmuch but TYPE OFon HOTEL: TYPE budget you No opinion Would staybudget at an ecolodge? Jordan was included in package TRANSPORTATION: Taxi Jordan was included in package TRANSPORTATION: Taxi Jordan was included in package TRANSPORTATION: Taxi Jordan was included in package TRANSPORTATION: Taxi an ecolodge? Mid-range How much would you spend on How much would you spend on Yes,n/aif ITINERARY: then/a extra fees n/a actually ITINERARY: ITINERARY: n/a ITINERARY: NOTES: FIT community FIT NOTES: FIT NOTES: NOTES: FIT Do you usually take hiking an ecolodge? Mid-range an ecolodge? Mid-range benefit the local

tours? Yes Most memorable: Bedouins Type of hotel: Mid-range What is your mode of transportation? Bus Notes: Initially going to Oman but Jordan was included in package

How much would you spend on an ecolodge? Budget Do you usually take hiking tours? Yes Most memorable: Petra Type of hotel: Budget What is your mode of transportation? Taxi Notes: FIT

Do you usually take hiking tours? No Most memorable: Petra Type of hotel: Mid-range What is your mode of transportation? Group bus Notes: Using tour bus

Do you usually take hiking tours? No Most memorable: Petra Type of hotel: Mid-range What is your mode of transportation? Tour bus

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 131

NICHE MARKETS Shobak’s proximity to two tourist attraction poles—the world-renowned cultural heritage sites, Petra and Dana Biosphere Reserve—attracts a variety of tourist types to the region. Based on our findings and collaboration with experts in tourism, and with special attention to the naturebased travelers, we categorized tourists into five major types. The first two types, hard adventurer and soft adventurer tourists, tend to seek novel and distinct destinations. They are also interested in exploring new landscapes and natural settings firsthand. The third type, ecotourists, also enjoy exploring nature and scenery with a tendency to be more conscious about natural conservation and sustainable growth of local communities. The majority of tourists that we encountered were cultural and historical tourists, and we categorized them under one umbrella term: mass tourist. A main destination for this type of tourist was Petra and usually they traveled there in groups. There is also a new avenue in the naturebased tourism market which we dubbed “luxury ecotourists.” We feel that there is a great demand for attracting wealthier ecotourists to the region by providing new interest points.

132 SITE ANALYSIS: REGIONAL SCALE

HARD ADVENTURER

SOFT ADVENTURER

Hard Adventurer Tourist Soft Adventurer Tourist Hard Adventurer Tourist Soft Adventurer Tourist Ecotourist Tourist

Hard adventurers’ interests are camping, rock climbing, trekking, cycling, climbing, and caving. They usually travel in groups as well as independently. A typical hard adventurer has a high level of skill and training and is aware of the high risk of adventure. The average length of travel for this segment of the market is seven to eight days in Jordan and three to four days in the Dana-Shobak-Petra region. The demographic for this segment is 50% male, 50% female, with an age range of 35 to 60 years old. The expenditure of this group is moderate.

Soft adventurers are more interested in shorter hiking and trying different activities and destinations. In addition to trekking and discovering wilderness settings, soft adventurers are also interested in exploring new places and meeting and engaging with local cultures. The majority of the soft adventurer tourists we interviewed on the site traveled in small groups or independently. The average length of travel was similar to that of hard adventurers. Based on our findings, the majority (53%–60%) of this type of tourist are female, with an age range of 35 to 60 years old. The expenditure of this segment is high to moderate.

Ecotourist Tourist

under they a politic

Soft Adventurer Tourist Ecotourist Ecotourist Tourist Mass ECOTOURIST ourist Ecotourist Tourist Tourist Soft Adventurer Tourist Tourist

Mass Tourist CULTURAL TRAVELER Ecotourist Tourist Mass Tourist

Ecotourist Tourist LUXURYEcotourist ECOTOURIST Tourist

Ecotourists enjoy nature and scenery Cultural traveler is an umbrella term that and are interested in educational tourism we chose to describe the general packagedEducational tour Educational tour Educational tour that enriches their understanding of the tour market, leading to well-known tourist of the country cultural, historical, and understanding ecological context destinations. majority travel in large understanding of theThe country understanding of the country they are visiting, its culture, they are visiting, itsvisiting, culture, of their destination. Ecotourists tend to be groups by bus with their guides on routine they are its culture, politics, history and ecology history and ecology politics, history andthe ecology more conscious about conserving nature as politics, itineraries. Petra was major attraction well as keener to learn about sustainability for this type of tourist. The expenditure of $$-$$$ $$-$$$ $$-$$$ and growth of local communities. The de- this group was more in the moderate range mographic is similar to hard adventurer: with an average stay of 6 nights or less in even ratio of female and male with an age Jordan and one to two nights in the Petra range of 35 to 55. Ecotourists have higher region. There is an emerging trend of traveducational backgrounds and sometimes eling alone or in small, organized groups. higher expenditure. Ecotourists’ average length of travel is 8 to 14 days.

Based on our findings, there is a new avenue for another type of tourist which we call luxury ecotourists: the wealthier fraction of ecotourists who are willing to pay more for secluded and sustainable accommodations and enjoy natural scenery with moderate hiking and unique activities. This typology of tourists is a hybrid of soft adventurer and ecotourists and the age range is the same as soft adventurers.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 133

134 SECTION OF THE BOOK THAT WE’RE IN

SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 135

TOPOGRAPHY & HYDROLOGY Hydrology tends to follow topography: water drains down the sloped hillsides of the mountain zone towards Wadi Araba. Most of the streams depicted on the map remain dry for the majority of the year but become very active after rainfall and can result in flash floods. Because of the drastic topographic change, flash floods can occur in areas that experience no rain at all, making them unpredictable and potentially dangerous. A “desert scream” is a loud noise that precedes such an event and can indicate imminent danger. Wadi Sakakeen, which contains numerous potential tourist sites, can pose a great danger to tourists because it has a very large catchment basin. The wadis are the lifelines for biodiversity. They provide a water and food source for plants and animals as well as a hunting ground for predators including foxes, wolves, falcons, and humans. They are very attractive places to visit because they can host lush oases amidst very arid lands. Unfortunately, the presence of humans in such areas can have a strong impact on the behavior of animals, meaning that tourism in and around wadis needs to be closely monitored.

Wadi Araba

Mountain Zone

Sloped Hillside

High Plateau

N 0

136 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

10 km

ROADS & TRAILS Most of the proposed protected area is not accessible by motorized vehicle and is difficult to access by foot. This is because a majority of its area constitutes a mountain range. On the other hand, the sloped hillside to the east contains a welldeveloped network of off-road trails that supply numerous traditional agricultural lands and grazing fields. Because of their connection to the King’s Highway and their location in an ideal climatic region, these will play a key role in the development of a tourism industry. There are also dirt roads scattered in Wadi Araba. Within the site itself, we have identified a network of potential trails and pathways based on topography and accounts from travelers. The intent is to activate only a very limited number of these while leaving the rest unused so that a majority of the site can remain protected and unhindered by a human presence. Along the King’s Highway are networks of paved roads defining the numerous villages and modern agricultural lands that border the escarpment. This is the largest nearby population center where we expect a majority of people employed in the conservation and tourism industry will reside.

Mountain Peak Highway Paved Road Off-Road Trail Trail (Easy) Mountain Trail Valley Trails Normal Road N 0

5 km

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 137

GEOLOGY Shobak is located in the western corner of the East Jordan limestone plateau and the Rift Valley escarpment. The plateau extends over 45,000 km2. It is bound to the west by the Wadi Araba–Jordan Valley Graben, to the south by the sandstone of South Jordan, and by basaltic fields to the north. Geologically, this plateau is dominated by the Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary carbonate rocks, as evidenced by outcrops of the “Balqa” and “Ajloun” groups. The escarpment is composed of steep granite mountains (360–1,600 m) facing southwest, and extending to the northeast, dissected by deep seasonal wadis. The major wadis are Wadi Barwas in the north, then Wadi Sakakeen in the middle, and Wadi Al Namla in the south. The typical cross-section of Shobak is dominated by sandstone and Ayahmir volcanic rock. The rocks of the latter have a pink color and consist of phenocrysts of quartz and feldspar in a matrix of cryptocrystalline quartz, feldspar, and chlorite.

A

A'

N 0 For legend descriptions—see opposite page

138 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

5

10 km

Salawan Fault Salawan Fault

1,500 m 1,500 m 1,250 m 1,250 m 1,000 m 1,000 m 750 m 750 m

Malqa Fault Malqa Fault

GEOLOGICAL CROSS-SECTION

CC MCM Muwaqqar Chalk-Marl AM Ahaymir Volcanic ASL/AHP Amman Silicified Limestone/Al Hisa Phosphorite DI Disi Sandstone WSL Wadi as Sir Limestone ASL/AHP KS Kurnub MCM Muwaqqar Chalk-Marl AM Ahaymir Volcanic AmmanSandstone Silicified Limestone/Al Hisa Phosphorite Umm’Ishrin Sandstone WSL Wadi NL Na’ur FHS Fuhayas/Hammar/Shu’ayb DI Disi IN Sandstone as SirLimestone Limestone KS Kurnub Sandstone IN Umm’Ishrin Sandstone NL Na’ur Limestone FHS Fuhayas/Hammar/Shu’ayb

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 139

Geological Forces at Work: The Jordan Valley Rift is a unique geological area in the world providing a glimpse into world history from around 600 million years ago to the present. The Shobak area is exceptional in that this geological variety occurs over a very short distance of around 8 km in the east-west direction. This means that from numerous vantage points in the Shobak area, one can see all of these periods of world history collapsed into the frame of a single photograph or in long day’s journey.

2

1

4

5

High Plateau: 12,000 million years–present While this zone is relatively geologically HIGH PLATEAU uniform, it allows for the greatest overview of the entire site and its geology. With a map or guide, one can identify rock groups, fault lines, and other exceptional patterns. Sloped Hillside: 12,000 million years old This geological area was eroded and frac5 1 Sand and Rock Soil: 65 million years old 2 Mount Abu Mahmoud: Basalt and granite from the Araba Complex, roughly 600 million years old 3 Late Paleozoic Sandstone: 250–350 million years old 4 Cretaceous Kurnub Sandstone: 100 million years old 5 Na’Ur Limestone : 75 million years old

1

SLOPED HILLSIDE 140 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

3

tured through great forces, resulting in a steep hillside of rocky soil, limestone cliffs, and smoothly rounded mountain peaks. Mountain Zone: 50–550 million years old Here, the sandstone and ancient basalt and granite types that underlie most of Jordan have risen to the surface through great geological forces to heights of up to 1.5 billion yards. Only a few wadis cross through this range, along which one can travel through 500 million years of geology.

1

Wadi Araba: This zone is the basin of the Jordan Valley Rift. The portions of it bordering the Shobak Protected Area are mainly composed of sandy and rocky soils, large MOUNTAIN ZONE boulder fields, and alluvial fans. Much of the material that covers this area is the eroded debris of the geological zones farther east, but they also include outcrops of ancient granite peaks from over 600 million years ago and traveling sand dunes. 1 Mount Abu Mahmoud: Basalt and Granite from the Araba Complex, roughly 600 million years old 2 Western Escarpment 3 Ghuwayr Volcanic Granite from the Aqaba Complex 4 Alluvium and Wadi Sediments: 16,000– 40,000 years ago 5 Wadi Araba Fluviatile Sand and Gravel: 16,000–40,000 years ago 6 Alluvial Fan: 1,600–40,000 years ago

2 4 3

1

5

6

WADI ARABA ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 141

FAUNA In 2011, the RSCN overtook an ecological field survey of the site as part of the Shobak rapid assessment survey. The team summary regarding fauna is presented below. The team was limited to recording the observations in their daily walks, following the request of the Integrated Ecosystem Management method of the Jordan Rift Valley Project. The IEM recommended that the study be conducted in a quick manner without drawing any attention to the presence of the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature and without engaging the local community or the site visitors. The Appendix showcases a list of Shobak’s fauna (page 280).

cause it is among the common species in Jordan that can spread in humid areas, and that it is an important source of food for many other animal species such as the predators and some bird species. Reptiles Ten species of reptiles belonging to five families were recorded in the study area. These included eight species of lizards, the most important of which was Uromastyx aegyptia, one of the largest lizard species in Jordan. It is characterized by its broad, flat tail, with protuberances squamous. It is also one of the endangered species at the local level and has been listed in the second list of the International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna Agreement. In addition, the Kolziryay Lizard (Lacerta kulzeri) has been recorded; it is one of the endemic species in South Jordan. One type of snake was recorded, the Painted Carpet Viper (Echis coloratus), in the Bros Valley near the water stream. This snake is very dangerous and venomous and its bite may lead to death.

Amphibians A single type of amphibian has been recorded in the study area, the tree frog (Hyla savignyi), which is spread in the water course that runs through Wadi Abu Al Sakakeen and Bros Valleys. It is worth mentioning that this species is endangered at the local level, and needs fresh water to survive. This gives a primary indication that the sources of water in the study location are fresh and free from pollution. Birds The RSCN team believes that the toad A total of 44 bird species belonging to (Bufo viridis) lives in the study area be- 20 families were recorded, including resi-

142 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

dent birds such as the Rock Martin (Ptyonoprogne fuligula), whose presence was recorded in most parts of the study location. Also, the study location is considered to be a possible nesting location for a range of bird species such as the Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), the Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), Desert Lark (Ammomanes deserti), Galerida cristata, Oenanthe lugens, Oenanthe monacha, and Carduelis cannabina. In juniper-treed areas, a combination of bird species was noted, among which were Alectoris chukar, Pycnonotus xanthopygos, and Lanius senator. In the low-lying areas within the region of Wadi Araba, we recorded a group of bird species, the most important of which were: Ammoperdix heyi, Columba livia, Streptopelia decaocto, Ammomanes deserti, Cercomela melanura, Oenanthe lugens, Onychognathus tristramii, and Corvus rhipidurus. Around the tree areas located in the wadis, the RSCN team recorded a group of nesting birds such as the White-Spectacled Bulbul (Pycnonotus xanthopygos), the Palestinian Sunbird (Nectarinia osea), the Scrub Warbler (Scotocera inquieta), and Streptopelia senegalensis. The team also noted that this area includes small groups of migratory birds such as Luscinia mega-

rhynchos, Hippolais pallida, Sylvia corruca, and Sylvia atricapilla. Regarding the bird species of special interest, the team recorded an adult Bonelli’s Eagle (Hieraaetus fasciatus), which was observed near the rocky slopes of the sandy mountains, where white waste was noticed, demonstrating that the study area is a nesting site for this bird. The team also saw a pair of Corvus rhipidurus that may be among the nesting species in the region. In this regard, it is worth mentioning that this species’ population has decreased in size in Jordan. The Common Raven (Corvus corax) was seen flying over the site. Numbers of this species are declining globally. Mammals Fourteen species of mammals were recorded at the study site, all of which belong to five ranks as follows: one species of insectivore, seven species of predators, one species of hyrax, one species of rabbit, two species of rodents, and two species of artiodactyls.

eared hedgehog (Hemiechinus auritus). dan, spreading in different areas, and is This is one of the species that feed mainly one of the species on which many types of on insects. predators, reptiles, and birds feed. Predators (Carnivores) Seven species of predators, belonging to four families, were recorded; Canis lupus, the largest type of predator currently in Jordan, is among the endangered species at the local level. It has been included in the second list of the CITES agreement. The team also observed stool from the Afghan fox (Vulpes cana) in the sand mountains leading to the Bros Valley. The Afghan fox is an endangered species at the local and international levels, and has been listed as a vulnerable species in the red lists issued by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature since 2009.

Artiodactyls The Wild Goat (Capra Ibex) and Nubian Ibex (Capra Nubiana) are the only animals of this family that were recorded in the area of study. The Nubian Ibex is considered to be an endangered species at the local scale. It was recorded in the sandy mountain areas from the north to the south, up to Al Namla Valley, and in Mount Abu Hamdan, northeast of the Bros Valley. In 1996, the Nubian Ibex was on the red lists issued by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, which considered it a vulnerable animal.

Rodents Two types of rodents were recorded: one was the porcupine (Hystrix indica), which is one of the vulnerable species in Jordan due to the relentless poaching operations in the areas of its reproduction–to get meat, which led to a decrease in its popuInsectivores lation. The other type whose burrows were A single type of insectivore was recorded observed is the Cairo Spiny Mouse, characby examining its waste in the area of juni- terized by the gathering of shells around per trees and sandstone; it was the long- its burrows. It is a common species in Jor-

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 143

BIRD MIGRATION The Shobak protected area belongs to a much broader ecological zone at the scale of continents that defines the migration patterns of many bird species. The Shobak area is important because it not only provides a habitat for resident species of birds but it is also home to seasonal nesting birds and an important resting spot for passing migratory birds. The geographic region which includes Jordan, Israel, Palestine, and part of Egypt constitutes the only land bridge connecting Africa to Europe and Asia. This means that all birds passing between Africa and Asia as well as most birds passing from Eastern Africa to Europe will travel through this region. The increase in agricultural and industrial activities and the persistence of hunting threatens to diminish the habitat for these numerous species. The scarcity of water and vegetation in the region means that the protection of quality habitats will have a big impact in the years to come. 1 Upupa epops 2 Alcedo atthis 3 Muscicapa striata 4 Gyps fulvus 5 Nectarinia osea 6 Lanius nubicus

7 Pycnonotus xanthopygos 8 Parus major 9 Accipiter nisus 10 Falco tinnunculus 11 Sylvia curruca

144 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

Resident Birds

Jordan

Seasonal Nesting Birds

Europe

Asia

Jordan

Passing Migratory Birds

Europe

Asia

Jordan

Africa

N 0

100 km

1

2

5

8

3

6

9

4

7

10

11

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 145

FAUNA EAST-WEST CONNECTION To understand the Shobak region, one has to grasp the dramatic change one encounters when viewing and traveling the site east to west. High Plateau: Elevation 1,500–1,550 m This zone is characterized by a high presence of human habitation, including modernized villages and agriculture. Sloped Hillside: Elevation 1,300–1,500 m This area is a mixed filigree of private lands and lands managed by the ministry of agriculture. Although a majority of the site is too steep for human use, there are a number of nomadic Bedouin tent sites, grazing lands, and irrigated terraced gardens. It is the primary habitat of the threatened juniper tree. Mountain Zone: Elevation 300–1,500 m This zone is by far the most dramatic, providing the protected area’s most unique and attractive characteristics. While mountains and wadis are of prime interest for prospective visitors, they are also key habitats for many plants and animals, which don’t fare well with high volumes of tourists. Wadi Araba: Elevation 300–200 m By far the most arid climate, it is home to nomadic and sedentary people, desert animals, and an acacia forest.

146 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

Flora Geology Fauna

Wadi Araba Mountain Zone Flora: Refer to page 150 Fauna: Refer to page 147 Geology: Marls, clays, gypsum, clastic intercalations Fluviatile deposits, eolian sands, loess-like sediments, mantle rocks Talus, fans Quartzporphyry clastics in volcanic matrix, ignimbrite White and grey micaceous fine sandstones of marine environment

Sloped Hillside

Massive, brownish weathered, locally bedded sandstones of continental environment with red shales Massive, whitish weathered sandstones (alternating continental and marine) Argillaceous sandstones, sandy dolomites, sandy limestones, varicolored sandstones, massive white sandstones Nodular limestones, clays and marls with gypsum, thick bedded limestones, locally dolomites

High Plateau

N 0

10 km

Limestones, locally sandy, marls, dolomites Phosphorites, oyster beds, alternating limestones and marls, silicified limestones, cherts Chalky marls, bituminous limestones and marls Limestones with cherts, nummulitic limestones, chalky, sandy, and conglomeratic limestones Fluviatile gravels, mantle rocks

FAUNA DISTRIBUTION The “East-West Connection” diagram is intended to demonstrate a general trend that exists throughout the region. The diagram is divided into three categories, Flora, Geology, and Fauna, each of which has a distinctive relationship in the eastwest direction. This trend is highly consistent from north to south.

The main factors affecting this relationship are altitude, water accessibility, and soil type. These inform the climate and habitat for the various species of fauna and flora as well as the types of land use by local people. For tourism, this means that a visitor traveling the site in the east-west direc-

tion will experience an immense variety in climate, habitat, geology, and human land use. The ideal way to experience this change is through the Wadi Al Feid and Wadi Barwas cross corridors, described in the section that follows.

Visitor Center Old Village

New Al Jaheer

Tent Site Shobak Protected Area

Wolves and Hyenas

Small Bird Species

Ibex

Jackals and Badgers

Uromastyx and Desert Lizards

Fox Species

Porcupine

Desert Snakes

Birds of Prey

Agama

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 147

FLORA Floral Biodiversity The Appendix (page 280) showcases a list of Shobak’s flora recorded by the RSCN research team. Based on the characteristics of the vital and physical areas, the following plant patterns have been defined, in addition to the existing plants in the area. Plant Patterns Juniper Forest Pattern This pattern is spread mainly in the southeastern parts of the location, and extends across the northeastern edges. This pattern is concentrated in the eastern parts; however, at the time of writing this report, it was excluded because it is located within the development area of Petra. During this study, we observed that the juniper trees were vital, spread widely, and that there was a clear variation in age. Despite noting the phenomenon of regressive death of this plant and the poor natural regeneration in some parts of the location, when compared to the reserve of Masuda, Shobak is characterized by a higher density and distribution of the best of these plants. Usually, juniper plants grow at altitudes over 1,000 m above sea level. During the study, it was observed that the pattern of juniper trees was mixed with the oak forests in the southern part of the lower

148 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

eastern boundary of the study location, which increased the chances for many plant and animal species that prefer both types to live there. It was also found that some trees live in the valleys near Wadi Araba, due to the abundance of water and seed transmission through animals or water. Evergreen Oak Forest Vegetation Pattern This pattern is located on the underside of the southeastern boundary and is mixed with some of the juniper forests. We found this type of plant in the northern and southern areas of Jordan and it grows at heights of more than 700 m above sea level. It needs red soil and hard, raw limestone rocks. This plant pattern prevails within the Evergreen Oak (Quercus coccifera) and Atlantic terebinth tree (Pistacia atlantica). During the study, the effects of grazing were observed on this type of plant, because it is easy to access. However, the effects were relatively limited and could be managed. Water Vegetation Pattern This pattern can be observed in the valleys within the study location. It is characterized by the abundance of freshwater springs that run along the valley from the east through the western part of Wadi Araba. In this pattern, many plant species

that depend mainly on the availability of water resources are seen, such as the common reed (Phragmites australis), oleander (Nerium oleander), and cumbungi (Typha domingensis). Acacia Pattern The representation of this pattern exists along the western border of the study location as well as the area overseen from Al Namla Valley, and the areas of Sail Wabera, Sail Jundeyyah, Madash, Sahban, Abu Al Sakakeen, and the western side of Sahel Abu Mahmoud. All of them are considered healthy habitats for the two types of acacia trees, which we recorded: Twisted Acacia (Acacia raddiana) and Umbrella Thorn Acacia (Acacia tortilis). We also noted the natural regeneration of these plants along the western border, especially at the sub-valleys. Although the study location does not cover all this type of vegetation, it is a location that should be conserved. It is worth mentioning that the representation of acacia at this site is one of the healthiest in Jordan and, hence, deserves conservation efforts. Steppe Pattern This type of plant pattern exists in the eastern regions of the study location, where we found a group of prevailing plants such as the Caper Bush (Capparis spinosa),

Mediterranean Saltwort (Salsola vermiculata), and Wormwood (Artemisia sieberi). This diversity may be due to the fact that the western regions were affected by the Sudanese Tropical Zone steppe pattern conditions (tropical), compared to the eastern parts being affected by the Arabian desert conditions. Recorded Plant Species As for the plant species in the study location, a total of 145 plant species belonging to 45 families were recorded, six of which are endangered at the local level, namely: 1) the Palestinian Terebinth (Pistacia terebinthus), 2) the Phoenician Juniper ( Juniperus phoenicea), 3) Christ’s Thorn (Ziziphus spina-christi), 4) Taily Weed (Ochradenus baccatus), 5) Radiant Acacia (Acacia raddiana), and 6) Umbrella Thorn Acacia (Acacia tortilis). In addition, two location-associated types were recorded: Verbascum fruticulosum and Centaurea sinaica. Finally, one rare plant species was recorded at the local level: Kickxia floribunda. Moreover, some plant species were defined according to their natural use, and it has been shown that there are 29 livestockunpalatable plant species such as Hyoscyamus aureus, Reseda muricata, and Cali-

cotome villosa. The location also contains 28 plant species with medical properties including Ononis natrix, Malva parviflora, and Salvia palaestina. As for the plant species that may be used as wood, we recorded 11 examples, among which were Atlantic Terebinth (Pistacia atlantica), Jointed Anabis (Anabasis articulata), and Bitter Apple (Citrullus colocynthis). In addition, there are 11 edible types such as grasses, shrubs (Lycium shawii), sorrel (Rumex cyprius), and evergreens (Quercus coccifera); and seven plant species including poisonous oleander (Nerium oleander), Gomphocarpus sinaicus, and Pergularia (Pergularia tomentosa). Finally, six decorative species were recorded such as Asparagus stipularis, Rumex cyprius, and Adonis dentate.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 149

SUMMER FLORA DISTRIBUTION AND COLOR

Old Village Shobak Protected Area

Visitor Center New Al Jaheer

Tent Site

Chenopodium murale

Citrullus colocynthis

Globularia arabica

Urginea maritima

Rumex cyprius

Calotropis procera

Acacia raddiana

Calycotome villosa

Ochradenus baccatus

Juniperus phoenicea

Tamarix jordanis

Anabasis articulata

Bassia eriophora

Quercus calliprinos

Pistacia terebinthus

Nerium oleander

Phragmites australis

Zygophyllum dumosum

Acacia tortilis

Malva parviflora

150 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

WINTER FLORA DISTRIBUTION AND COLOR

Visitor Center Old Village

New Al Jaheer

Tent Site

Shobak Protected Area

Chenopodium murale

Citrullus colocynthis

Globularia arabica

Urginea maritima

Rumex cyprius

Calotropis procera

Acacia raddiana

Calycotome villosa

Ochradenus baccatus

Juniperus phoenicea

Tamarix jordanis

Anabasis articulata

Bassia eriophora

Quercus calliprinos

Pistacia terebinthus

Nerium oleander

Phragmites australis

Zygophyllum dumosum

Acacia tortilis

Malva parviflora

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 151

ECOLOGICAL CORRIDORS To better translate the legibility of the ECOLOGICAL ZONES MAP site, a system of corridors was created in order to group together trajectories that possess similar attributes. Characteristics such as climate, elevation, geological features, ecosystem type, views, cultural usage, and potential attractions were all considered in determining these six trajectories through and around the site. A majority of these corridors do not pass within the proposed protected area because it contains not only mountainous terrain too difficult and dangerous for an average hiker, but also sensitive arid ecosystems. The corridors located inside and outside the site each possess different attributes that will appeal to different tourist types and interests. An emphasis on north-south connections was considered to reflect the topography and to address the RSCN’s ambition to play a role in connecting the popular destinations of Dana and Petra via Shobak Escarpment. It is hoped that by making this connection environmentally and culturally responsible, tourists will be inclined to prolong their stay in Jordan and become more engaged during their visit. Because numerous other paths already exist inWadi Araba side the proposed protected area, ranging from unpaved roads to goat herder trails,

152 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

Mountain Zone

Sloped Hillside

High Plateau

N 0

10 km

it was important to narrow down the num- PRINCIPAL TRAILS MAP ber of trajectories to minimize the impact of tourists on the ecologies and cultures of the region. The four north-south corridors follow the contours of the site and each occupies a relatively consistent elevation, offering a very different type of experience. For example, the High Trail offers a wide variety of views and passes through several picturesque villages, whereas the Mountain’s Edge Trail has a wide range of geological features and flora types to explore (more on pages 156 and 158). Both east-west corridors, the Wadi Barwas and the Wadi Al Feid trails, are exceptional in that they pass through the proposed protected area in an east-west direction and undergo a large change in elevation. This means that the experience traveling through them is the most varied and intense (more on page 162). In the pages that follow, the existing features and assets of each corridor are labeled to aid in assessing their tourism potential. Because numerous connections exist between these corridors, they can be considered in isolation as well as portions of loops for shorter visits.

Wadi Araba Trail Wadi Al Feid and Wadi Barwas Trails Mountain’s Edge Trail High Trail King’s Highway N 0

10 km

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 153

KING’S HIGHWAY CORRIDOR The King’s Highway is an ancient trade route that used to connect the Nile to the Euphrates River. Today, it is a double lane vehicular road that passes in a northsouth direction through all of Jordan. It is widely used by tourists as it connects cities and villages to many of Jordan’s natural and archeological wonders. It is an important road in the immediate Shobak area as it is not only a service route for the area’s villages, but also a connector for mass tourists who travel between Shobak Castle and the Petra Archeological Park. The views of the Shobak protected area are completely hidden from the King’s Highway, and as a result, most visitors remain unaware of the wonders that lie but a few kilometers beyond its trajectory. Paradoxically, the fact that the Shobak vistas have been little known to both local and foreign visitors has safeguarded the proposed protected area, despite its proximity to the most visited tourist route in Jordan (Amman–Petra). However, the presence of mass tourists can represent a huge potential for the local communities and Shobak if well-planned. For instance, both a visitor center and a prime lookout point could introduce visitors to the Shobak region’s

154 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

cultural and environmental assets, as well as offer tours in specific zones of the protected area and orient visitors to services run by the locals. The nearby Shobak Castle is a hidden gem with a rich history, but it offers no information at all for the visitors. An interpretation center and proper signage would turn it into a major tourist destination.

Al Jaheer

A

Cave and Camp Hotel

B G

Shobak Castle

C

Agriculture

E

Agriculture

D F

Shimakh Junnineh Agriculture

The King’s Highway passes through a series of small villages, yet tourists never stop. Villagers have unique culinary and craft skills that they could easily share.

Shobak

Agriculture

Watch Tower

While traveling through the King’s Highway, visitors are not aware of the incredible views of the Shobak Escarpment that lie under 1 km away.

Hotel Montreal

A

B

C

E

D

F

G

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 155

HIGH TRAIL CORRIDOR Lying just beyond the string of villages at the edge of the high plateau, the High Trail corridor places visitors on the edge of breathtaking views of the entire Shobak Escarpment. From certain locations along the trail, one can see all the way through the Dana Biosphere Reserve in the north and Israel and Palestine in the west. Along this beaten path there is evidence of a long history of human habitation, as illustrated by ruins of abandoned villages and dwellings, terraced agricultural gardens, and irrigation systems. Some of these structures are still used today by villagers as well as both nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes. Some villagers continue to cultivate their family’s terraced gardens on a parttime basis. Nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes use the abandoned dwellings’ water reservoirs for their herds. On the High Trail, one is distant enough from the main roads to feel secluded from modern civilization while maintaining a comfortable connection of about 15–30 minutes by 4x4 to the nearest village. Some of the proposed activities in this area are guided tours of restored terraced gardens and abandoned villages, nature walks, and mountain-biking adventures.

156 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

One word: breathtaking. This corridor is all about the views.

P

A D B

There are many old stone dwellings and villages built in the steep hillside that hint at a past way of life in tune with the land and the seasons.

Pistacia atlantica

Department of Agriculture Dana to Shobak Lookout Point

Tawara House

E

Sheer Cliffs

C

Bedouin Tent Old Shimakh Old Junnineh Village Ruins

This corridor is easily traveled and has a number of interesting shaded resting points along its trajectory.

Limestone Outcrop

F

Old Hawala Village Agricultural Lands Al Zaitouneh Mountain

A

C

E

B

D

F

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 157

MOUNTAIN’S EDGE TRAIL CORRIDOR Located at the threshold between the sloped hillside and dramatic mountain ranges of the Shobak Escarpment, this corridor offers optimal access to the most dramatic portions of the landscape. It provides visitors with a sense of being immersed within the Shobak Escarpment, completely surrounded by powerful geological features and wildlife habitats. Along this sinuous corridor, one never knows what to expect next, be it the sheer cliff outcrops, the exceptional views of the peaceful Wadi Al Feid, or the occasional presence of nomadic Bedouins. While this is a difficult trail as a whole, there are numerous off-road vehicle connections that can give access to tourists of all hiking skill levels. Hence, it is an ideal place for both day visits and multiday journeys. This corridor is also the primary means of accessing the protected area, which is only possible in a few locations that are mainly along the east-west wadis.

158 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

Al Hamdanea Mountain Um Al Amad Village The landscape and geology is highly varied along this route. Around every corner there is a surprise.

Bedouin Tent Abu Mahmoud Peak Wadi Barwas

C

Wadi Al Feid Ruins Al Kutleh Mountain

Sandstone Dome Formation Here, you really have a sense of being on the edge of civilization. The steep, rocky mountains prevent human development and provide a safe haven for wildlife.

Urgenia Field

B Resident Bird Habitat J

P

A

Juniperus phoenicea & Pistacia atlantica Safaha Mountain Wadi Al Namla

A

B

C

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 159

WADI ARABA TRAIL CORRIDOR Along the Wadi Araba Trail, visitors are waterfalls at the base of Wadi Sakakeen or placed on the threshold between flat meet Bedouin tribes. steppes to the west, distinguished by a harsh desert climate, and a pronounced and dramatic mountain range to the east. Wadi Hagneh This corridor, which runs at the base of the Wadi Barwas Shobak Escarpment, is characterized by a Alluvial Fan remarkable variety of landscapes that offer a large number of activities and highlights. Wandering Camels The Wadi Araba Trail is best accessed in Wadi Sakakeen the winter months; winter temperatures are Wadi Al Feid ideal while summer temperatures are too extreme for the comfort of most tourists. Rocky Terrain Most remarkable is the scattered acacia Abu Mahmoud Peak tree forest that feeds from the water runoff Acacia tortilis B originating from the escarpment and provides shade and habitats for many species. Bedouin Tent C Along this corridor, visitors can encounter many nomadic Bedouin settleSand Dunes View ments, most of which have herds of goats and some herds of camels. These nomads Geological Transition spend winter in the Wadi Araba area because it offers both land for grazing and a Sandstone Foothills pleasant microclimate. In the spring and summer months, the cliCemetery mate in this area is extreme. For this rea“Breathtaking” view son, it should remain a seasonal corridor. overlooking Wadi Araba The hard adventurer will fare well in this Wadi Al Namla A corridor with a good sleeping bag and a tent, while 4x4 travel can provide access for softer adventurers wishing to see the A

160 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

I was amazed at the large herds of camels and goats that travel these parts during our winter visit. In the summer, many of these migrate east to higher altitudes where the climate is cooler.

The acacia tree forest was surprising to find in what I expected to be a barren, lifeless desert. These trees are a vital habitat for numerous species of animals.

A

B

C

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 161

WADI AL FEID AND WADI BARWAS CORRIDORS With a majority of the Shobak Protected Area constituting an intensive, mountainous area, Wadi Al Feid and Wadi Barwas are the only reasonable means of crossing the site east to west. Over millions of years and aided by geologic fault lines, erosion, and other processes, these wadis were carved, forming two paths through the escarpment. A traveler is literally placed at the core of the site where, through their travels, they can experience rapidly changing ecology, geology, and terrain as they descend from an elevation of 1,300 m down to about 250 m above sea level. It is important to note the ecological sensitivity of this zone, which is a primary water source and habitat for a number of important species of flora and fauna, including the Ibex. Due to this and the inherent dangers of accessing difficult terrain, these corridors should only be accessed in the presence of an experienced guide who will keep both visitors and the ecosystems safe from harm. While both corridors are roughly an eighthour journey from start to finish, shorter guided tours covering smaller portions are also possible.

162 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

You can really sense the power of the events that have carved these paths through these impassable mountains. It’s written in the form and texture of the rock.

Wadi Barwas

Wadi Al Feid

Alluvial Fan Wandering Camels

C

Abu Mahmoud Mountain

B Waterfall

F

Red Sandstone

D

E

There is a beautiful waterfall along Wadi Al Feid that one can reach in a day trip. While most visitors return on foot, some use it as a site for rappelling.

Phragmites australis Nerium oleander Maze

A

Sculptural Sandstone

The landscape funnels the scarce resource of water and allows fields of grass and forests of oleander to strive in a climate that receives almost no rain.

A

B

C

E

D

F

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 163

164 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

Al Zbereiah

Shimakh

Hawala Old Shimakh

Foran

The population affected by a potential protected area in Shobak includes fifteen communities overall: seven in Asha’ari, four in Husseiniyeh, and one community representing Qadissiyeh. Population density is low for the most part (though it becomes medium density in residential areas). Population density is highest in Qadissiyeh. Across these fifteen communities in the Shobak area, there are four main tribes: the Jaheer, the Shimakh, the Hawala, and the Amareen tribes. There are no census data related to these tribes. Members of these tribes are either nomadic, semi-nomadic, or sedentary. Tribes spend the summer in the high plateau either in tents or in new concrete homes, while winter is spent in Wadi Araba. During the winter months, some nomads, especially those with school-age children, leave their families in the villages located on the plateau while they travel and settle with their herds in Wadi Araba. Activities of tribes in Shobak include rain-fed agriculture, mainly fodder for grazing, and animal rearing. Approximately 15,000 local head of sheep and goat graze the area, rising to 80,000–100,000 during the spring and summer when many return to the area from the eastern desert and elsewhere.

Wadi Araba

LOCAL TRIBES

Shobak Protected Area Winter

Spring and Summer Grazing Area Drinking Spots for Herds

Tribes’ Movement Locals’ Tents School

Jaheer Tribe Shimakh Tribe Hawala Tribe Amareen Tribe

DAY 1 RESEARCH SITE VISIT

Re: Old Al Jaheer Village Ruins This was our first visit to an archeological ruins site. The buildings were built directly into the steep hillside and perfectly integrated with the site.

Old Al Jaheer Tourah Al Jaheer

Foran

Foran Foran Foran Azazmeh Azazmeh Old Shimakh Azazmeh

Shimakh

Old Jaheer OldAlAlAl Jaheer Old Jaheer Old Al Jaheer

Shobak

Re: Mohammad’s Home OldAlAlJaheer Jaheer Old Mohammad and his wife served us strong Old Al Jaheer Tourah Al Zbereiah Tourah coffee in the home they built AlJaheer Jaheer Shobak ShobakArabic Tourah Al This was our first introduction Al Jaheer Shobak together. to the renowned hospitality of the region.

Azazmeh

Old Al Jaheer

Al jaheer/Mohammad’s Home

Al Ba’qa

Zbereiah AlAlZbereiah Al Zbereiah Re: Azazmeh Family Home

Hawala

Old Shimakh Old Shimakh Old Shimakh Shimakh Al Ba’qa Ba’qa Shimakh Al Shimakh Al Ba’qa

The woman who lives here has a husband that has a second wife in Shimakh Village. This is a good example of how difficult it can be to understand the family and tribal networks in this region.

Al jaheer/Mohammad’s Home AlAljaheer/Mohammad’s Home Home Jaheer/Mohammad’s Al jaheer/Mohammad’s Home

Azazmeh

Hawala Hawala Hawala

Protected Area

Livestock

Women’s Associations

Tents

Archeological Ruins

Houses

Azazmeh Azazmeh Azazmeh

Azazmeh/Aisha’s Home

Stops

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 165

DAY 2 RESEARCH SITE VISIT

Re: Fatima’s Home Fatima served us a full table of breakfast dishes including a wonderful hummus. The quality of the homemade food was unparalleled. Malaheem

Old Al Jaheer Al Jaheer

Al Jaheer Old Al Jaheer Foran OldOld Old AlJaheer Al Jaheer Jaheer Old Al Al Jaheer Al Jaheer AlJaheer Al Jaheer Jaheer Al Foran Foran Foran Foran Foran

Malaheem Shobak

Shimakh

Shimakh Old Shimakh OldOld Old Shimakh Shimakh Hawala Old Shimakh Rachaidah Shimakh Shimakh Bir-idad Shimakh Shimakh Shimakh

Shoubak/Fatima’s Home

Shoubak/Fatima’s Home Shoubak/Fatima’s Home Shobak/Fatima’s Home Shoubak/Fatima’s Shoubak/Fatima’s Home Home Shoubak/Fatima’s Home

The social and family networks here are complex because generations of people depend on one another for survival. Many people are semi-nomadic farmers Shimakh or goat herders and follow the rhythm of the seasons.

Hawala Hawala Hawala Hawala Hawala Rachaidah Rachaidah Rachaidah Rachaidah Rachaidah Bir-idad Bir-idad Bir-idad Bir-idad Bir-idad Rafiyah Rafiyah Rafiyah Rafiyah Rafiyah Protected Area

Livestock

Women’s Associations

Tents

Archeological Ruins

Houses

166 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

Al Zbereiah Al Zbereiah

Al Zbereiah Zbereiah AlAlZbereiah There are a lot of opportunities for agriculture on this site. This old village includes an interesting irrigation system and the site is easily accessed via a dirt road.

Hawala/Grandma’s Home

Hawala/Grandma’s Home Hawala/Grandma’s Home Hawala/Grandma’s Home Hawala/Grandma’s Hawala/Grandma’s Home Home Hawala/Grandma’s Home

Re: Grandma’s Home

Rafiyah

Stops

Shimakh/The Three Campers OldOld Shimakh/The Three Campers Old Shimakh/Part-time Farmers OldOld Shimakh/The Shimakh/The Three Three Campers Campers Old Shimakh/The Three Campers

Malaheem Malaheem Malaheem Malaheem Malaheem Al Zbereiah Shobak Shobak Shobak Shobak Shobak Re: Old Shimakh Village Ruins

Old Shimakh

Malaheem Malaheem Malaheem/Spice Store Malaheem Malaheem Malaheem

Old Shimakh/The Three Campers

Shimakh Shimakh Shimakh Shimakh Shimakh Old Shimakh Village Ruins

Bir-idad/Mahmoud & Takrit’s Home

Bir-idad/Mahmoud & Takrit’s Home Bir-idad/Mahmoud & Takrit’s Home Bir-idad/Mahmoud Bir-idad/Mahmoud Takrit’s &&Takrit’s Home Home Bir-idad/Mahmoud &&Takrit’s Home Bir-idad/Mahmoud Takrit’s Home

Re: Quodorat Near East Foundation The Quodorat Near East Foundation is run by highly educated women who are trying to improve the socio-economic condition of all women of the region. They want to produce jams and dried fruits to provide economic opportunities to local women.

DAY 3 RESEARCH SITE VISIT

Al Maqar'eiah/Archeological R uins

Al Maqar'eiah

Old Al Jaheer

Abu Makhtoub Al Jaheer

Foran

Old Shimakh Sayideen

Old AlAl Jaheer Jaheer AlOld Zbereiah Al Jaheer Old Old Al Jaheer Old OldAlAlJaheer Jaheer

Foran Foran Foran Foran Al Ba’qa Foran Foran Shimakh

Women’s Associations

Tents

Archeological Ruins

Houses

Stops

AlAl Maqar'eiah/Archeological Maqar'eiah/Archeological R uins R uins Old Old AlAlJaheer/Quodorat AlJaheer/Quodorat Jaheer/Quodorat Women Women Maqar’eiah/Archeological Old Near East AlAlMaqar'eiah/Archeological Al Maqar'eiah/Archeological R uinsR uins OldOrganization Old Al Jaheer/Quodorat AlOrganization Jaheer/Quodorat WomenWomen Ruins Foundation AlAlMaqar'eiah/Archeological Maqar'eiah/ArcheologicalR uins R uins Organization Organization Old Old AlAlJaheer/Quodorat Jaheer/QuodoratWomen Women Organization Organization

Abu Abu Makhtoub Makhtoub Abu Makhtoub Abu Makhtoub Abu Makhtoub/Mahmoud’s Abu AbuMakhtoub Makhtoub Highland

Sayideen/Abdala’s Home

AlAl Jaheer Jaheer Al Jaheer Al Jaheer AlAlJaheer Jaheer

Shobak Shobak Shobak Shobak Shobak Shobak AlAl Zbereiah Zbereiah Al Zbereiah Abu Abu Makhtoub/Mahmoud’s Makhtoub/Mahmoud’s AlAlZbereiah AlZbereiah Zbereiah Highland AbuHighland Makhtoub/Mahmoud’s OldOld Shimakh Shimakh Abu Makhtoub/Mahmoud’s Hawala Abu Abu Makhtoub/Mahmoud’s Makhtoub/Mahmoud’s Abu Makhtoub Re: Women’s Cooperative in Al Zbereiah Highland Highland Old Old Shimakh Shimakh Highland Highland Old Old Shimakh Shimakh Sayideen Sayideen Women in the Al Zbereiah village created a Sayideen Sayideen Sayideen Sayideen Azazmeh Azazmeh cooperative produces delicious apple Azazmeh/Umm Faisal’s Home Al Zbereiah/Women’s C ooperative Althat Al Ba’qa Ba’qa Shimakh Shimakh (Apple Vinegar) vinegar as well as embroideries and handiAzazmeh Azazmeh Azazmeh Azazmeh Al Ba’qa Al Ba’qa crafts. Unfortunately, they have difficulty Al Al Ba’qa Ba’qa Shimakh Shimakh Shimakh Shimakh selling their products to a broader audience; only locals and family members buy their Hawala Hawala products. Hawala Hawala Hawala Hawala Livestock

Azazmeh

Protected Area

AlAl Maqar'eiah Maqar'eiah Al Maqar'eiah Al Maqar'eiah Al Al Maqar'eiah Maqar'eiah Shobak

Old Al Jaheer/Quodorat Women Organization

Sayideen/Abdala’s Sayideen/Abdala’s Home Home Sayideen/Abdala’s Home Home Sayideen/Abdala’s Sayideen/Abdala’s Home Sayideen/Abdala’s Sayideen/Abdala’s Home Home

Azazmeh/Umm Faisal’s Faisal’s Home Home AlAl Zbereiah/Women’s Zbereiah/Women’s C ooperative C ooperative Azazmeh/Umm (Apple (Apple Vinegar) Vinegar) Faisal’s Home Azazmeh/Umm Azazmeh/Umm Faisal’s Faisal’s Home Home Al Zbereiah/Women’s C ooperative Al Zbereiah/Women’s Zbereiah/Women’s CCooperative ooperative Azazmeh/Umm Azazmeh/Umm Faisal’s AlAl Zbereiah/Women’s ooperative AlVinegar) Zbereiah/Women’s Cooperative Azazmeh/Umm Faisal’sHome Home (Apple (Apple (Apple Vinegar) Vinegar) (Apple Vinegar)

Apple Vinegar

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 167

Re: Tama’s Home

DAY 4 RESEARCH SITE VISIT

This nomadic family stays in Wadi Araba year-round. They have trenches cut in the ground to catch rainwater for irrigation. Ammarin

Amareen Sayideen 1

Old Al Jaheer

Sayideen 2

Al Jaheer

Amareen Amareen Amareen Amareen Amareen Amareen Sayideen Sayideen 1 Sayideen Sayideen 11 Sayideen 1 1 Sayideen 1 Sayideen Sayideen 2 Sayideen 2 Sayideen 22 Sayideen 2 Sayideen 2

Ammarin Ammarin Amareen/Khaled’s Home Ammarin Ammarin Ammarin Ammarin

Foran Al Zbereiah Old Old Jaheer Al Jaheer Jaheer OldAlAl AlJaheer Jaheer Old Al Old Old Al Jaheer Al Jaheer Al Jaheer Jaheer Jaheer Al AlAlJaheer Al Jaheer Old Shimakh Shimakh Foran Foran Foran Foran Foran Foran

Sayideen/Tama’s Home

Al Ba’qa

Al Zbereiah Al Zbereiah Zbereiah Zbereiah Al AlAlZbereiah Al Zbereiah

Re: Nomadic Tent Settlement This family migrates with the changing seasons. They stay in Wadi Araba in the summer and move up to Beida (along the sloped hillside) in the winter.

Old Shimakh OldNomadic Shimakh Re: TentShimakh Settlement Shimakh OldShimakh Shimakh Old Shimakh Shimakh Shimakh Old Old Shimakh Shimakh Shimakh Al Ba’qa Al Ba’qa Ba’qa AlBa’qa Ba’qa This nomadic familyAlrelies onAl Ala combination Ba’qa

Livestock

Women’s Associations

Tents

Archeological Ruins

Houses

168 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

Sayideen

of fixed stone structures and dismountable tent structures as they move between Shimakh and Wadi Araba with the seasons.

Protected Area

Stops

Sayideen/Tama’s Sayideen/Tama’s Home Home Sayideen/Tama’s Home Sayideen/Tama’s Home Sayideen/Tama’s Home Sayideen 1/Tama’s Sayideen/Tama’s Home Home

Sayideen Sayideen Sayideen Sayideen SayideenSayideen Sayideen 2/Mohammad’s Home

INTERVIEWS WITH LOCALS

Education

Dishes

Dishes Bemal

Songs & leftover Danceapples on farms and gardens that are Collect

Asset

not good enough for sale and ferment them to make apple vinegar

Collects leftover apples on farms and gardens that are not good

Oral Tradition enough for sale and ferments them to make apple vinegar.

No. of Members

Education

Social incentive

Profit from selling apple vingar goes towards helping women that are poor. They identify the poor families/ women in the community, the assets that they have, and coordinate with buyers who would be interested in purchasing their assets

Musical Profits Instrument from selling apple vinegar go towards helping women that are poor.

Other Skills

Livestock

Poultry Poultry

Poultry Handicraft

Education

Education

Education Handicraft Weaving

Education

Handicraft Weaving

Education Education

Skills Weaving

MusicalInstruments Instrument Musical Knowledge of Stone Musical Instrument Construction Skills

Knowledge of Cultivation

Guide Knowledge Guide Knowledge Knowledge of Making Medicine & Essential Oil Hand Embroidery Knowledge of Stone Knowledge of Stone Construction Construction Knowledge of Cultivation Knowledge of Cultivation Knowledge of Making Knowledge of Making

Bemal used to be the head mistress of secondary school. She speaks English.

They identify the poor families/women in the community and the assets

that they have, then coordinate with buyers who would be interested in SkillsThere are 6 girls selected from town Aznou who were then

Agriculture Skills Medical Gastro Gastro Agriculture Agriculture Handicraft herbs Handicraft Cultural Knowledge Vegetables Vegetables(Tomatoes, Vegetables Preparation Weaving Education Preparation Guide Knowledge Guide Knowledge Weaving Wheat/barley crops Songs & Dance (Tomatos, cabbages,olives) Cabbages, Olives) (Tomatos, cabbages,olives) Fruits Education Fruits Fruits (Figs, PomegranKnowledgeofofDishes Stone Knowledge Stone DishesEmbroidery Hand Embroidery Hand Oral Tradition (Figs, pomegranates, apricots) AnimalConstruction (Figs,Apricots) pomegranates, apricots) ates, Construction Handicraft Knowledge of Livestock Cultural Knowledge Medical herbs Cultural Knowledge Cultural KnowledgeMusical Instrument Medicinal PlantsMedical herbsKnowledge of Cultivation Cultivation Weaving of MediKnowledge ofSongs Making Wheat/barleyKnowledge crops Songs&&Dance Dance Wheat/barleyCrops crops Poultry & Dance Songs Wheat/Barley Skills cine & Essential Oils Oil Medicine & Essential Hand Embroidery OralTradition TraditionGuide Knowledge Animal Oral Tradition Oral Animal Animal Education Education Livestock Livestock

Age: N/A Marital Status: N/A Tribe Name: Habebeh Role in Tribe: Member Origin: Old Al Jaheer (until 1978) Position: Head of the Women’s Cooperative Occupation: Retired Headmistress of Secondary School

Tribe Name : Habebeh Role in Tribe : Member Origin: Old Al-Jaheer (until 1978) Position Cooperative Occupation: Retired head mistress of secondary school

Cultural Knowledge BEMAL

Political Relations

PoultryAgriculture

Jaheer

Preparation

Method of Contact

(Figs, pomegranates, apricots)

WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF JAHEER Gastro

Other Political Method Social No. of Skills Relations of Contact Members Education Incentives Assets

In order to become acquainted with the population of Shobak and to best integrate their needs with the masterplan, the Daniels and the RSCN teams led a cross-sectional Agricultureanalysis of its population through interviews. Shobak’s dwellers are Vegetables cabbages,olives) composed of: Jaheer Tribe, Shimakh Tribe, Hawala (Tomatos, Tribe, and Fruitsin vilAmareen Tribe. The majority of these tribes are settled (Figs, pomegranates, apricots) lages east of the Shobak mountains, while a few dozen famiAgriculture Gastro lies are still nomadic. Shobakis are mostly employed by herbs the Medical Vegetables army or by the government. However, Preparation unemployment remains (Tomatos, cabbages,olives) high: for instance, women’s unemployment rate inWheat/barley 2008 was crops Fruits Dishes a staggering 82%. The poverty incidence rate Animal increased from (Figs, pomegranates, apricots) 61% in 2002 to 72% in 2006. The poverty incidence is the share Medical herbs Cultural Knowledge of the population whose income or consumption isLivestock below the poverty line, that is, the share of the population that canWheat/barley crops Songs & Dance Agriculture Poultry Gastro not afford to buy a basic basket of goods. The interviewees Vegetables Tradition tribes, genders, and Preparation Animal represented a balanced mix Oral of Shobak’s (Tomatos, cabbages,olives)Education socio-economic classes. Livestock Fruits Musical Instrument

purchasing their assets.

trained to make apple vinegar

Guide Knowledge

Bemal used to be the headmistress of a secondary school. She speaks

There is a problem with selling apple vinegar or assets owened by community because people will only call the organization. They have a problem with selling in super markets becauese they don’t have the proper certification and transportation is expensive.

English. of Stone Knowledge At the begining the orgamization didn’t have spaceto make Construction

vinegar. After advertisement, the Jordan River Foundation gave her 2000 JD for start up

Knowledge ofgirls Cultivation There are six who were selected from the town of Aznou and then

The women working at the cooperative can alsi make ornamental tassels on the scarf that is specific to Shoubak. Women of younger generation do not do this anymore but can be trained by older woen. They also used to make tapestry

trained to make apple vinegar.

Knowledge of Making Medicine & Essential Oil

There is a problem selling apple vinegar or assets owned by the community because people will only call the organization. They have a problem with selling in supermarkets because they don’t have the proper certification and transportation is expensive. In the beginning, the organization didn’t have space to make vinegar. After placing an advertisement, the Jordan River Foundation gave Bemal 2,000 JD for start-up costs. The women working at the cooperative can also make ornamental tassels on scarves that are specific to Shobak. Women of the younger generation do not do this anymore but can be trained by older women. They also used to make tapestries.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 169

(HAWAD) Age: 40–50 years old Age: 50–60 years old Marital Status: Married Marital Status: Married No. of Children: 2 sons, 4 daughters Age: 50-60 yrsAge: old 50-60 yrs old No. of Children: 6 sons, 1 daughter Marital Status : Marital Married Status : Married Tribe Name: Raichaidah No. of Children No. : 6 sons, of Children 1 daughters : 6 sons, 1 daughters Tribe Name: Sayideen Role in Tribe: Member Tribe Name: Sayideen Tribe Name: Sayideen Role in Tribe: Member Role in Tribe: Member Role in Tribe: Member Rikea Hawad Hawala (until 1996) Origin: Origin: Alresh Origin: Alresh Origin: Alresh Role in Tribe: Temporary employee Occupation: Housewife Occupation (Husband : Housewife is (Husband is retired from theretired army)from the army) Occupation: Housewife (husband at the Department of Agriculture Tamam Rikea Rikea Hawad Hawad Age: 40-50 yrsAge old : 40-50 yrs old & rikea Age: 70-80 yrsAge: old 70-80 yrs old is retired from the army) hawad tamam Marital Status:Marital MarriedStatus: Married Marital Status:Marital MarriedStatus with 3: Married childrenwith(RIKEA) 3 children No. of Children No. : 2 sons, of Children 4 daughters : 2 sons, 4 daughters Relationship:Hawad’s Relationship: mother Hawad’s mother Age: 60–70 years old Tribe Name: Raichaidah Tribe Name: Raichaidah Tribe Name: Raichaidah Tribe Name: Raichaidah Tamam Tamam Marital Status: Married with 3 children Role in Tribe: Member Role in Tribe: Member Role in Tribe: Member Role in Tribe: Member Origin: HawalaOrigin: (until 1996) Hawala (until 1996) HawalaOrigin: (until Hawala (until 1996) Hawad worksOrigin: part-time at the1996) Department They lend their land in Gregat to Egyptian farmers and they give part of their Relationship: Hawad’s mother Livestock: have goats and sheet. Goats were kept for personal Rikea owns a few goats, donkeys and 4 chickens. Occupation:temp. Occupation: employee temp. at the employeeOccupation at the : Housewife Occupation: Housewife consumption to make goat hair tentthemselves (mix goat hair fabric with cultivate). of Agriculture where he collects leftover income toandthem (but they don’t Hawad’s family doesn’t own any animals because Dept. of Agriculture Dept. of Agriculture Role in Tribe: Member plastic because it’s too expensive and takes too long to make they are too expensive to maintain apples that are not good enough for sale They lend their They land in lend Gregrat their land to Egyptian in Gregrat farmers to Egyptian and they farmers give part andofthey give part of Occupation: Housewife They used to cultivate They used Bandura to cultivate but notBandura anymore. but not anymore. Age: 50-60 yrs old Marital Status: Married No. of Children: 6 sons, 1 daughters Tribe Name: Sayideen Role in Tribe: Member Origin: Alresh Occupation: Housewife (Husband is retired from the army)

Animals

Agriculture Animals

Assets

Assets

Cultural Gastronomy Handicraft Education Knolwledge

their incomealso to their them income (buteducation they to them themselves (but they don’t themselves cultivate)Other don’tthan cultivate) Hawad’s wife, Mary, is illiterate. Their daughters rejected her one disabled children, most of her other children because they rather be married while they are still young. Rikea is also goes to school in Alresh illiterate because women of older generation cannot receive education

Rikea knows how to make goat hair tents. The handicraft Rikea owns a few goats, donkeys, and four chickens. Cultural Gastronomy Handicraft Knolwledge

They lend their land in Gregrat to Egyptian farmers and they give part of their income to them (but they themselves don’t cultivate)

Agriculture

Agriculture

Agriculture

Agriculture

They used to cultivate Bandura but not anymore.

Animals Education

and ferments them to make apple vinegar.

Age: 70-80 yrs old Marital Status: Married with 3 children Relationship:Hawad’s mother Tribe Name: Raichaidah Role in Tribe: Member Origin: Hawala (until 1996) Occupation: Housewife

Livestock: have goats and sheep. Goats are kept for personal consumption

Animals

Animals

Livestock: have Livestock: goats and havesheet. goatsGoats andTamam sheet. werestillkept Goats forwere personal kept for personal Rikea owns Rikea a few goats, owns adonkeys few goats, anddonkeys 4 chickens. and 4 chickens. tradition becomes lost when they don’t have enough money to weaves goat hair fabric for her tent Hawad’s family any animals because they are too and to make goat-hair tents consumptionconsumption and to makeand goattohair make tent goat (mixhair goat tent hair (mix fabric goat with hair fabric with(mixing goat-hair fabric with plastic because buy materials. Hawad’s family Hawad’s doesn’t family own doesn’t anydoesn’t animals ownown any because animals because expensive to maintain. it’s otherwise plastic because plastic it’s because too expensive it’s tooand expensive takes too and long takes to make too too longexpensive to make and takes too long to make). they are too they expensive are tootoexpensive maintain to maintain Dishes: Shrak (Bedouin bread), Shashbarak (Shrak with sugar)

Rikea is also illiterate because women of older generations cannot receive

Education

Cultural Gastronomy Handicraft Education Knolwledge

Cultural Gastronomy Handicraft Education Knolwledge

Hawad’s wife, Hawad’s Mary, iswife, illiterate. Mary,Their is illiterate. Theiralso rejectedalso education rejected education Other than her Other onethan disabled her one children, disabled most children, ofOther her other most children herone other childrenchild, her children go to school in Alresh. Hawad’s wife,daughters Meriem, isdaughters illiterate. Their daughters also rejected educathanof her disabled because they because rather be they married rather while be married they are while stillthey young. are Rikea still young. is alsoRikea is also goes in to Alresh school in Alresh Rikea tells stories to the children tion because they would rather be education married while they are still young.goes to school She sings Hejenia in weddings illiterate because illiterate women because of older women generation of older cannot generation receive cannot receive education

Rikea knows how to make goat-hair tents. These handicraft traditions become lost when they don’t have enough money to buy materials.

Dishes: Shrak Dishes: (Bedouin Shrak bread), (Bedouin Shashbarak bread), Shashbarak (Shrak with sugar) (Shrak with sugar)

Dishes: Shrak (Bedouin bread), Shashbarak (Shrak with sugar).

Rikea tells stories Rikea to tells thestories children to the children

Skills

Cultural HandiSkills Knowledge craft

Assets

Assets

Rikea knowsRikea how to knows makehow goat tohair make tents. goatThe hairhandicraft tents. The handicraft Hawad used to Wadi Araba quite often, therefore he knows the education. Her husband drives children to school as his part time job so hiking outes very well and can guide tourists through them if he tradition becomes tradition lost becomes when they lostdon’t whenhave theyenough don’t have money enough to money to Tamam still weaves Tamam goat still weaves hair fabric goatfor hair herfabric tent forbeher therefore he may able tent to guide tourists as well knows how to speak English buy materials. buy materials. Skills

Tamam still weaves goat-hair fabric for her tent.

Tamam sings Hejenia at weddings.

She sings Hejenia She sings in weddings Hejenia in weddings

Skills

Hawad usedHawad toRikea Wadiused Araba Wadi quite Araba often, therefore quite often, hetherefore knows he incredible knows the repertoire of tales tellstostories to the children. She hasthe an Her husbandHer drives husband children drives to school children asto hisschool part time as his jobpart so time job so hiking outeshiking very outes andvery can well guide andtourists can guide through tourists them through if he them if he herwell mother and grandmother passed down to her. therefore hetherefore may be able he may to guide be able tourists to guide asTamam’s well tourists husband as well drives children to school as his part-time job, so he may knows how to knows speak how English to speak English Skills

Assets

Assets

Skills Cultural Cultural Gastro-Gastronomy Handi-Handicraft Education Animals Agriculture Knolwledge Skills Knowledge nomy craft Education Animals Agriculture

Skills

Cultural Gastronomy Handicraft Knolwledge

Education

Animals

Agriculture

Age: 40-50 yrs old Marital Status: Married No. of Children: 2 sons, 4 daughters Tribe Name: Raichaidah Role in Tribe: Member Origin: Hawala (until 1996) Occupation:temp. employee at the Dept. of Agriculture

Hawad used to go to Wadi Araba quite often, therefore he knows the hiking routes very well and can guide tourists through them if he knows how to speak English.

170 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

be able to guide tourists as well.

They have knowledge of how to make medicine out of the herbs. they also cater for weddings and celebrations

The foundation’s members have knowledge of how to make medicine out of herbs. They also cater for weddings and celebrations.

profit from selling apple vingar goes towards helping women that are porr. They odentified the poor families/ women in the community, the assets that they have, and coordinate with buyers who would be interested in purchasing their assets

They have knowledge They haveof knowledge how to make of how medicine to make outmedicine out Bemal used to be the head mistress of secondary school. The foundation provides income to She women that need to support their famiof the herbs.of they thealso herbs. cater they foralso weddings cater for and weddings celebrations and celebrations speaks English. Education

Asset

Asset

Asset

Agriculture Animals

Cultural Gastronomy Handicraft Education Knolwledge

No. of Members

Social incentive

Assets

Social incentive

Agriculture

Method of Contact

Rania holds a high school diploma and a bachelor degree.

Montreal.in fact, they only recieve calls occasionally from event

Political Relations

Education

Dishes: Mujellala (wheatmeal), Shashbarak (wheatmeal with meat), Mokata (olive oil pastry)

Education

MohammedMohammed has high school has high education school education Mohammed has a high school education.

The organization Recieves its start-up from nation -wide funding from Queen

planners or anyone who would She like toschool. have Mansif Catered to them Bemal usedBemal to be the used head to be mistress the head of mistress secondary of school. secondary She English.

speaks English. speaks Mohammed knows how to play Shebabbeh (flute instrument). They both know how to sing songs distinct to Shobak, called Jofia (for men to sing) and Hejenia (for women to sing)

Other Skills

No. of Members

No. of Members

Alima used Alima to make used hand to make embroidery hand embroidery but don’t anymore but don’t anymore The women working at the cooperative can also make medicine of 14 theThere area. He because it was because getting it was too expensive getting tooand expensive her eyesight and her eyesight Mohammed has extensive knowledge There are 14(women working full-time in the center (ages 20–40). There are women 14 women full time working in and center full time ( ages inout center 20s-40s) agesherbs 20s-40s) essential oil of medicinal such as thyme, sage & also used to work for the Department of Forestry andareworking was deteriorating; was deteriorating; they have athey daugther have a who daugther likes towho make likes to make therefore has knowledge about cultivating different rosmary. They however lack the sufficient crop lands to mass embroideryembroidery crops produce these products Skills

Method of Contact

Method of Contact

used to doArabic hand embroidery but doesn’t any longer because it was get- Theymistaken Prep.Alima includes Prep. making includes making gum Arabic out of pistachios gum out of pistachios They were often were often formistaken catering exclusively for cateringtoexclusively Hotel to Hotel tingMujellala too expensive and (wheatmeal), her eyesight Shashbarak was deteriorating. They have a daughter Dishes: Dishes: (wheatmeal), Mujellala Shashbarak Montreal.in fact, Montreal.in they only fact, recieve they only calls recieve occasionally calls occasionally from event from event (wheatmeal (wheatmeal with meat), with Mokata meat), (olive Mokata oil pastry) (olive oil pastry) foundation is often mistaken for catering exclusively to Hotel Monwho likes to embroider. planners or anyone planners who or anyone would like whotowould have Mansif likeThe to have Catered Mansif to them Catered to them

treal. In fact, they only receive calls occasionally from event planners or

Political Relations

Political Relations Other Skills

MohammedMohammed knows how knows to play how Shebabbeh to play Shebabbeh (fluteout of (flute Prep includes making Arabic gum pistachios. Dishes: Mujellala anyone would to have Mansif catered. The organization The organization Recieves its start-up Recievesfrom its start-up nation -wide from who nation funding -widelike funding instrument).instrument). They both know They how bothto know singhow songs to sing songs (wheatmeal), Shashbarak with and meat), Mokata (olive distinct to Shobak, distinct called to Shobak, Jofia called (for men Jofia to(wheatmeal sing) (for men andto sing) fromoil Queen from Queen Hejenia (forHejenia women (for to sing) women to sing) pastry). Other Skills

Agriculture Animals

Animals

Rainia

rania

Livestock: goats. Livestock: Theygoats. are part They of their are part mainofsource their main of income sourcewas ofdeteriorating; income they have a daugther who likes to make embroidery community, community, the assets that thethey assets have, thatand they coordinate have, andwith coordinate buyers with buyers Prep. includes making Arabicwho gum out of pistachios would be who interested would be ininterested purchasingintheir purchasing assets assets They were often their mistaken for catering exclusively to Hotel

Education

Assets

Handicraft Education

Age: 39 Marital Status: Single Tribe Name: Tourah Role in Tribe: Member Origin: Old Al Jaheer (until 1978) Position: Head of the Women’s Cooperative Occupation: N/A

lies. The foundation organizes catering calls, provides cooking facilities, from selling profit apple from selling vingarapple goes towards vingar goes helping women helping that womenfor thatits members. Alima used to make hand embroideryprofit but don’t anymore andtowards purchases produce Livestock: goats. They are part of their main source because itof wasincome. getting too expensiveare and porr. her eyesight arefamilies/ 14 women working fullin time in center ( ages 20s-40s) Theyare odentified porr. Theythe odentified poor families/ theThere poor women in the women the and thyme and thyme

Skills GastroCultural Gastronomy Cultural HandiKnolwledge Skills Knowledge nomy craft

Agriculture Animals

Assets

Cultural Gastronomy Handicraft Education Knolwledge Skills

Fruits on personal farm: Fruits & vegetable Fruits &on vegetable farm: figs, onpomegranfarm: figs, pomegranapricots, plums, grapes. tes, olives. Fruits tes,peaches, olives. on personal Fruits on farm: personal apricot, farm: apricot, peach, plum, peach, grapes. plum, Medicinal grapes. Medicinal sageherbs: sagehas high school education Mohammed Medicinal herbs: sage andherbs: thyme.

Tribe Name: Habebeh Role in Tribe: Member

QUODORAT NEAR EAST FOUNDATION CONSORTIA

Tribe Name: Habebeh Tribe Name: Habebeh Origin: Old Al-Jaheer (until 1978) Head of the Women Role in Tribe: Role Member in Tribe: Member Position: Cooperative Origin: Old Al-Jaheer Origin: Old (untilAl-Jaheer 1978) (until 1978) N/A Occupation: Position: Head Position: of the Women Head of the Women Cooperative Cooperative Occupation: N/A Occupation: N/A

Social incentive

Age: 50-60 yrs old Marital Status: Married Relationship: Mohammed’s wife Tribe Name: Tourah Role in Tribe: Member Origin: Old Al-Jaheer (until 1976) Occupation: Housewife

Age: 60-70 yrs old Marital Status: Married No. of Children: 4 sons, 3 daughters Tribe Name: Tourah Role in Tribe: Sheik’s son Origin: Old Al-Jaheer (until 1976) Occupation: Retired/ Dept. of Forestry

Quodorat Near East

Quodorat Near Quodorat East Near EastFoundation Consortia FoundationFoundation Consortia Consortia

Other Political Method Social No. of Skills Relations of Contact Members Education Incentives Assets

(MOHAMMED) Age: 60–70 years old Marital Status: Married No. of Children: 4 sons, 3 daughters Tribe Name: Tourah Role in Tribe: Sheik’s son Alima Origin: Old Al Jaheer (until 1976) Mohammed Occupation: Retired/Dept. of Forestry Alima Alima Mohammed Mohammed (ALIMA) Age: 50-60 yrsAge: old 50-60 yrs old old:mohammed 60-70 yrs old Age: 60-70 yrsAge & alima Age: 50–60 years old Marital StatusMarital : MarriedStatus: Married Marital StatusMarital : MarriedStatus: Married Relationship: Relationship Mohammed’s: Mohammed’s wife wife No. of Children No. : 4 of sons, Children 3 daughters : 4 sons, 3 daughters Marital Status:Fruits Married with 3 children & vegetable on farm: figs, pomegranTribe Name: Tourah Tribe Name: Tourah Tribe Name: Tourah Tribe Name: Tourah tes, olives. Fruits on personal farm: apricot, Rainia Rainia Relationship: Mohammed’s Role in Tribe: Role Member in Tribe: Member Role in Tribe: Role Sheik’s in son Tribe: Sheik’s son peach, plum, grapes. wife Medicinal herbs: sage and thyme FruitsOld & vegetables on1976) farm:(untilRole Origin: Old Al-Jaheer Origin: Old (untilAl-Jaheer 1976) (until 1976) Origin: Al-Jaheer Origin: Old (untilAl-Jaheer 1976) in Tribe: Member Occupation: Retired/ Occupation: Dept. Retired/ of Forestry Dept. of Forestry Occupation : Housewife Occupation : Housewife figs, pomegranates, olives. Occupation: Housewife Livestock: goats. They are part of their main source of income

The organization The women working The women at the working cooperative at the can cooperative also make can medicine also makereceived medicine its start-up funding from a nationwide fund MohammedMohammed has extensive hasknowledge extensive of knowledge the area. of Hethe area. He from thesage queen. Mohammed knows to play Shebabbeh (aand flute instrument).and They essentialand oil out essential of medicinal oil out of herbs medicinal such asherbs thyme, such as thyme, & sage & also used toalso work used for the to work Department for how the Department of Forestry and of Forestry therefore has therefore knowledge has about knowledge cultivating about different cultivating different rosmary. They rosmary. however They lack however the sufficient lack the crop sufficient lands to crop mass lands to mass both know how to sing songs distinct to Shobak, called Jofia (for men to crops crops produce these produce products these products sing) and Hejenia (for women to sing).

Mohammed has extensive knowledge of the area. He also used to work for the Department of Forestry and has knowledge of cultivating crops.

The women working at the cooperative can also make medicine and essential oils out of medicinal herbs such as thyme, sage, and rosemary. However, they lack the sufficient crop land to mass-produce these products.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 171

SOCIAL & ECONOMIC CHALLENGES Poverty Across Local Communities Through interviews, we were able to understand the economic situation of some local families. While some have a steady flow of income from retirement pensions, employment, or saleable assets (i.e., livestock, agricultural produce), others have to rely on welfare or help from relatives. This is partly due to the lack of education across most of the families visited, as well as to the lack of job opportunities in Shobak. Another cause of poverty in Shobak is the inability to use agriculture as a means of economic support. In fact, since the price of water is very high (Jordanian farmers pay on average $0.027/liter of water) and Jordan being one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, many Shobakis are unable to farm their lands. In turn, the role of Shobak as a provider of fresh agricultural produce is heavily undermined.

cess to potential outlets for local produce. In the Women’s Association of Jaheer, for example, the women face difficulties with collecting unwanted apples from the community’s agricultural lands and bringing their vinegar to sales outlets. Women in Need We have identified a growing social problem in Shobak: there are a great number of unmarried women who do not have the necessary means to support themselves because of the lack of jobs and the conservative local culture, which limit their job choices. The rising number of single women is partly due to a growing trend where men tend to seek jobs in the city and ultimately get married there. Many women in Shobak face difficulties in getting married. There are women’s associations, such as the Women’s Association of Al Jaheer, that act as an agency in supplying demands for certain products that these women can produce (e.g., herbs, dishes, clothes). However, due to its small size, this women’s cooperative does not get as much exposure as its needs, and hence the program is not widely used.

Lack of Public Transportation Part of the difficulty in the community with seeking and maintaining jobs or even selling produce is the lack of public transportation available in the region. Given the high cost of gas and maintenance of vehicles, owning a car is perceived as a luxury in Loss of Local Traditional Crafts the area. This lack of mobility impedes not Many of the local traditions, such as only economic opportunities but also ac- handicrafts and embroidery, have been

172 SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE

lost over many generations. This is partly due to ready-made products available for purchase on the market and the inconvenience and high price of seeking out resources to make these crafts. Most of the women that we interviewed noted that it costs more to continue making these crafts versus buying the made product from the local market. As such, due to the lack of necessities for handmade crafts, and due to the lack of access to resources, these cultural traditions become lost.

ASSETS Craft Craft in general, let alone craft specific to Shobak, was surprisingly hard to come by. However, embroidery for table dressing, clothing, and headscarves was found, and if promoted, could become an asset for locals. Agricultural Culture Despite their loss of craft and diminished agricultural activities, Shobakis still hold specific characteristics which differentiate them from Jordan’s other regional groups. Their close relationship to their land and orchards makes them sensitive to their surrounding environment. Their knowledge of seeding, pruning, harvesting, irrigating, collecting, and tending to plants of various species is a great asset for agritouristic activities. Most Shobakis grow fruits and vegetables in their gardens, or on nearby orchards or agricultural land. Moreover, some own terraced gardens located in the escarpment, near abandoned villages. Shobakis take daily or weekly trips to these remote lands and tend to them. Finally, produce specific to the Shobak region such as apple vinegar and medicinal plants are also sure assets.

Gastronomy Shobak has lost its past position as the basket of Jordan, providing fresh fruits and vegetables countrywide. Yet, if agricultural production still persists, it is limited to supporting the subsistence of locals. Shobakis have created an interesting, informal network of barter, in which fresh produce and cooked and preserved foods are exchanged between neighbors. Hence, despite their low income levels and less agricultural land at hand, Shobakis have access to fresh, organic produce. This trait marks their cuisine, which we view as their most precious asset. Their healthy dishes are marked by seasonality and ingredients are all homemade from scratch. Shobaki gastronomy is well known for its gargantuan breakfast, which mixes sweet and savory dishes, dips, jams, different types of breads, etc. Finally, in order not to waste their excess produce, Shobakis are experts in making jams and preserves.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 173

174 SECTION OF THE BOOK THAT WE’RE IN

MASTERPLAN

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 175

INTRODUCTION TO MASTERPLAN The two-phase ecotourism masterplan for Shobak is based on the premise that the conventional way by which the Royal Society for Conservation of Nature (RSCN) transforms an ecologically sensitive area into a protected area (PA) usually results in a disengaged local community. In this conventional approach, after receiving approval from the government, the RSCN publicly announces that an ecologically sensitive area with set boundaries will now be protected and managed by the RSCN. Agreements between the governmental agencies and local people for exchanging lands that are within a PA usually leads to discontent among locals. After announcing the official creation of the PA, the RSCN’s attempts to encourage local businesses and alternative sources of income to replace environmentally harmful activities such as grazing have been unsuccessful. In contrast, the new Shobak model seeks to engage with local people before officially designating the PA. This engagement will at first be located within the buffer zone surrounding the PA. Through different strategies outlined in the Shobak masterplan, the RSCN will engage with locals in order to ensure both the preservation of nature and the economic development of the community.

176 MASTERPLAN

Three tools are used to craft the masterplan’s strategies: Organize, Upgrade, and Build.

ORGANIZE

UPGRADE

BUILD

The “Organize” tool renders existing site assets and tourism infrastructure more efficient by placing them within the comprehensive framework of the masterplan. In order to do so, in-depth in situ research assesses existing accommodations, landscapes, attractions, NGOs, and cooperatives. A comparative assessment analysis is used to select appropriate sites. This tool is, in essence, opportunistic: it achieves the most return ecologically, socially, and economically with a minimum investment. The “Upgrade” tool actively enhances existing tourism infrastructure and local shared facilities such as cooperative buildings. After choosing assets which hold the most potential for upgrade, architectural and landscape propositions are developed in order to transform them into active nodes of the masterplan. The propositions are sensitive to the existing building styles and construction techniques, and seek to transform them into more sustainable and comfortable environments. The proposed up-grades were discussed with the building owners and users alike and their feedback was taken into consideration in the final design. The “Build” tool is used to house new programs and accommodation types at the periphery of the Shobak proposed protected area. The new buildings are not meant to supersede existing tourist infrastructure and facilities, but rather to support them and accommodate missing programs as much for the locals as the tourists. All propositions embrace the following sustainable standards: use local and/or recycled materials, utilize vernacular weather control techniques (such as sun shading), utilize local plants, limit water and energy usage, and promote water recycling.

OLD VS. NEW METHODS OF PROTECTING SENSITIVE LANDSCAPES $$

$

$$

!!!??

OLD METHOD Official recognition of the PA by the government

Establishment of the PA + Expropriation of locals living inside the PA

Replacement of the income of locals who used to depend on the PA’s natural resources for livelihood

The RSCN assessment of an ecologically sensitive area with high biodiversity worthy of protection

Integrating locals with tourism and nature safeguarding activities inside and outside the PA

Mitigated success and little awareness of the importance of PAs

Unhappy locals

$$$ $$$

+ $$$

$$$

NEW METHOD k Mil

Campaign to sensitize local populations to the ecological and cultural significance of the PPA landscapes + Designation of Priority Areas for Conservation

PA Protected Area PPA Proposed Protected Area

Collaborating with operators to promote trails in resilient zones of the PPA + Training target groups to monitor the Priority Areas for Conservation + Integrating target groups (such as low-income communities) in tourism acitivities around the PPA

Gradual replacement of the income of locals who used to depend on the PPA’s natural resources for livelihood

Improvement of socio-economic conditions of communities in the region by a domino effect

Economic success and raising of public awareness towards the importance of the PPA

Happy locals + More revenue to create nature conservation and monitoring jobs

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 177

PHASE 1 STRATEGIC MASTERPLAN ORGANIZE 3

1 Designated Priority Area for Conservation 2 Awareness Campaign 3 Shobak Mountain Trail Corridor 4 Tour Operator Initiatives 5 Marketing and Branding 6 Nomad Initiatives 7 Shuttle Tours

2

3

UPGRADE 8 Women’s Organizations 9 Shobak Mountain Trail Facilities 10 Shobak Castle Visitor Center

8 7

12 1 9 3

BUILD 11 Viewpoint 12 Demountable Ecolodge

3

10

11 7

8 8

9 9

9

2 9

178 MASTERPLAN

6 8 7

PHASE 2 STRATEGIC MASTERPLAN ORGANIZE 1 Entrance and Fees 2 Eat and Sleep at Locals’ Homes Initiative 3 Nomad Initiatives

1

UPGRADE 4 Awareness Campaign 5 Marketing and Branding Campaign 6 Upgrade Secondary Corridors 7 Zoning Strategy 8 Guideline for Tourist Camps

2 6 9

BUILD 9 Spa Ecolodge in Al Jaheer 10 Bed and Breakfast in Shimakh

6 7

10

3 8

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 179

PHASES 1 & 2 MONEY FLOW

1 4 5 8

6 The Phase 1 and Phase 2 money flow diaTour Operator grams explain the relationship between the different actions that are recommended in 4 7 11 the Shobak masterplan and the different 2 3 4 actors that are involved in or affected by these actions. The two diagrams essentially describe the economic cycle that is 4 11 expected as a result of the masterplan’s two-phase implementation. 8 9 10 11 The arrows on the diagram are labeled Tourists with the masterplan actions and indicate 4 11 each action as well as its beneficiaries. 2 4 8 9 Each action is described in more detail in the subsequent section of the book. In both phases, we consider the primary source of income as being the increased volume of tourists that will result from the 9 5 new products offered and the marketing Ministry of Spending and awareness campaigns for the region. Tourism Subsidy It is important to understand how each action can benefit the different stakeholders that are listed on the right-hand column of the two diagrams. ORGANIZE UPGRADE While conservation of the Shobak eco1 Priority Conservation Area 7 Women’s Organizations system is the RSCN’s primary mandate, this 2 High Trail Corridor 8 High Trail Facilities goal is not achievable without the support 3 Tour Operator Initiatives 9 Shobak Castle Visitor Center of the local community who have a sense 4 Marketing and Branding of pride and ownership over the land. The 5 Nomad Initiatives current political climate in Shobak shows 6 Shuttle Tours that there is widespread skepticism towards the RSCN’s intention of designating

PHASE 1 MONEY FLOW DIAGRAM 180 MASTERPLAN

Conservation

6 Women’s Organizations

6 Local Businesses

6 Local People 6 Nomadic People

BUILD 10 Viewpoint 11 Dismountable Ecolodge

Shobak as a protected area. While some groups see the value of this vision, there are many others that are actively opposed to the plan because of their concern of losing autonomy over the land and becoming marginalized. In addressing this matter, there has been much effort in identifying community needs and concerns and discovering ways that the RSCN’s institutional capacity Tourists can be used to ensure that conservation, responsible tourism, and community empowerment become integrated within each element of the masterplan. Phase 1 prioritizes “Organize” actions that attempt to create links and a vision for the existing assets of the region. Phase 2 focuses on “Upgrade” actions, most of which relate to improving actions started in Phase 1.

1 4 5 8 A B D F H G

J

Conservation

Tour Operator 2 3 4

4 I

7 11 K L

6 Women’s Organizations

4 11 I K L

8 9 10 11 A C K L

6 Local Businesses

4 11 2 4 8 9

C

D K

L

6 Local People 6

9 Spending Subsidy

5

Ministry of Tourism

B C

D

Nomadic People

I

ORGANIZE

UPGRADE

BUILD

A Entrances and Fees B Nomad Initiatives Part 2 C Eat and Sleep at Locals’ Homes Initiative D Training Rangers

E Tour Operator Agreements F Guidelines for Tourist Camps G Secondary Corridors H Zonings I Marketing and Branding J Eco-Awareness Campaign

K Bed and Breakfast in Shimakh L Ecolodge in Al Jaheer

PHASE 2 MONEY FLOW DIAGRAM ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 181

ANALYSIS OF BEST-PRACTICE TRAILS In order to transform the existing High Trail in Shobak into a world-class trail, we have studied two existing acclaimed trails. The first studied trail, the Via Alpina Green Trail, crosses both Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The Via Alpina Green Trail is one of the longest and most spectacular hiking trails in all of Europe. It crosses 14 of the most beautiful alpine passes, while hikers experience a fascinating variety of culture, geology, and topography on a journey across six Swiss and Liechtenstein regions. This trail is part of a dense national trail system, which is composed of seven national routes, 60 regional routes, and 228 local routes. The elements and concepts of this trail that we can transfer to Shobak are: • Establish the High Trail as the first identified hiking route linking to a national trail • Help to preserve the distinct cultures and unique flora and fauna of the High Trail • Link the High Trail to sites of high natural and cultural value throughout the area of Shobak • The High Trail is a powerful instrument for sustainable development of the Shobak area, as it is a tourist product with local economic impact

The second studied trail, Lebanon Mountain Trail (LMT), is located in Lebanon. The LMT is the first long-distance hiking trail in Lebanon. It showcases the natural beauty and cultural wealth of Lebanon’s mountains and demonstrates the determination of the people of Lebanon to conserve this unique heritage. The trail brings communities closer together and expands economic opportunities in rural areas through environmentally and socially responsible tourism.

It extends from Al-Qbaiyat in the north of Lebanon to Marjaayoun in the south, a 440-km path that crosses more than 75 towns and villages at altitudes ranging from 600 m to 2,000 m above sea level. The elements and concepts of this trail that we can transfer to Shobak are: • Develop, maintain, and protect the High Trail • Establish side trails on the High Trail • Protect the natural, cultural, and

Via Alpina Green Trail, Switzerland and Liechtenstein 182 MASTERPLAN

ORGANIZE

architectural heritage and landmarks near the trail • Enhance economic opportunities by promoting responsible tourism The High Trail is relatively easy to use, yet it does not offer signage, interpretation, rest stops, or accommodations, except for a few poorly designed and environmentally damaging camps. Currently, tourists accompanied by guides use several trails across Shobak, the main ones being: Dana to Mansura using the Wolf Trail, Feynan to Wadi Araba using the Green Trail (mountain ridge), and Feynan to Little Petra using the High Trail. The High Trail is the most used and sought after of these trails. It connects the Dana protected area to Petra while offering incredible views through Shobak’s diverse ecological zones and ragged geological skyline. For image credits—see References, page 279

Lebanon Mountain Trail, Lebanon

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 183

VIA ALPINA GREEN TRAIL SWITZERLAND/Liechtenstein Total Distance: 365 km Number of Days: 14 Number of Sections: 14 stages Lodging Types: Mountain huts, inns, hotels, and hostels Entrance Fee: None required Management: The Alpine Convention, CIPRA International Special Tourism Infrastructure: Directional signs, orientation markers Modes of Travel: Hiking Difficulty: Easy to difficult Seasonality: June to October

10 km

00 km

184 MASTERPLAN

50

100

150

200

250

300

Montreux, 372 m

L'Etivaz, 1,140 m

Gstaad, 1,052 m

Lenk, 1,064 m

Adelboden, 1,348 m

Kandersteg, 1,176 m

Griesalp, 1,408 m

Lauterbrunnen, 802 m

Grindelwald, 1,034 m

Meiringen, 598 m

Engstlenalp, 1,835 m

Engelberg, 999 m

Altdorf, 514 m

Linthal, 648 m

1,000

Elm, 960 m

2,000

Weisstannen, 987 m

3,000

Sargans, 483 m

4,000

Vaduz (Gaflei), 1,594 m

10 km

E

350

365

ORGANIZE

1

2

3

5 km

Via Alpina Section 1: Montreux–Rochers de Naye Length: 13 km Hiking Time: Montreux–Rochers de Naye: 6 h 50 min Rochers de Naye–Montreux: 4 h 55 min Requirements Grade: Medium (mountain hiking trail) Conditions: Medium (opposite direction: difficult) Via Alpina Section 2: Rochers de Naye–L’Etivaz Length: 23 km Hiking Time: Rochers de Naye–L’Etivaz: 8 h 5 min L’Etivaz–Rochers de Naye: 9 h 0 min

5 km

Requirements Grade: Medium (mountain hiking trail) Conditions: Difficult Via Alpina Section 3: L’Etivaz–Gstaad Length: 16 km Hiking Time: L’Etivaz–Gstaad: 6 h 40 min Gstaad–L’Etivaz: 6 h 55 min Requirements Grade: Medium (mountain hiking trail) Conditions: Difficult

5 km

Routes National Regional Local Mountain Biking Cycling Section

Places of Interest Nature Culture Experiences Accommodation Hotel Bed and Breakfast Youth Hostel Camping Site

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 185

LEBANON MOUNTAIN TRAIL LEBANON Total Distance: 470 km Number of Days: 26 days Number of Sections: 27 (10–24 km length) Lodging Types: Campsites (2), guesthouses (20), inns (6), rural hotels (7), and monasteries (4) Entrance Fee: None required Management: Lebanon Mountain Trail Association Special Tourism Infrastructure: Directional signs, orientation markers Modes of Travel: Hiking, cycling, mountain biking Difficulty: Easy, moderate, difficult sections Seasonality: Open year-round

0 0 km

186 MASTERPLAN

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

ORGANIZE

Marjaayoun, 660 m

Hasbaiya, 750 m

Koukba Bu Arab, 1,100 m Rachaiya el Ouadi, 1,171 m

Aaitanit, 907 m

Niha, 1,100 m Jezzine, 950 m

El Barouk, 1,650 m

Maser ech Chuf, 1,120 m

Ain Zhalta, 1,090 m

Falougha, 1,250 m

El Mtain, 900 m

Baskinta, 1,300 m

Kfar Aaqab, 1,120 m

Hrajel, 1,320 m

Afqa, 1,250 m

Aaqoura, 1,367 m

Tannourine el Faouqa, 1,391 m

Hasroun, 1,660 m

Bcharre, 1,450 m

Ehden, 1,221 m Wadi Qannoubine, 1,300 m

2,000 1,000

Beqaa Sefrine, 985 m

3,000

Qemmamine, 767 m Kfar Bebnine, 1,164 m

4,000

Tashea, 1,300 m

E

Al-Qbaiyat, 700 m

5 km

Beqaa Sefrine

Beqaa Sefrine

5

Ehden Ehden

6

Wadi Qannoubine Bcharre

Wadi Qannoubine 7

Bcharre

1 km

LMT Section 5: Beqaa Sefrine–Ehden Length: 23 km Total Ascent: 1,406 m Total Descent: 979 m Level of Difficulty: Difficult Villages on this Section: Sir ed Danniyé, Beqaa Sefrine, Karm el Mohr, Behouaita, Ehden LMT Section 6: Ehden–Wadi Qannoubine Length: 9.8 km Total Ascent: 370 m Total Descent: 948 m Level of Difficulty: Easy to moderate

1 km

1 km

Villages on this Section: Ehden, Aintourine, Aarbet Qozhaiya, Wadi Qannoubine LMT Section 7: Wadi Qannoubine–Bcharre Length: 9 km Total Ascent: 722 m Total Descent: 162 m Level of Difficulty: Advanced (opposite direction: easy to moderate) Villages on this Section: Wadi Qannoubine, Hadchi, Bcharre

Routes National Regional Local Mountain Biking Cycling Section

Places of Interest Nature Culture Experiences Accommodation Hotel Bed and Breakfast Youth Hostel Camping Site

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 187

188 SECTION OF THE BOOK THAT WE’RE IN

MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 189

DESIGNATING PRIORITY AREAS FOR CONSERVATION In order to coordinate the vision for tour­ areas and the importance of these two ism and conservation in the Shobak area, wadis within the regional hydrological and the team recommends the establishment ecological systems. Methods of implementing the protection of Priority Areas for Conservation within the boundaries of the proposed protected area. This preliminary zoning would focus Hunting Area on the most sensitive ecological zones High Sensitivity Area that have the highest vulnerability to a Shobak Studies Area potential increase in tourism. The main duty of the RSCN in these areas would be Wadi Barwas observation and monitoring, since the imposing of regulations cannot be done with the establishment of a protected area. Given that these two tasks will not enWadi Al Feid sure the safeguard of the Priority Areas for Conservation, they should be accompanied by an awareness campaign targeting both locals and visitors. In this first phase of the masterplan, the campaign will focus on highlighting adequate behaviors for visitors as well as condemning activities which threaten the ecological integrity of the proposed protected area such as hunting, logging, grazing, and littering. While the designation of the Priority Areas for Conservation would be ultimately determined by the ecology and conservation experts at the RSCN, the areas of Wadi Al Feid and Wadi Barwas should be considered a high priority because of the expected high volume of tourists in these

190 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

of the Priority Areas for Conservation are detailed in the “Tour Operator Initiatives” (page 210) and the “Nomad Ini­tiatives” (page 214) sections that follow.

ORGANIZE

AWARENESS CAMPAIGN Grazing

Hunting Hunting is a very common practice at the site and has multiple negative effects on the fauna biodiversity which may lead to the extinction of many species if no action is taken to reduce it. Allow Shobak to be a safe home for wildlife by reducing hunting.

Grazing of goats and camels in small amounts can form an integral part of an ecosystem. When left out of control, it can reduce ecosystems to waste. Protect Shobak by following sustainable grazing guidelines.

Littering Please carry out any garbage you produce for later disposal. Pick up any other litter you find and bring it back with you to help preserve this beautiful area.

ORGANIZE

ct Shoba

Logging The juniper, pistachia, and acacia trees are vital elements of the escarpment ecosystems of the Shobak area. Let’s keep them safe by following sustainable guidelines to reduce logging.

k

ote

Pr

• Plan ahead • Travel and camp on durable surfaces • Leave what you find • Minimize campfire impact • Respect wildlife • Be considerate of other visitors

National Tre n e d

re asu

Shobak is Jordan’s hidden treasure. Help keep it safe for future generations by following the Outdoor Ethics Principles of “Leave No Trace:”

A Hid

Unsustainable Tourism

Dirt Roads Artificial trails in natural ecosystems can have a profound impact by affecting the flow of surface water as well as the distribution of flora and the behavior of fauna. Help us manage the effects of dirt roads by staying on the trails and respecting sustainability guidelines.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 191

SHOBAK HIGH TRAIL CORRIDOR ANALYSIS The development of a sustainable north- ARCHEOLOGICAL RUINS south connection between the Dana Biosphere Reserve and Petra is of prime importance for succeeding to integrate tourism revenue into the conservation of the environment and the socio-economic development of local populations. Out of the five corridors identified in the Site Analysis section, the High Trail corridor is the most immediately adaptable to launch a new, low-impact tourist infrastructure. Its numerous advantages, which Al Jaheer Shobak relate to conservation, social benefits, and Old Al Jaheer Foran the creation of a tourist hot spot, have led the team to recommend it as the sole corridor to be developed in Phase 1 of the masAl Zbereiah terplan. This corridor’s advantages are: • Proximity to villages intended to benefit from and help service the trail • Multiple interest points including arShimakh cheological sites, panoramic viewpoints, Old Shimakh Al Ba’qa and interesting geological formations • Continuous views of the entire proOld Junnineh posed protected area, Wadi Araba, Israel, and Palestine • Easily traveled terrain Hawala • A safe distance from the sensitive ecology of the proposed protected area • Availability of water sources and shade

AGRICULTURE AND GRAZING 1: ?’s Home

Al Jaheer Old Al Jaheer

Foran

Shobak

Al Zbereiah

Shimakh Old Shimakh

Al Ba’qa

Old Junnineh Hawala

Intense Grazing Regular Grazing Grazing for Hawala Tribe

King’s Highway Secondary roads 192 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

ORGANIZE

NATURAL LOOKOUTS

TRAILS

WADIS, SPRINGS, AND WELLS

1: ?’s Home

1:1:?’s ?’sHome Home

1: ?’s Home

Al Jaheer Old Al Jaheer

Foran

Shobak

Al Jaheer Old Al Jaheer

Foran

Old Junnineh Hawala

Al Ba’qa

AlAlJaheer Jaheer Old OldAlAlJaheer Jaheer

Foran Foran

Shimakh Old Shimakh Old Junnineh Hawala

Al Ba’qa

Shobak Shobak

AlAlZbereiah Zbereiah

Al Zbereiah

Al Zbereiah

Shimakh Old Shimakh

Shobak

Shimakh Shimakh Old OldShimakh Shimakh

AlAlBa’qa Ba’qa

Old OldJunnineh Junnineh Hawala Hawala

Drinking DrinkingSpots Spotsfor forHerds Herds Wadis Wadis Springs Springsand andWells Wells

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 193

SHOBAK MOUNTAIN TRAIL—EXISTING & POTENTIAL Currently, tourists accompanied by guides use several trails, which run northsouth and east-west across Shobak. The most used and sought after of these trails is the High Trail, which informally connects the Dana Biosphere Reserve to Petra Archeological Park, while offering incredible views of Shobak’s diverse ecological zones and ragged geological terrain. This outstanding trail is relatively easy to use, yet it does not offer any clearly defined path, interpretation spots, signage, rest stops, or accommodations, except for a few poorly designed camps, whose wastewater, waste-burning, concrete construction, and high water consumption landscapes have already damaged their surrounding environment. Due to its disorganized nature, the first phase of the masterplan proposes to reorganize it into a network of trails, as well as upgrade the trails.

Nawatef Camp Al Barrah Forestry Station

Nawatef

Dana Guesthouse

Wadi Nkhail Connection

Feynan Ecolodge

D

Wadi Araba

N

194 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

ORGANIZE

Wadi Hamra Wadi Bustan Connection

Abu Makhtoub S D P

Almqar’eiah Mansura

Al Zbereiah

Shobak Castle

Hazim Road Viewpoint

N

Castle Campsite Archeological Site Feynan Ecolodge Dana Guesthouse Villages Locations Abandoned Village Shobak Proposed Reserve Dana Biosphere Reserve Petra Archeological Park King’s Highway Secondary Roads 0

10 km

Shobak

Viewing Platform

Hawala

Shimakh

Bir Dabaghat

Old Al Jaheer Junnineh Lower Shimakh Selmana Cave

Al Furn

Heesha

Um Shumara Al Beida

Umm al-Amad

S

Peak of Safaha P

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 195

POTENTIAL SITE FOR AN ECOLODGE IN SHOBAK Careful research of the tourist accom- settlement sites were avoided. from the existing dirt roads, provided a modations in the Shobak region revealed Moreover, it was crucial to select sites sense of seclusion, and were located along that the hotels and tented camps available that, at the same time, were accessible the Dana to Petra trail network. have several drawbacks: 1) Their fixed nature prevents them from 1 efficiently catering to the seasonal fluxes D of visitors. 2) During the low season, the accommo2 dations usually close and the harsh winds and sandstorms in Shobak create considerable damage. 8 3) Their water and waste infrastructure and architecture is not adapted to their 3 arid, remote sites. Site 1 Hence, a mobile, low-impact accomMobile Ecolodge modation, coined ecolodge, seems like an Mobile Ecolodge 4 excellent pilot project as it will serve as a Castle Campsite model for future accommodations. S Archeological Site Based on the existing trails and dirt road Feynan Ecolodge Site 2 network, two potential sites for the moDana Guesthouse Mobile Ecolodge 1 Dana bile ecolodge are proposed. The two sites 2 Feynan are located near the border of the Shobak 3 Mansura proposed protected area (SPPA) where 4 Shobak 5 Little Petra the climatic conditions are suitable year6 Petra round due to their elevation and location 7 Wadi Musa within the escarpment. It is important to 8 King’s Highway P consider two sites because of the diffiS Shobak Proposed Reserve D Dana Biosphere Reserve 5 culty in negotiating land procurement due P Petra Archeological Park to tribal tensions. To this effect, both sites N were selected respecting traditional land 10 20 km 0 uses: grazing, agricultural, and nomads’ 6

196 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

7

ORGANIZE

Site 1: Um Al Amad Ecolodge Site (favored location). Located at the northeastern tip of the SPPA, this site’s primary advantage includes superior road access and proximity to the Um Al Amad Roman Caves. The landscape is highly varied, including sandstone domes, bedrock, flat sandy areas, and views of the Shobak Sandstone Mountains

and the deep gorge in Wadi Sukara. Only a day’s travel from Feynan Ecolodge, this site has the potential of forming an important connection to the RSCN’s other ecolodge.

BUDGET TRAVELERS

ADVENTURE TRAVELERS

Criteria

Site 1

Site 2

Proximity to budget travelers’ route

Y

N

Proximity to the viewing platform

Y

N

JORDANIAN TRAVELERS Criteria On the route to Feynan Ecolodge Proximity to visitor center Proximity to viewing platform Proximity to picnicking area

Site 1

Site 2

Y

N

Y

N

Y

N

N

Y

best access for nature-based activities in the area. The difficult access and its proximity to the Mountain’s Edge Trail gives this site a slight disadvantage and it is therefore considered as an alternative if site 1 Site 2: Wadi Al Feid and Wadi Barwas Junc- proves unfeasible. tion. Located near the head of the SPPA’s two wadi cross corridors, this site offers the

Criteria

LUXURY ECOTOURISTS

Site 1

Site 1

Site 2

Y

Seclusion

Y

N

N

Y

Geological highlights

Y

N

Y

N

Y

N

Y

N

Y

N

N

Y

N

Y

Y

N

Y

N

N

Y

Access to wadis for day trips Archeological highlights Proximity to local nomads Proximity to Feynan Ecolodge Accessibility

Y

N

Y

Y

On route to Petra

Y

Y

On route from Dana–Petra On high route from Dana–Petra Proximity to Wadi Araba corridor

N

Proximity to Palm Grove detour way Proximity to High Trail loop No camping Proximity to Old Villages for day trip Proximity to adventurer attractions

Site 2

Criteria

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 197

SHOBAK MOUNTAIN TRAIL DESIGN The design of the High Trail and its in- ALL TRAVELERS teraction with amenities and programs emerged from carefully considering the 1 potential users. These users include: JordaD Barrah nian travelers, budget travelers, adventure Picnic Area 2 travelers, and luxury ecotourists. Each one of these tourist types has specific needs regarding ease of access to the trail, activi- Potential Campsite Nawatef Camp ties offered, difficulty of trail distances, Mobile and availability of shaded rest spots. Umm alEcolodge Camp at Amad The Jordanian travelers prefer shorter 3 Wadi Bustan trails and often stay at the Dana GuestCamp at Mansura house or Feynan Ecolodge located inside Shobak V.C. Forestry Picnic Area the Dana Biosphere Reserve. From either of these locations, the proposed new High 4 S Trail system will allow them to reach the Potential Campsite Mobile Ecolodge, or do half-day or full-day loops starting from the forestry viewing Potential Campsite area and ending in the Heesha picnic area. Heesha Picnic Area Budget travelers could travel northHeesha south and stop at existing budget camps Beida or camp in allocated spots. Adventure travelers could follow the P north-south trails, which offer the most challenges, and stay at the Mobile Ecolodge. 5 Luxury ecotourists could use the Mobile Ecolodge as a destination in itself, and could take short trips from there to the surrounding landscape. 6

198 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

7

JORDANIAN TRAVELERS 1

D

Barrah Picnic Area

2

Mobile Ecolodge

3

Forestry Picnic Area

S

Shobak V.C. 4

Heesha Picnic Area

P 5

6

7

ORGANIZE

BUDGET TRAVELERS

ADVENTURE TRAVELERS

LUXURY ECOTOURISTS

D

1

1

1

D

2

D

2

2

Nawatef Camp

Potential Campsite Mobile Ecolodge

Mobile Ecolodge

3

Camp at Wadi Bustan 3

Umm al-Amad Mobile Ecolodge

3

Camp at Mansura

S

4

Shobak V.C.

S

S

Potential Campsite

4

4

Castle Campsite Archeological Site Feynan Ecolodge Dana Guesthouse Mountain Biking Accessible by Vehicle Picnic Area Trails Dirt Roads Accessible by 4x4 King’s Highway 1 Dana 2 Feynan 3 Mansura 4 Shobak 5 Little Petra 6 Petra 7 Wadi Musa S Shobak Proposed Reserve D Dana Biosphere Reserve P Petra Archeological Park

Potential Campsite Heesha Beida Beida

P

P 5

6

P 5

5

7

6

7

6

7 N 0

10

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 199

20 km

SHOBAK MOUNTAIN TRAILS: PROPOSED The first phase of the masterplan proposes that the current Shobak trail system is not only extended into a network of trails which connects the Dana Biosphere Reserve and Petra, but is also upgraded and fitted with resting stops—called pods—and with eco-friendly leisure activities. 1) Located at the edge of the Shobak plateau, the High Trail connects the village of Mansura to the villages of Bir Dabaghat and Heesha. It is also easily accessible from the abandoned village of Old Al Jaheer. 2) The Mountain Trail is a lower route which connects Al Furn with Al Beida. It weaves through a mountainous terrain. 3) The Wolf Trail connects the Weather Station in the Dana Biosphere Reserve to Mansura and Al Furn (Mountain Trail) through landscapes of rocky mountains, canyons, and wadis. 4) The Wadi Araba trail connects Dana Guesthouse and Feynan Ecolodge to Al Furn. It passes though Dana’s luscious central valley and Wadi Araba’s arid plains.

Nawatef Camp Al Barrah Forestry Station Dana Guesthouse

Wadi Nkhail Connection

Feynan Ecolodge

D

Wadi Araba

N

200 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

Nawatef

ORGANIZE

Wadi Hamra Wadi Bustan Connection

Abu Makhtoub S D

Almqar’eiah Mansura

P

Al Zbereiah

Shobak Castle

Hazim Road Viewpoint

Shobak

Viewing Platform

N

Old Al Jaheer

Castle Campsite Archeological Site Feynan Ecolodge Dana Guesthouse Villages Locations Abandoned Village Shobak Proposed Reserve Dana Biosphere Reserve Petra Archeological Park High Trail (Hazim Road) Mountain Trail Wolf Trail Wadi Araba Trail 0

10 km

Hawala

Shimakh

Bir Dabaghat Junnineh

Lower Shimakh Selmana Cave

Al Furn

Heesha

Um Shumara Al Beida

Umm al-Amad

S

Peak of Safaha P

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 201

High Trail (Hazim Road)

Wolf Trail

202 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

Mountain Trail

Wadi Araba Trail

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 203

SHOBAK MOUNTAIN TRAIL PODS Ten pods are proposed to permeate the High and Mountain Trails. Pods are a new type of ecotourism infrastructure that act as rest stops, which offer basic amenities to tourists such as shade, water, restrooms, and leisure programs. They also provide facilities that local nomadic tribes lack. For instance, the pods house water reservoirs with filters and taps, solar panels, trash bins, and are equipped with electricity outlets which nomadic tribes are free to use. Finally, pods act as economic incubators, offering spaces where nomads can run small businesses such as coffee shops and rest spots for tourists. Pods will be leased to nomadic tribes: for equity, the four local tribes will be attributed the same number of pods. In addition, the pod located in the village of Mansura will be run by the Mansura Cooperative which is not affiliated to any tribe.

Nawatef Camp Al Barrah Forestry Station

Nawatef

Dana Guesthouse

Wadi Nkhail Connection

Feynan Ecolodge

D

Wadi Araba

N

204 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

ORGANIZE

A Mansura Pods B Al Jaheer Tribe Pods C Shimakh Tribe Pods D Hawala Tribe Pods E Al Amareen Tribe Pods 1 Mansura Pod 2 Old Al Jaheer Pod 3 Old Shimakh Pod 4 Junnineh Pod 5 Heesha Pod 6 Umm al-Amad Pod 7 Al Furn Pod 8 Um Shumara Pod 9 Peak of Safaha Pod

How to read pod characteristics:

Name of pod location Name of tribe managing pod

Wadi Hamra Wadi Bustan Connection

Abu Makhtoub

Almqar’eiah Mansura

A -1

Al Zbereiah

Shobak Castle

Hazim Road Viewpoint

Shobak

Viewing Platform B-6

Old Al Jaheer B-2

D-8

P

0

10 km

Hawala

Shimakh

Lower Shimakh Selmana Cave

Al Furn

D

N

C-3 C-7

S

Castle Campsite Archeological Site Feynan Ecolodge Dana Guesthouse Villages Locations Abandoned Village Shobak Proposed Reserve Dana Biosphere Reserve Petra Archeological Park High Trail (Hazim Road) Mountain Trail Wolf Trail Wadi Araba Trail

Bir Dabaghat Junnineh D-4 E-5

Heesha

Um Shumara Al Beida

Umm al-Amad

S

Peak of Safaha E-9 P

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 205

Pods are an innovative piece of infrastructure unique to the Shobak masterplan since they are an answer to both the needs of tourists and locals. In fact, rest stops are a common typology along remote mountain trails found in the European Alps, the Canadian Rockies, and the West Coast Mountain Range. These unstaffed structures are refuges for hikers seeking rest and shelter along remote mountain trails. Inside, they have basic amenities such as seating, information, and at times a stove for making tea; furthermore, they provide highlights for many visitors during their hiking experience. However, the Shobak trail is also designed to service locals, allowing them to generate income with minimum investment and also obtain basic amenities that they do not have access to usually. Thus, the success and maintenance of these pods are not contingent on the tourism industry, and in this sense they are economically and socially sustainable. Once completed by the RSCN, pods will be leased for a small fee to members of the four local tribes. Pod managers will be responsible for the maintenance of these pods according to preset guidelines, including the equitable access to public amenities for all visitors, sustainable disposal of organic waste, recycling, etc.

The masterplan proposes a total of nine pods: five along the High Trail, and four along the Mountain Trail. The proposed pods all provide the following basic amenities: water resources, an energy station connected to photovoltaic solar panels, extensive shaded area, and proximity to sites of historical and cultural significance. The pods can be implemented incrementally with pod numbers 2, 8, and 9 taking priority. High Trail Pods 1. Mansura Pod Mansura is located at the beginning of the High Trail corridor. Its associated pod is situated on the fringe of agricultural lands, and outside of the village the pod will be run by the Mansura Cooperative (A). The pod will offer full amenities including: a water station fed by a water reservoir, an energy station connected to solar panels, information on Shobak flora and fauna, a restroom, shelter with a canopy, and a seasonal café. The pod will be built from scratch using local stone construction. 2. Old Shimakh Pod The villages of lower Old Shimakh and Old Zeitoon have a spring and scenic agricultural landscapes composed of olive tree orchards and vegetable gardens. The area

206 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

surrounding the Zeitoon village, where the picturesque village of Old Shimakh is situated, is well known for its lush olive tree groves and terraced gardens. The pod will offer basic services: a water station fed by a water reservoir, information panels on agriculture and irrigation, a shaded rest area, and a bike drop-off station. 3. Old Al Jaheer Pod Old Al Jaheer, an abandoned village niched on a steep and rocky mountain slope, is an ideal stop and rest point. Although the paved road to Al Jaheer is not direct, a 2-km long dirt road branches out of the sinuous Hazim Road that links the Shobak plateau and its paved roads’ infrastructure to the lower wadis. Old Al Jaheer has beautiful terraced gardens fed by a sophisticated irrigation system composed of a spring, canals, and water reservoirs. The Old Al Jaheer pod could be housed inside one of the village stone houses, which would be rehabilitated. An alternative stop for the Old Al Jaheer pod is Um Arareh, which has a spring and a pleasant shaded area. The pod in either of these locations will be run by the Al Jaheer tribe (B). The pod will have some services including: a water station fed by a water reservoir, an energy station connected to solar

panels, information on Old Al Jaheer agricultural landscapes and architecture, and a mountain bike drop-off station. The pod will be housed in a restored stone house belonging to the Al Jaheer tribe. 4. Junnineh Pod Junnineh has a water spring and attractive agricultural lands. The Junnineh pod will be run by the Hawala tribe (D). Junnineh is a good point to decide whether to join the Mountain Trail route and continue to Beida or take the High Trail route to Heesha . The pod will offer basic services including: a water station fed by a water reservoir, information on the trail system, a shaded area, and a bike drop-off. The pod will be housed in a rehabilitated stone dwelling. 5. Heesha Pod Heesha is the southern endpoint of the High Trail, where tourists can choose to be picked up or to continue to Beida. Heesha displays a beautiful hilly landscape filled with century-old pistachio trees, offering a pleasant shade canopy and unique views towards Shobak and Petra. The Heesha pod will be run by the Al Amareen tribe (E). The pod will offer full services, including: a water station fed by a water reservoir, an energy station connected to solar panels, information on Heesha and its pistachio trees, restrooms, shelter with a canopy, and

a seasonal light snack area. The pod will be station fed by a water reservoir, an energy housed in a small, new stone building. station connected to solar panels, and a shaded rest area. Mountain Trail Pods Because no traditional stone dwellings 6. Um Al Amad Pod can be found in this area, a demountable A Shobaki named “Jihad” runs a basic tent pod would be the ideal typology for tourist camp located at the northern tip of this location. the Mountain Trail corridor, near the north8. Um Shumara Pod east tip of the protected area and off of Um Shumara marks the beginning of the Um Al Amad Road. Jihad is the only local final stretch of the journey to Beida. It is goat herder who runs a permanent tourist situated at the intersection of the High accommodation along the Mountain Trail. and Mountain Trails, near the beginning The Um Al Amad pod, run by the Al Jaheer of the Safaha Ridge Line, a three-and-atribe, will use Jihad’s facilities and simply half hour trail with no water access. Placupgrade one of his buildings. ing a pod here could mark the beginning of The pod will offer some services: a water a day-long journey to Little Petra, while station fed by a water reservoir, an energy also providing a final water refill station station connected to solar panels, and Ji- for travelers using the High and Mountain had’s goat-hair tents. Trails. The Hawala tribe will manage the Um 7. Al Furn Pod Shumara pod. Al Furn (also called “Cooked Rice” by loThe pod will offer basic services, includcals) is a large open plateau which is locat- ing: a water station fed by a water resered a 1.5-hour walk from Jihad’s camp and voir, information on trails, a shaded area, one to two days’ travel from the Feynan and a bike drop-off station. Ecolodge. It is a popular camping ground 9. Peak of Safaha Pod for adventure tourists traveling from FeyThe location and high altitude of the nan to Beida and is in use at least once a Peak of Safaha has privileged views of imweek. The entirety of this 1-km² site is pub- portant sites in all directions: lic land. The Al Furn pod will be managed by i) West and north: towards most of the the Shimakh tribe (C). wadis and mountains of the Shobak ProThe pod will offer half service: a water posed Protected Area, most notably the

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 207

south face of Mount Abu Mahmoud, which is only visible from this location. ii) South towards Beida and its lush green agricultural lands fed by the water treatment facilities, Aron’s Tomb, and the Petra Mountain Group. iii) Northeast, east, and southeast: towards the old villages of Al Jaheer, Shimakh, Junnineh, and Heesha; the proposed viewing platform site near Al Jaheer; the panoramic viewpoints in Heesha; and the entirety of the High Trail. The pod will be run by the Al Amareen tribe, and will offer basic services including: a water station, information on the panorama around the site, a shaded rest area, and a seasonal café. The pod will be housed in a rehabilitated stone building found on the tallest peak of the Safaha mountain range. The building is actually the remnants of an old mosque used by nomadic tribes and pilgrims crossing Shobak.

N

Nawatef Camp Al Barrah Forestry Station

Nawatef

Dana Guesthouse

Wadi Nkhail Connection 1

2

3

4

5

Feynan Ecolodge

D

1

2

3

4

5

Wadi Araba

SHOBAK MOUNTAIN TRAIL PODS LOCATIONS

208 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

1 2 3 4 5

How to read pod characteristics: Amenities offered by the pod

Wadi Hamra Name of pod location Name of tribe managing pod

Wadi Bustan Connection

Bathroom Solar Panels Café Shaded Seating Area Water Reservoir

Abu Makhtoub

Almqar’eiah Shobak Castle

Mansura

A -1

Hazim Road Viewpoint

Shobak

1

2 3 4 5 Viewing Platform

B-6

1

Old Al Jaheer B-2

2

3

4

5

Lower Shimakh Selmana Cave

Al Furn D-8

2

3

4

S D P

N

5

Castle Campsite Archeological Site Feynan Ecolodge Dana Guesthouse Villages Locations Abandoned Village Shobak Proposed Reserve Dana Biosphere Reserve Petra Archeological Park High Trail (Hazim Road) Mountain Trail Wolf Trail Wadi Araba Trail 0

10 km

Hawala

Shimakh C-3

C-7 1

Al Zbereiah

A Mansura Pods B Al Jaheer Tribe Pods C Shimakh Tribe Pods D Hawala Tribe Pods E Al Amareen Tribe Pods 1 Mansura Pod 2 Old Al Jaheer Pod 3 Old Shimakh Pod 4 Junnineh Pod 5 Heesha Pod 6 Um Al Amad Pod 7 Al Furn Pod 8 Um Shumara Pod 9 Peak of Safaha Pod

Bir Dabaghat Junnineh D-4 E-5

Heesha

Um Shumara Al Beida

Umm al-Amad

S

Peak of Safaha E-9 1 2

3

4

5 P

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 209

TOUR OPERATOR INITIATIVES

Microcredit

Direct from Payment Because Phase 1 of the masterplan does would benefit improved infrastrucEmployment not mandate an established protected ture and marketing in the burgeoning field Training Information area, any conservation effort must be of ecotourism. Protection made through voluntary agreements between the RSCN and the different actors affecting the site’s ecology. The masterplan recommends that the RSCN establish a close relationship with tour operators who are active in the Shobak area. The RSCN can pursue them to book RSCN facilities and accommodations as part of their tours. Or, Advertising RSCN alternatively, the RSCN could have the tour Brochures Extra App operators provide financial or organiza$ Privilege Advertising tional support out of goodwill for the acBrochures tions planned in Phase 1 (including the Day App with a Herder, Nature Guides, and Women’s Training Organization programs), in exchange for $ Guides services provided by the RSCN. These ser- Tourists Voluntary Tour Operator Donation vices could be, for example, free advertising on the RSCN website and in their Amman headquarters, provision of trail maps, brochures showcasing guidelines on appropriate behavior in the wilderness, educational leaflets on Shobak’s flora and fauna, or Training access to a smartphone application speHerders cific to Shobak’s cultural and environmental heritage. Such an agreement would strongly benefit both parties: the RSCN Direct Payment Employment would receive much-needed funds to susTraining tain the initiatives promulgated by Phase Information 1 of the masterplan, and tour operators Protection

Nature $

$ Women’s Organizations $

$

Local Businesses

Value-Added Product $ Food + Beverage + Accommodations

$ Nature Guides

Shuttle Bus

Day with a Herder

Nature 210 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

$

$

ORGANIZE

MICRO-CREDIT PROGRAM Phase 1 of the masterplan proposed a • Day with a Herder (page 214) micro-credit program as a means to em• Eat and Sleep at Locals’ Homes: Funds power local communities to take part in used for upgrading furniture, bathresponsible entrepreneurship and to inroom facilities, guest rooms, kitchens, vest in sustainable growth. The masterplan etc. (page 256) foresees that the tour operator initiatives • Women’s Cooperatives: Funds used can provide financial support for this profor marketing and branding of crafts gram while the RSCN crafts guidelines on and agricultural products, facility the type of nature- and tourism-related upgrades, etc. (page 218) businesses to be developed. Based on the • Pods: Funds used to install selfanalysis, case studies, and the RSCN’s field service-style trail facilities (such as experience, this type of program is difficult coin-access toilets), as start-up seed to run and may require the formation of a money to set up a pod according to the sister organization to the RSCN or a partguidelines and locations provided in nership with an NGO that specializes in this Phase 1 of the masterplan (page 204; type of activity. The team feels that the page 228) aim of this program should be to support • Shuttle tour initiative (page 216) local people and organizations so that they • Jeep guides: Funds used to purchase can become involved with and benefit from jeeps or upgrade existing ones the expected growth in tourism. • Mountain bike rentals: Funds used to set up a rental space and to purchase Guidelines must be carefully designed, mountain bikes funds should be provided according to the type and the business plan of each projWe also recommend that the RSCN moniect, and the RSCN should keep the credit tor and supervise the process and keep the receivers accountable. The micro-credit credit receivers accountable. should be given to entrepreneurs who want to invest in conservation of nature and responsible tourism, and who are willing to work within the RSCN’s guidelines and principles. Some of the programs that could benefit from the micro-credit program are:

ORGANIZE

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 211

MARKETING & BRANDING The marketing and branding initiatives define and communicate the core vision of the RSCN for Shobak to the broader audience. Branding and marketing initiatives would be organized and directed by the RSCN with the help of consultants and specialists. For the first phase of the masterplan, the branding focus would be on the Shobak High Trail and Shobak Castle’s viewpoints network. Due to their ease of access, these two tourist destinations would be visited by the largest number of tourists compared to other places in Shobak. The team recommends that cultural sensitivity and community values are placed at the heart of marketing campaign. In conjunction with tour operator initiatives, two samples of promotional products are proposed: a brochure of the Shobak High Trail with a map of the area, stops, and different itineraries; and a smartphone application providing the location’s facilities and available services. These two sample products can be continuously updated as the masterplan phases unfold. Finally, they can be offered to tour operators participating in the RSCN’s initiatives as well as independent tourists using their accommodations.

STAND ON THE EDGE OF HISTORY

Shobak

High Trail Corridor Map Lying just beyond the string of villages at the edge of the high plateau, the High Trail corridor places visitors on the edge of breathtaking views of the entire Shobak Escarpment. From certain locations, one can see all the way to Dana in the north and Israel and Palestine in the west.

Nawatef Camp Nawatef Wadi Hamra Dana Guesthouse Wadi Nkhail Connection Mansura Hazim Road Viewpoint Feynan D Ecolodge Wadi Araba

Umm al-Amad

212 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

Discover The Back Door To a World Wonder

Wadi Bustan Connection Abu Makhtoub Almqar’eiah Shobak Castle Zbereiah Shobak

Hawala Shimakh Old Al Junnineh Jaheer Al Furn Selmana Cave Um Shumara

Viewing Platform

S

Bir Dabaghat Heesha

Peak of Safaha

Al Beida

P

ORGANIZE

Itinerary

Itinerary Search

Search Activities Nearby Attraction

Geosensing

Information

SuggestedAttraction Historical Nature Thematic Trails My Itineraries Shuttle Tours Refreshments Historical Attraction Views Nature

Information

Attraction Historical Attraction Shobak Castle 0.5 km Roman Ruins Ottoman Copper Mine

Trails

Suggested Thematic My Itineraries

Quam fugiat quae ped undam harchil igenesti unte pra eos aut laboria pro omniae am, cus aut elluptus, vendandunt ut verfero magnihilit fuga. Itatestiorem qui dolupid maionsed magnam, volorro volorrum quatemo discius nisi volorunt officitat moluptasi nat fugiae volorias nis alicae nis volupta turere, voluptus sitessi quiaesequia nonsequam re perchitatia quatem hil eicabor eperepero blanimo luptatur se doluptisti dis as etumqua erchit ut hiti ratum quam rerum

Historical Attraction Shobak Castle 0.5 km Roman Ruins Ottoman Copper Mine

Suggested Shuttle Tours Thematic Refreshments MyViews Itineraries

Activities

Nearby Attraction Geosensing

Suggested Thematic My Itineraries

Attraction

Map

Quam fugiat quae ped undam harchil igenesti unte pra eos aut laboria pro omniae am, cus aut elluptus, vendandunt ut verfero magnihilit fuga. Itatestiorem qui dolupid maionsed magnam, volorro volorrum quatemo discius nisi volorunt officitat moluptasi nat fugiae volorias nis alicae nis volupta turere, voluptus sitessi quiaesequia nonsequam re perchitatia quatem hil eicabor eperepero blanimo luptatur se doluptisti dis as etumqua erchit ut hiti ratum quam rerum

Information Quam fugiat quae ped undam harchil igenesti unte pra eos aut laboria pro omniae am, cus aut elluptus, vendandunt ut verfero magnihilit fuga. Itatestiorem qui dolupid maionsed magnam, volorro volorrum quatemo discius nisi volorunt officitat moluptasi nat fugiae volorias nis alicae nis volupta turere, voluptus sitessi quiaesequia nonsequam re perchitatia quatem hil eicabor eperepero blanimo luptatur se doluptisti dis as etumqua erchit ut hiti ratum quam rerum

Information

Map

Quam fugiat quae ped undam harchil igenesti unte pra eos aut laboria pro omniae am, cus aut elluptus, vendandunt ut verfero magnihilit fuga. Itatestiorem qui dolupid maionsed magnam, volorro volorrum quatemo discius nisi volorunt officitat moluptasi nat fugiae volorias nis alicae nis volupta turere, voluptus sitessi quiaesequia nonsequam re perchitatia quatem hil eicabor eperepero blanimo luptatur se doluptisti dis as etumqua erchit ut hiti ratum quam rerum

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 213

NOMAD INITIATIVES Getting the most underprivileged communities in Shobak, the local nomads, on board is vital for the establishment and long-term sustainability of the SPPA. This means that creative ways for engagement is a crucial goal for Phase 1 of the masterplan. A mechanism must be put in place to ensure that they are satisfied with the process and that local nomads have opportunities to benefit and participate. Our research shows that there is no single solution or answer to address this issue because of the complexity of tribal relations. Hence, efforts in this regard must be made on a case-by-case basis. Phase 1 of the masterplan focuses on organizing and upgrading existing facilities and targeting the social groups in need within the site. To do so, the RSCN will set up a fund to pay herders to monitor and prevent grazing in sensitive areas, thereby protecting endangered ecosystems and educating other herders. This fund could also finance the programs, campaign, and infrastructure described below. Nature Guide Program Funded by the tour operator initiatives program, this program proposes that the RSCN train applicants from the local nomadic community as nature guides. After

the training, applicants would be awarded a certificate which, in return, allows tour operators to hire them as their local tour consultants. These nature guides will then be able to give tourist groups informed tours of unique characteristics of existing flora and fauna or geological formations. This program helps spread awareness about the importance of the Shobak proposed protected areas among their communities. Micro-Credit Program A special micro-credit program targeting local nomads will be crafted by the RSCN so as to help them establish small businesses. Each micro-credit loan will be specifically tailored to each nomad’s socio-economic condition and put in place on-site after face-to-face interactions in order to establish trust. This program shall provide support and promote small businesses that fit within the RSCN’s agenda of nature protection and sustainable tourism. These small businesses in return would give the nomads the possibility to abandon destructive grazing practices. The RSCN would be organizing and supervising this system, which would be funded by incentives designated in this first phase of the masterplan such as the tour operators initiative (page 210).

214 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

Awareness Campaign The purpose of this campaign is to create awareness among nomadic communities about ecologically sensitive areas, the long-term effects of destructive behaviors on the environment, and the impact that simple changes in our everyday habits can offer. The RSCN should initialize a local mobile campaign which involves community leaders and elaborates on the goals, procedures, and benefits of preserving nature. Corridor Facilities (Pods) The masterplan recommends that the local nomadic community be involved in running and managing the pods along the mountain trails while servicing the needs of tourists. This part is vital in ensuring direct economic benefits to people in the region as well as providing assets to locals in the absence of tourists. The RSCN should establish a mechanism in conjunction with other programs in this masterplan, such as micro-credits to collaborate with local nomadic communities on managing and running the facilities along the corridors. A Day with a Herder Initiative This program allows tourists to spend a day with a herder family and experience a little of the nomadic lifestyle. A similar pro-

ORGANIZE

gram is currently organized through Feynan all financial transactions should be set in Ecolodge in the Dana Biosphere Reserve. It advance through the ecolodge, the Shobak is not only very popular among Jordanian Visitor Center, and tourists. and foreign visitors, but it also brings direct financial benefits to underprivileged nomadic families. Hence, this initiative at Feynan could be used as a model for implementing a similar one in Shobak. In Shobak, this program could be offered as a day-long activity at the Desert Ephemera Ecolodge (page 236) as well as at the Shobak Castle Visitor Center (page 226). The program faces several challenges: first, it needs to be organized by the RSCN, and second, it needs to maintain standards of social equity and mutual respect in order to exclude any form of exploitation or voyeurism. To do so, both participating tourists and nomad families should receive an educational introduction to be aware of not only cultural differences, but also of the underlying principles of the transaction at hand. For instance, nomads need to understand why tourists are interested in paying fees to share their day and what their lifestyle is, and tourists should comprehend the cultural and social structures that define nomadic communities in Shobak. Finally, in order to facilitate the cultural exchange between tourists and nomads,

ORGANIZE

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 215

SHUTTLE TOURS The shuttle tours initiative was established by USAID, which has funding for the implementation of two mini-buses, run by local cooperatives, to take tourists from the Shobak Castle Visitor Center to various attractions. Phase 1 of the masterplan outlines the routes and stops of these shuttle tours based on both maximizing immediate economic benefits to the Shobaki communities and producing a varied experience of the environmental and social landscapes of Shobak. Expanding on existing assets and characteristics specific to Shobak have been key factors in selecting the location of stops. Therefore, Phase 1 of the masterplan proposes tours of different themes and durations, highlighting specific destinations to feature Shobak’s crafts, gastronomy, and landscapes (e.g., the viewing platform, selected women’s cooperatives, and archeological heritage).

Crafts Workshops Being involved in the production of crafts and food products specific to Shobak is a memorable experience for tourists. Shobak’s women’s cooperatives could offer such an experience through workshops. Erect a Bedouin Tent Many tourist activities in Jordan offer Bedouin experiences, but nowhere are visitors included in the erection of a tent. The Cooperative of the Women of Bir Edde Barat, the only group representing a formally nomadic tribe of women with Bedouin heritage, could easily propose such an activity. Archeological and Architectural Interpretation at Abu Mahtoub This relatively intact abandoned village is located on steep, rocky slopes, and is the best regional example of integrated landscapes, geology, and architecture representing the traditional Shobaki way of life. Offering a guided visit that explains the architecture and agricultural landscapes of this village would make it a prime attraction.

Shobak Viewing Platform The viewing platform is strategically placed on the top edge of the Shobak Escarpment to provide views of the Dana Biosphere Reserve, the Shobak proposed protected area, and the main trails (pages 230–35). From this location, interpreta- Food Tasting The large variety of produce and dishes tions of geology, ecology, nomadism, and produced in the Shobak region make it ideseasonality can be presented to visitors.

216 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

al for a food-sampling activity. The Mansura Cooperative, which produces a variety of dairy-based products, could offer a sampling of freshly made organic yogurts and milk-based drinks such as the leben. Gastronomy Workshops There are numerous women’s organizations in the region that have specialized skills in the making of specific Jordanian products, such as Zaatar (an herb and spice mixture), yogurt, and jams. They could offer workshops in which visitors would have the opportunity to experience Jordanian cooking, and then could consume the food afterwards or buy the product to take home. Tour Group Catering A number of the women’s cooperatives in Shobak have rooms and patio spaces that are ideal for hosting small tour groups for any meal of the day. The cooperatives’ facilities will require upgrades to meet tourist standards.

ORGANIZE

COOPERATIVE TOUR

GASTRONOMY TOUR

AGRICULTURE TOUR Hazim Road Viewpoint 4 Mansura Almqar’eiah

Hazim Road Viewpoint 3 Mansura Almqar’eiah

S

1 Shobak V.C. Abu Makhtoub

4 Viewing Platform 5 Al Jaheer Old Al Jaheer

S

1 Shobak V.C. Abu Makhtoub

3 Viewing Platform 2 Al Jaheer Old Al Jaheer

Njail

Hazim Road Viewpoint 2 Mansura Almqar’eiah

S

Al Jaheer 4 Old Al Jaheer Njail

Njail

2 Al Zbereiah

5 Al Zbereiah

Al Zbereiah

Shimakh

Shimakh

Shimakh 5 Old Shimakh

Hawala

Hawala

Hawala

6 Bir Dabaghat Heesha

N 0

5

10 km

1 Depart from Shobak Castle Visitor Center 2 Visit the production of Shobak apple vinegar at the Women’s Cooperative and purchase handmade crafts at the Princess Basma Cooperative 3 Enjoy milk tasting and other traditionally prepared milk-based products at the Mansura Women’s Cooperative 4 Using the views from the platform, the guide explains the nomadic way of life that persists in the area 5 Eat a traditional meal at the Women’s Cooperative of Al Jaheer (WCJ) and the Hashemite Fund for Development (HFD) at Al Jaheer 6 Learn about nomadic handicraft at the Cooperative of the Women of Bir Edde Barat at Bir Dabaghat

Bir Dabaghat Heesha

N 0

1 Shobak V.C. Abu Makhtoub

3 Viewing Platform

5

10 km

1 Depart from Shobak Castle Visitor Center 2 Eat a traditional meal at the Women’s Cooperative of Al Jaheer (WCJ) and The Hashemite Fund for Development (HFD) at Al Jaheer 3 From the viewing platform, guides explain the nomadic way of life that persists in the area 4 Enjoy milk tasting and other traditionally prepared milk-based products at the Mansura Women’s Cooperative 5 See the production of Shobak apple vinegar at the Women’s Cooperative and purchase handmade crafts at the Princess Basma Cooperative

Bir Dabaghat Heesha

N 0

5

10 km

1 Depart from Shobak Castle Visitor Center 2 Explore the landscape of rural communities farming at Mansura 3 From the viewing platform, guides explain the region’s 500-million-year-old geology and its relationship to the soil and hydrology 4 Visit a terraced olive grove at Old Al Jaheer where a guide explains the traditional irrigation system and how the water is carefully carried away in narrow, babbling irrigation canals to feed the thirsty gardens and orchards 5 Visit Old Shimakh and pick some herbs, olives, and figs

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 217

WOMEN’S COOPERATIVES Field surveys and interviews in February & July 2012 led to the selection of six cooperatives which are active in the Shobak area and whose target groups include women. Three of these cooperatives target specifically women and are run by women (Cooperative of the Women of Bir Edde Barat, Princess Basma Cooperative, and the Women’s Cooperative of Al Jaheer), and two target the population at large and are run by men (Mansura Cooperative and the Islamic Cooperative). All of these cooperatives offer a wide range of products while providing a source of income to their members. For instance, apple vinegar, medicinal plants, and bouquets fabricated with seeds are crafts unique to the Shobak region. However, these cooperatives do not have the funds to either maintain their facilities or to properly run their activities, except for the Islamic and Princess Basma Cooperatives, which are government run and do not lack financing. Phase 1 of the masterplan proposes the encouragement of key activities which are already in place by providing micro-credit programs and grants to upgrade the cooperatives’ selected infrastructures. The activities encouraged and their supporting infrastructure will be accessible to tourists through shuttle tours (page 216). Produce

and crafts from the cooperatives will be sold in the Shobak Castle Visitor Center and the proposed Desert Ephemera Ecolodge. The masterplan proposes that the Cooperative of the Women of Bir Edde Barat, which has access to the least funds and is housed in a run-down building, receives a micro-credit to upgrade their kitchen, bathroom, and backyard. Medicinal plant cultivation and drying will be encouraged. Also, the nomadic culture of the members, unique among the six selected cooperatives, will be highlighted: activities such as tent pitching and goat-hair weaving will be demonstrated in the backyard. The Princess Basma Cooperative and the Islamic Cooperative have facilities in good condition but their activities lack organization and are not performing one of their key mandates: promoting local women’s economic development. In fact, there is no outlet for the women’s crafts production nor funds to purchase raw materials. One of the items produced by the members of these cooperatives is bouquets assembled with recycled seeds and dried nuts; this will be encouraged by providing design templates to follow and organic glue. The techniques used in the bouquets could be transposed to small items that visitors could easily carry back home. For in-

218 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

stance, jewelry or pins with the outlines of typical Shobaki animals and plants could be made. The Apple Vinegar Cooperative has all the infrastructure to produce and bottle apple vinegar, which is well known throughout Jordan for its weight-loss capability. The upgrade of this cooperative is twofold: their rented run-down building will be moved to Almqar’eiah, where the cooperative’s president owns two abandoned stone houses built against the cliff and facing the road leading to Mansura. A grant will help restore one house into a store and the other into an apple vinegar production facility. A design and branding template for the bottles will be provided by the RSCN marketing team. The Mansura Cooperative houses a yogurt production unit run by local women. A small grant could help the cooperative upgrade its kitchen as well as build a roof terrace equipped with a wooden deck, a canopy, tables, and chairs. Tourists could enjoy yogurt tasting and local food, as well as a splendid view towards the Dana Biosphere Reserve and Mansura’s lush terraced gardens. Preserved food typical of Shobak such as jams could be produced there and sold at the visitor center. A branding template and container types for

UPGRADE

the produce and yogurt will be provided by the RSCN marketing team. Finally, the Women’s Cooperative of Al Jaheer has a newly designed kitchen and offers catering services. Food and organic produce being Shobak’s most sought-after cultural assets, meals and food catering will be encouraged. Cooking classes and tea breaks could be complementary activities. However, to be able to host tourists, the entry courtyard of the cooperative will be upgraded through a grant. Phase 1 of the masterplan proposes that the RSCN provide a small grant to the cooperative to accomplish a number of changes in the courtyard: covering the bare ground with gravel, constructing a long bench along the party wall, adding a canopy, and removing the broken fountain to replace it with a native plant garden. The RSCN’s role is crucial to the success of this key action of the masterplan. Its role encompasses not only providing grants, micro-credits, and appropriate design guidelines for the rehabilitation of facilities and improvement of agricultural produce standards, but also procuring sales outlets and the flow of visitors.

4 Mansura Almqar’eiah

S Abu Makhtoub 6 Al Jaheer 5 Njail

2 Princess Basma Cooperative: Al Zbereiah Link to tourism: Handmade crafts 3 The Apple Vinegar Cooperative: Al Zbereiah Link to tourism: Apple vinegar outlet; apple vinegar making workshop

2 3 Al Zbereiah

Shimakh

4 Mansura Cooperative: Mansura Link to tourism: Milk-based products outlet/tasting/workshop; locally grown and produced products; catering

Hawala

5 The Islamic Cooperative: Njail Link to tourism: Food and crafts made by local widows; catering

1 Bir Dabaghat Heesha

1 Cooperative of the Women of Bir Edde Barat: Bir Dabaghat Link to tourism: Medicinal plants growing and preparing; Zaatar growing and preparing

N 0

5

10 km

6 The Women’s Cooperative of Al Jaheer (WCJ) and The Hashemite Fund for Development (HFD): Al Jaheer Link to tourism: Locally made pickles and jam; catering; on-site dining; cooking workshop

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 219

1

4

1

• Rent to own, i.e., the facilities are rented at a reduced rate • Quality: very poor conditions, insufficient furnishings, many rooms are empty; there is one office with one desk and a few chairs, a rudimentary kitchen, and a bathroom facility • Outdoor walled garden with fig tree and vines: the team considers this an asset despite the lack of current maintenance (e.g., garbage is scattered throughout the garden) • Lack of funding, furniture, and adequate bathroom • Lack of proper production facilities for basic work; many activities are done in women’s homes • Lack of sales outlet for produced goods • Lack of a large meeting space

• The unique nomadic heritage of this cooperative can be an attractive asset for tourists. Creating sale items such as crafts, medicinal herbs, etc., is one way to use this asset to generate income for these women. Other suggestions include having this community organize events involving tourists in activities such as erecting a Bedouin tent. This last activity is suggested as part of the USAID-funded shuttle tours. • The team recommends providing start-up funds to purchase raw materials and create design guidelines for the production of crafts that could be sold to tourists. Also, funds should be given to upgrade their garden facilities so that they can grow medicinal herbs.

5m

220 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

Potential

Financing & Management 4

1 Office 2 Bathroom 3 Kitchen 4 Empty

• Workers are all volunteers • Funding is exclusively from local donations • Many examples of “Kind Funding”: e.g., a local man offers free car rides; rent is charged at a highly reduced rate • This organization is run primarily by close family members all from the same formerly nomadic tribe and is the only one in the region with a nomadic heritage

Facilities 0

2

Mariam

Problems

3

• Produce dried medicinal plants (informal sales) • Produce Zaatar; note: they do not grow the herbs despite having a garden, they purchase the ingredients and are involved primarily in the drying and preparation (informal sale) • Produce knit wool sweaters primarily for local children (informal sale) • Produce pastries (informal sale) • Produce hard yogurt (Jameed) for use in Mansif sauce • Produce Samman Baladi • Use roots of oak tree for dying fabric and goat leather • In the past, they ran a daycare that is now closed due to lack of volunteers

Plan of Action/Vision

Past & Current Activities

COOPERATIVE OF THE WOMEN OF BIR EDDE BARAT

• Very tight-knit group of supportive women, all from the same tribe • Multiple skills are available • Have a local tree/plant called No’ad that is medicinally used for the treatment of numerous ailments • Outside garden has the potential of receiving tourists and growing ingredients for items such as Zaatar

4

1 0

2 5m

• This organization is financed and run by the Hashemite Fund for Development • The manager is a government employee who seems to lack motivation and incentive

• Hashemite Fund for Development owns the facilities • Quality: the overall quality of the building is relatively high; it appears to be underutilized • The outdoor space is unusable due to the heat, lack of design, and lack of basic infrastructure such as seating

• Efforts for this organization should be made towards producing craft-based products that could be sold to tourists at an organized outlet. • Since this cooperative is managed by the Hashemite Fund for Development, the RSCN would be most effective by cooperating with their office in Amman. • Care should be taken when partnering with this organization due to the questionable management quality.

Potential

• There is a lack of focus in this organization • It appears to rely on members to self-organize, a strategy that seems to have limited success • The lack of clear strategies and vision make the extent of the local socio-economic benefits unclear and questionable

1 4

Tarek Al Gounmeen

Problems

1 Office 2 Bathroom 3 Kitchen 4 Storage

3

• Kids’ summer camp that takes kids on day-long excursions into the Shobak Escarpment Region • Organize small workshops teaching kids to make decorated clocks from old Kleenex boxes • Organize workshops for women teaching them crafts with bamboo and embroidery • A local woman teaches a craft workshop; she specializes in craft flower arrangements made from seeds and other items • Organize one to three annual bazaars where all crafts produced in the year are sold to locals; note: the team felt that this was an underactive organization that’s a bit suspect

Plan of Action/Vision

Financing & Facilities Management

Past & Current Activities

PRINCESS BASMA COOPERATIVE: AL ZBEREIAH VILLAGE

• Quality of facilities • Steady government income

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 221

0

4

5m

222 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

• Bemal, who used to be the headmistress of a secondary school, manages the organization • Six selected girls from the town of Aznou were trained to make apple vinegar • At the beginning, the organization didn’t have space to make vinegar; after advertisement, the Jordan River Foundation gave Bemal 2,000 JD for start-up costs • This cooperative consists of two very small buildings used for the production of apple vinegar • The rooms include: two working rooms, one office, one bathroom, one storage space • The facilities are too small, in poor condition, and have no outdoor space • Lack of sales outlet for apple vinegar • No name and no branding • No space for large meetings or sales • Poor access to main road • Surrounding site is a degraded landscape

• To ensure sales of their product to future tourists, investment is needed to better name and brand their product. • Further investment should be made into the transfer of their facilities to an old stone structure in the Old Abu Mahtoub village that is currently owned by the head of this organization. This would provide better exposure for this organization to do direct sales.

Potential

Facilities 3 2

1 Office 2 Bathroom 3 Kitchen 4 Storage 5 Production Room

bemal

Problems

5

1

• Collect leftover apples on farms and gardens that are not good enough for sale and ferment them to make apple vinegar • Profit from selling apple vinegar goes towards helping women that are poor; they identify the poor families/women in the community and the assets that they have, then coordinate with buyers who would be interested in purchasing their assets • The women working at the cooperative can also make ornamental tassels on scarves that are specific to Shobak • Women of younger generations don’t do this anymore but can be trained by older women; they’re also able to make tapestries

Plan of Action/Vision

Financing & Management

Past & Current Activities

THE APPLE VINEGAR COOPERATIVE: AL ZBEREIAH

• The production of a unique, Shobakspecific product is their primary asset • They have a steady source of ingredients and adequate infrastructure for production

3

1 Office 2 Bathroom 3 Meeting Rooms

0

5m

1

• The facilities have good potential for accommodating tourists for meals and activities because they are of good quality and they have a diversity of spaces. It is a two-storey building with most of the second storey as a rooftop terrace. It includes: 1st floor: A very large, multi-purpose room rented for events; an administrative office. 2nd floor: Kitchen; workshop space; office; large open terrace with excellent views of the Dana Biosphere Reserve. • The cooperative seems to suffer from a lack of funds to organize opportunities and activities for locals • They lack an outlet for the sale of their products

• The team recommends allocating funds to help market and brand their milk-based products. Also, we recommend that they elaborate on their product types to include jams and pickled vegetables that could be grown in the local gardens. • Furthermore, their facilities and skills make them ideal for hosting food-tasting/making workshops that could become part of the shuttle tours funded by USAID.

3

1

• Primarily funded by local donations and income earned from the rental of the multi-purpose room

Potential

3

Hussein Tawara

Problems

2

• Rental of a large, multi-purpose room used for celebrations, weddings, and community gatherings • Production of dairy-based products: yogurt, butter, Leben (drink), and Jameed

Plan of Action/Vision

Financing & Facilities Management

Past & Current Activities

MANSURA COOPERATIVE: MANSURA

• Beautiful views to the Dana Biosphere Reserve from the rooftop terrace • Excellent production facilities • Small-scale backyard gardens in the local village that could produce the raw ingredients for products

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 223

4

1 1

3 2 5 0

1 4

5m

224 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

• Funded primarily by Qatar and local donations • The facilities are managed by a paid staff as well as local volunteers

• The facilities are superior in the region and include: one quality kitchen; freezer room; game room for youth; large meeting room equipped with a projector and furnishings; beautiful rooftop terrace with nice view • Future plan includes a covered swimming pool • The cooperative functions very well. Its success can be seen by the high level of activity found within. During our visit, there was a group of boys learning to use the computer, young children singing songs and girls gathered for Quran reading.

• There is potential in engaging the cooperative’s network of widows and disadvantaged women and providing them with employment opportunities relating to the production of food and crafts for sale to tourists.

Potential

5

Mohammad Habahbeh

Problems

4

1 Office 2 Bathroom 3 Kitchen 4 Multi-purpose Room 5 Storage

• Youth Quran courses • Good behavior and etiquette courses • Computer courses in equipped computer lab • Summer camps with overnight camping • Ping-pong and table football in activity room • Clothing donation and distribution outlet (free) • Food donation and distribution outlet equipped with quality freezer room (free)

Plan of Action/Vision

Financing & Facilities Management

Past & Current Activities

THE ISLAMIC COOPERATIVE: NJAIL

• Speaking with the director, we learned that this group is very willing to engage some of the target groups, namely widows, single women, and orphans • The effectiveness of this organization can also greatly benefit the RSCN and their efforts to reach a broad group of local individuals

2

0

5m

ANON • Rent or own: HFD owns the land and building; the WCJ rents from the HFD • WCJ is run directly by local women who receive funding from local donations and grants; its president is Hilal Tawara • HFD is government-run; its president is Jwahar Tawara • This organization has access to quality facilities that include: garden with an olive tree; a large courtyard (needs restructuring); four offices; storage room; one bathroom; one office-sized kitchen; one large, multi-purpose room; one new RSCN-funded kitchen for the preparation of products • The courtyard is underutilized due to lack of design • There is a lack of a link between the garden, the courtyard, and the kitchen

• The team recommends that this cooperative focus on gastronomy as their prime involvement with future tourism. This would include the production of packaged food such as jams and pickles, providing cooking workshops for visitors, and accommodating groups for meals in an upgraded courtyard. • Recommendations for the upgrade of the courtyard include: replacing the dirt floor with gravel and stones; planting trees and building in furniture at the periphery to allow the center to remain open for public events; improving the existing garden; removing the waterless fountain.

Potential

Facilities 1

1 Office 2 Bathroom 3 Kitchen

HFD: • Training workshops • Organize bazaars • Holiday celebrations • Book fair • Rent a tractor and plow • Have a water reservoir

Problems

3

WCJ: • Prepare food for catering • Produce pickled vegetables • Produce apple vinegar

Plan of Action/Vision

Financing & Management

Past & Current Activities

THE WOMEN’S COOPERATIVE OF AL JAHEER (WCJ) AND THE HASHEMITE FUND FOR DEVELOPMENT (HFD)

• The inward-facing courtyard with a minor upgrade could serve food to groups of tourists

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 225

SHOBAK CASTLE VISITOR CENTER Due to its location near the Shobak Castle, a destination much prized by tourists on their way to Petra, the Shobak Castle Visitor Centre (SCVC) has the potential to become the future hub for tourism in the entire Shobak area. Phase 1 of the masterplan recommends building on the existing assets of the SCVC by proposing simple upgrades to its facilities, public spaces, systems of interpretation, and wayfinding infrastructure. Today, the only tourists that visit the SCVC do so to use its bathrooms since all other facilities are either obsolete or do not offer quality service. Public Awareness Improved signage is needed to attract visitors to the SCVC and Shobak Castle. Signage from the King’s Highway as well as pamphlets in hotels throughout Jordan and a website would best address this need. On-site Interpretation The lack of information, on-site guides, and displays explaining Shobak Castle’s history is a major flaw of the existing SCVC. Not only should interpretation of the castle, including information panels and archeological artifacts, be introduced, but also information regarding Shobak’s tourism and leisure activities, the Shobak

special protected area, and some of the masterplan’s initiatives should be made readily available in as many languages as possible. The initiatives to be promoted and explained should include: the shuttle tours, the Day with a Herder program, the Desert Ephemera Ecolodge, the Shobak Escarpment Trails, and their amenities. Instead of “made in China” souvenirs, the SCVC’s bazaar should sell locally made crafts and produce with well-designed information about their fabrication process. Facility Upgrades The existing SCVC site, buildings, and parking are a good base for the goal of changing it to a hub for tourism, though certain upgrades, mainly cosmetic, are required to bring it up to standard. 1. Parking Build more parking northwest of the existing lot on a higher terrace to accommodate for the increase in tourist volumes. 2. Guard Room > Shuttle Tour Office This location next to the entrance gate is better suited as a welcoming point and administrative office for the shuttle tours (rather than an unwelcoming guard station). The guard station should either be integrated into the existing administration area or accommodated in a new structure.

226 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

3. Panoramic Platform This existing area fails to provide an adequate experience due to a lack of design considerations: seating, pay binoculars, shading devices, and improved landscaping (terracing and planting) are needed. 4. Bazaar + Café i) Improve layout, displays, and information panels for locally produced products; ii) Improve the quality of the café’s indoor and exterior seating. 5. Administration Offices i) Assess if guard room can be integrated into the existing administration area; ii) If not, an extension or additional building may be required; iii) The RSCN has expressed interest in establishing an office. This should be further explored. 6. Bathrooms The existing condition is four stalls per gender. Additional bathrooms are needed to accommodate an increase in tourism. 7. Electrical Infrastructure Effort should be made to “disguise” the electrical infrastructure. 8. Visitor Safety and Castle Preservation Directions and warning symbols should be implemented to protect visitors and prevent them from damaging the castle.

UPGRADE

1 Parking 2 Guard Room 3 Panoramic Platform 4 Café 5 Administrative Offices 6 Bathroom 7 Electrical Infrastructure 8 Castle Preservation Area 9 Proposed Viewing Deck 10 Bazaar

B

A

N

8 1 2 4

10

6 7 3

5

A Shobak Castle B Shobak Castle Visitor Center

9

N 0

50 km

0

N

20 km 0

20 km

View of Shobak Castle Visitor Center from the castle ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 227

TRAIL FACILITIES Local assets such as abandoned agricultural stone structures as well as existing water collection and irrigation systems could play a key role (once they are upgraded) in servicing both nomads and visitors of the proposed Shobak High Trail and Mountain Trail. The abandoned stone dwellings, nestled along the Shobak cliffs, represent the ideals of sustainable architecture because their layout can adapt to a wide variety of programs, their design is suited to the local climate, and they are entirely built from materials found on-site. Hence, their construction has a limited carbon footprint. Repurposing these buildings into what we have coined as “pods” is a cost-effective way to preserve the cultural heritage of the Shobak region while creating the muchneeded facilities to service the High Trail and Mountain Trail corridors. Rehabilitating existing structures will involve the basic repair of doorways, rooftops, windows, and flooring; the addition of solar panels; and the upgrade of existing water reservoirs and irrigation channels. Depending on their location within the trail network, each one of these refurbished buildings—or pods—will host different programs and amenities.

In places where there are no abandoned dwellings, the masterplan proposes new, fully serviced, off-the-grid buildings. Both rehabilitated and newly constructed pods will host a mix of the following programs. However, all of them will offer bathrooms, waste-disposal facilities, and an energy station. Water Sources Water is a scarce resource in the region, so it is important that visitors, nomads, and herds have safe and reliable access to both potable and non-potable water. Some of the springs and water reservoirs that were traditionally used for agriculture along the High Trail corridor still have water, but they will require an upgrade that includes the addition of a UV filter as well as a management plan if they are to serve future visitors’ needs. Pods not located near existing water sources will be equipped with their own rainwater reservoir and UV filter. Bathroom Facilities Compost bathroom facilities placed at key locations in pods along the trails would help meet the expectations of tourists while improving sanitary conditions. Currently, both tourists and nomads use nature as an open-air toilet, leaving behind traces of toilet paper and other unsightly evidence.

228 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

Service Stops A number of sites along the High Trail are ideal for service and refreshment stops since they are accessible to both trekkers using the lower, more difficult trails and to visitors using the High Trail or staying on the Shobak plateau and villages. These service stops could range from a café and refreshment station to a fully serviced restaurant. They could either be locally run in partnership with the RSCN or managed by socially and environmentally responsible groups such as Wild Jordan, the for-profit branch of the RSCN. Ranger Station The locations of many existing stone structures could be used for an eventual ranger service (Phase 2 of the masterplan) that will monitor the protected area. Bike Rental Facilities Some pods could host daily or weekly mountain bike rental, in addition to storage and repair services. Storage As the most basic type of upgrade, storage facilities would allow the RSCN to strategically locate supplies for seasonal deployment as well as provide storage for upkeep equipment.

UPGRADE

View of the rehabilitated stone dwelling along the High Trail ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 229

VIEWING PLATFORM There are several powerful panoramic lookout points around Shobak Castle that can be utilized to attract tourists that are generally unaware of the existence of the Shobak area, let alone of its cultural and ecological significance. Selecting a notable lookout point could offer a glimpse of the amazing Jordan Rift Valley not only to mass tourists traveling north to south along the King’s Highway, but also to ecotourists and adventure tourists wishing to trek. The viewing platform will offer interpretation of the ecology, geology, and history of the site. It will be made accessible through one of the fee-based mini-bus tours offered from the Shobak Castle Visitor Center (page 226). The mini-bus service will generate revenue to fund other Phase 1 initiatives of the masterplan. The viewing platform will act as a marketing tool by offering a glimpse of the landscapes, trails, and activities offered along the High and Mountain Trails. Twelve sites have been chosen in order to further study their potential to become a viewing platform. The criteria of choosing each site comprised: its proximity to the Shobak Castle Visitor Center, its accessibility to a paved road, the beauty and scope of its panorama, the absence of construction nearby, and private ownership of its

land in order to speed up the administrative process to lease or purchase the land. Of the twelve, four were final contenders.

Site 3

Site 1

Site 3 has a great panorama but planting projects by the Ministry of Forestry and their infrastructure, such as machinery and irrigation systems, visually pollute the site. Site 1 offers a breathtaking view of the entire Shobak proposed protected area and has pristine landscapes all around.

Site 4

Site 2

Site 4 is located near the forestry station lookout and has a beautiful tree canopy. It is a popular picnic area for locals. Hence, the control of its surroundings and waste Site 2 has a great view but is too close to management will be an issue if chosen. the road and traffic noise is bothersome. Site 1 is thus the ideal site for the viewing platform.

230 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

BUILD

Viewing Platform Location Options Badda

17 km from Castle Al Qarn Al Mansura

1

Al Ba’

13 km from Castle

Al Ba’qa

10 km from Castle

2

Al Maqar'eiah

10 km from Castle

3

2.65 km from Main Road

3.3 km from Main Road 7.96 km from Castle

Al Jayah Al Jaheer 3.3 km from Main Road 7.96 km from Castle

4

Al Jaheer

Abu Makhtoub

Abu Muthalath

Shobak

Information Center Castle Viewing Platform King’s Highway Viewpoint Loop

Al Hadadah N Al Zbereiah

0

2 km

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 231 N 0

2 km

Al Had

The selected Site 1 is an ideal spot to build the viewing platform since not only does it have a pristine 180° view of Shobak and its mountain ranges, but it also has two access points: • To the south, it can be reached by a newly paved road which branches off the secondary road connecting all Shobak villages. • To the east, it can be reached by driving in a 4x4 off the secondary road. Having two access points is a great asset because it permits the separation between tourist and service flows. Designing a carefully choreographed approach to the platform site is essential to provide a memorable experience for visitors. In fact, the Shobak panorama should be hidden from sight until reaching the viewing platform. The feeling of anticipation will hence be built up and rise in a crescendo. Tourists could reach the viewing platform in two manners: first, by being dropped off by the shuttle bus south of the platform and descending a dirt path to reach the platform’s entrance; and, second, tourists with 4x4s could drive up to the allocated parking area. In order to minimize the impact of the construction, the main vehicular access will be simple dirt roads and pedestrian-

accessible dirt pathways from which stones would have been cleared. Architecturally, the platform will follow the same rhythm as the surrounding striated landscape, and is conceived as a continuation of the site’s topography that has emerged from the hillside. This concept celebrates the unique geology of Shobak. The platform will be composed of two levels offering two different experiences, which respond to tourist expectations and easily adapt to seasonal conditions. The higher part of the platform will offer information about the proposed protected area, focusing on its natural and cultural assets and the challenges it is facing. The lower area of the platform will offer shade and information regarding all the activities offered along the High and Mountain Trails. The platform’s design and structure have been conceived so as to leave the minimum impact on the site; as such, most of the platform will be cantilevered from the mountain’s edge, heightening the feeling of standing at the brink of the Jordan Rift Valley. The platform will be constructed using a space-frame steel structure anchored into the cliff edge’s rocky ground. The structure will be laminated with CORTEN steel, which echoes the color of the surrounding geology, and the wood deck

232 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

will be constructed with reclaimed wood. The railing of the platform, formed by folded COR-TEN steel bands, will showcase educational material carved on steel plates, to prevent it from being affected by the weather. The information can then be read while admiring the view. The platform’s sustainable construction and management can also be described along the railing. Finally, recycling containers and trash cans will be placed on the platform. The viewing platform’s management will either be leased to a local private company or be run by the RSCN, which will maintain its facilities and surrounding area, control access points, and receive entrance fees from tourists who did not use the mini-bus shuttle service and thus do not have entry tickets. The viewing platform has the potential to become an instrumental program within the masterplan since it will be the first direct interface most tourists have with Shobak. Care should be taken in selecting a skilled manager and not repeating information in the Shobak Castle Visitor Center.

Viewing Platform SITE PLAN

Parking Phase 1: Design of Viewing Platform Walking Path Bus Drop-off

*

*

* Summer Nomadic Settlement Sites Dirt Road (4x4 access)

Phase 2: Design of Drop-off Area Secondary Road

Main Road

N

Contours Property Lines Walking Path Dirt Road Existing Paved Roads

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 233

Viewing Platform Lower Level Plan -8 m -8 m -12m -12m -4 m -4 m -4 m -12 m -12 m

-12m -12m

-4 m -8 m

-4 m

-4 m

-12m

-8m

-12m

-8m

-8 m

0m 0m

Viewing Platform Upper Level Plan

Wooden Deck Cantilevered Wooden fromDeck Cliff Cantilevered from Cliff

Stairs Leading to Lower Level Stairs Leading to Lower Level

-12 m -12 m

-4 m

Dirt Path

-4 m

Dirt Path -4 m -4 m

-8 m -8 m

-4 m -4 m

234 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

N N

0

5 km

0

5 km

Viewing Platform Section

13,189 (units mm)

4 1,300 320

4

1,000 1,600 450

1,180 920

5

1

2

1 3

5 1

1 1 Concrete foundation with steel ties 2 Space-frame steel structure 3 Structure laminated with COR-TEN steel 4 Railing laminated with COR-TEN steel 5 Recycled wood deck 0

5m

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 235

DESERT EPHEMERA ECOLODGE The “Desert Ephemera Ecolodge” (DEE) is conceived as a mobile, sustainable, highend accommodation with 12 double rooms and 4 luxury suites. Energy will be provided by solar panels. No waste and minimum impact will be left on-site when the ecolodge is disassembled. Unlike other ecolodges in Jordan, the DEE will be composed of lightweight modular systems including two unit types and one connector unit. The two unit types will use the same aluminum skeletal structure covered with goat hair: Unit 1, which will have a ventilation chimney; and Unit 2, which will have a large opening. The openings of the chimney and the large opening can be equipped with operable windows when the program they house requires it. The connector unit will be composed of a foldable accordion structure and can link two unit types or form a stand-alone shaded pavilion. These three unit types can be assembled to create a wide range of flexible spaces including rooms, lounges, bathrooms, kitchens and water reservoirs, and circulation. The interstitial spaces between the units can form public spaces of varying sizes and degrees of privacy. The design of the units is inspired from the local nomadic tent yet can adapt to fit travelers’

standards of comfort. The room will fea- can easily respond to the lighting and venture an innovative passive cooling system: tilation needs of 12 programs. the ventilation chimney, which not only extracts hot air from the room, but also Dismountability captures cool breezes. The two unit types could be easily dismantled due to their simple connections. Zero Footprint The goat-hair fabric will be attached with By being entirely dismountable, recy- velcro connections to the skeleton and can cling its grey water, composting its organ- be taken out easily. The connector units ic waste, and disposing of its trash off- will have an accordion structure and colsite, the ecolodge will leave zero footprint lapse once dismantled. on its site. In addition, all rooms will be cooled by passive ventilation, enhanced Versatility by ventilation chimneys. The ecolodge will be composed of standardized units which could be easily deLimited Number of Parts ployed on different types of terrain. Also, Each unit will be composed of stiff alumi- the units’ ease of assembly and disasnum pipes assembled with simple joinery, sembly could easily adapt to fluctuations steel cables, goat-hair fabric, and founda- in visitors. Finally, the openings on top of tion footings. The simple structural design the units could be closed or open to creof units minimizes the number of parts, ate an optimal comfort level, depending thereby easing and limiting transportation on the season. time and cost. Transportability Modularity The unit’s design includes a skeleton The ecolodge will be composed of two composed of stiff aluminum pipes and unit types and one connector unit. These cables, goat-hair fabric, and light furnithree components will be used to build the ture (pillows, carpets, and light wooden entire ecolodge. Depending on how they tables and stools). It can be disassembled are assembled, and if their partitions and and carried to a truck in a few hours by a ceiling opening are open or operable, they team of two.

236 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

BUILD

Dining All food served at the ecolodge will be produced by local farmers. Pre-cooked meals will be arranged in advance with the women’s cooperatives the masterplan targets.

for the ecolodge to be managed by the private sector on the condition that all employees are from one of the four nomadic tribes present in Shobak. In return for receiving a lease on the ecolodge’s built infrastructure, the manager of the ecolodge will agree to provide training and Water Resources Water used in the ecolodge will be fair wages to his staff and maintain the brought from nearby Shobak in small con- ecolodge’s facilities, returning them to tainers or taken from the ecolodge’s mo- the RSCN as received. bile rainwater reservoir. In order to control water usage, water for showers and sinks Education Upon arrival to the ecolodge, guests will will be limited to 2 L per day per person per be greeted with tea and a short presenroom, and laundry will be done off-site. tation on Shobak delivered by a trained staff member. The ecolodge will provide Services When the ecolodge capacity is not full, tourists with a library and educational the following facilities could be used by materials regarding Shobak’s fauna, flotrekkers for an entrance fee: the public ra, and cultural heritage. A good behavior bathrooms, the lounge, the library, and the handbook will teach tourists how to prodining room. A number of sites along the tect Shobak’s unique ecosystems during High Trail region would be ideal for service their stay at the ecolodge. and refreshment stops. These can range from a café/refreshment station to a fully Environmental Protection A portion of the ecolodge’s profits will serviced restaurant, either locally run in partnership with the RSCN or managed by help support the RSCN’s efforts to create and run the Shobak proposed protected responsible groups such as Wild Jordan. area. Guests will be told that their stay is contributing to nature preservation Local Involvement Based on the RSCN’s experience in the efforts. Nature tours will be provided by Dana Biosphere Reserve, it would be best trained RSCN guides from the ecolodge.

Bathroom Facilities All bathrooms will be equipped with portable chemical toilets. These toilets will not require plumbing or a nearby grid network. Each will have a tank that holds human waste. Chemicals will be placed in the tank prior to use in order to minimize odor and to break down waste. Formaldehyde and bromine are two common chemicals used in portable chemical toilets. The chemicals will be diluted with water before being placed in the portable toilet’s holding tank. Once a month, the toilet tank will be emptied and its waste disposed of in an RV dump station in Amman. That way, groundwater will not be polluted, which is often the case when wastewater is discharged in septic tanks. Energy Lanterns with candles and solar-powered lamps left outside for recharging during the day will be used to provide all lighting needs in the ecolodge, except in the kitchen where a gas-powered lantern will be used. All cooking will be done using a gas stove.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 237

SITE PLAN 10 11

4

5

2

10 4

3 9

1 Main Entrance/Lobby 2 Staff Rooms 3 Lounge/Educational Library 4 Shared Showers/Bathrooms 5 Canopy 11 6 Dining Room 7 Kitchen 8 Storage 9 Administration/Luggage Storage 10 Luxury Suites Ventilation 11 Standard Suites Chimney Unit

1:400

Main Entrance Secondary Entrance Private Entrance to Rooms

8 1

7 6

Umbrella

Courtyard Unit

Connector Unit 1

Operable Roof

Connector Unit 2 0

240 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

9

20 m

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

14 14 16 16

14 14 17 17

14 14

16 16

14 14

19 19

11 Main Main Entrance/Lobby Entrance/Lobby Staff Rooms Rooms 22 Staff 33 Staff Staff Bathroom Bathroom Staff Living Living Area Area 44 Staff 55 Entrance Entrance Lounge Lounge Luggage Storage Storage 66 Luggage 77 Offices/Administration Offices/Administration Lounge 88 Lounge 99 Public Public Toilets Toilets 10 Outdoor Outdoor Lounge Lounge 10 11 11 Educational Educational Library Library 12 Dining Dining Room Room 12 13 13 Kitchen Kitchen 14 Double Double Room Room Access Access 14 15 15 Shared Shared Bathrooms Bathrooms 16 Luxury Luxury Rooms Rooms Access Access 16 17 17 Shaded Shaded Outdoor Outdoor Area Area 18 Double Double Rooms, Rooms, Shared Shared Showers Showers 18 19 19 Double Double Rooms, Rooms, Shared Shared Bathrooms Bathrooms 20 Staff Staff Bathroom Bathroom and and Shower Shower 20

88

88

88

14 14

33

20 20

44 77

88

55

66

13 13 13 13

11 11

17 17 11 11

15 15

10 10

14 14 18 18

22

17 17 19 19

17 17

19 19

17 17

22

18 18

18 18

55

18 18 16 16

19 19

11

11

12 12 12 12

00

20 m m 20

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 241

mm 46 5 3

5 5 5

6,130 mmmm 6,130

12

6,130 mm 3

2 2 2 1

33 5

4

mm 30 6,10 mm30 mm 3 6,1 6,1

2,446 mm

1 1

m

2,446 mmmm 2,446

3

46

6,130 mm

2,4

1

mm

3 3 2,446 mm

2 ,4 2 ,4 4 462 6 m m ,4m4 m 6m m

2 ,4

STANDARD BEDROOM SUITE

m 30 6,1

The ecolodge’s bedrooms will be composed of one or two tent modules. The modules’ tripartite, flower-like design will allow for a flexible layout and easy aggregation of units. One unit can house a standard bedroom suite with a sleeping and sitting area. Two assembled units will form the luxury bedroom suite with an entrance lobby, a shower, a seating area, and a sleeping area. The tent module section will taper up to create a ventilation shaft, which can be open or closed depending on the weather. The ventilation shaft cover can be tilted towards cool winds in order to better direct them inside the tent, in the manner of the windcatcher systems used in vernacular architecture in Iran and Egypt.

11

2,446 2,446 mm mm

6,130 6,130 mm mm

4 4

22

6,130 mm

30

6,1

4 2,446 mm 1 Entrance Dominant cool wind is captured 2 Desk and Dresser 3 Storage Unit Hot air moves up and is expelled by stack effect 1 Entrance 4 King-Size Bed Felt-separating membrane 1 Entrance 2 Dominant cool wind is captured 2 Desk andand Dresser 5 Lounge Operable opening made of loose-weave goat-hair 0 Dominant cool wind is captured 2 Desk Dresser 1 Storage Entrance 3 Unit Hotwith air moves up and is expelled by stack effect Tent skin four layers of fabric: goat-hair fabric, waterproofing 3 Storage Unit Hot air moves up and is expelled by stack effect Dominant cool wind is captured 2 Desk and Dresser membrane, thermal insulation, and a cotton interior finish 4 King-Size Bed Felt-separating membrane 4 King-Size membrane Storage Unit Bed HotFelt-separating air moves up and is expelled by stackgoat-hair effect 4 53Lounge Operable opening made of loose-weave 0 0 5 Lounge Operable opening made of loose-weave goat-hair 0 2m 4 King-Size Bed Felt-separating membrane Tent skin with four layers of fabric: goat-hair fabric, waterproofing Dominant cool wind is captured Tent skin with four layers of fabric: goat-hair fabric, waterproofing Dominant cool wind is captured 5 Lounge Operable opening made of loose-weave goat-hair membrane, thermal insulation, andand a cotton interior finish 0 membrane, thermal insulation, a cotton interior finish Hot Hot air air moves moves up up and and is is expelled expelled by by stack stack effect effect Tent skin with four layers of fabric: goat-hair fabric, waterproofing Felt-separating membrane 0 a0 cotton2interior m2 m finish membrane, thermal insulation, and Felt-separating membrane Section Operable opening opening made of loose-weave goat-hair Operable 1 Entrance made of loose-weave goat-hair 0 2m Tent skin with four layers Tent skin with four layers of of fabric: fabric: goat-hair goat-hair fabric, fabric, waterproofing waterproofing Dominant cool wind is captured 2 Desk and Dresser membrane, membrane, thermal thermal insulation, insulation, and and aa cotton cotton interior interior finish finish 3 Storage Unit Hot air moves up and is expelled by stack effect m 4 King-Size Bed Felt-separating membrane 00 22 m MASTERPLAN PHASEmade 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES 242Operable 5 Lounge opening of loose-weave goat-hair 0 Tent skin with four layers of fabric: goat-hair fabric, waterproofing membrane, thermal insulation, and a cotton interior finish mm

2m

Entrance 2 m2 m 11 Entrance 22 Desk Desk and and Dresser Dresser Storage Unit Unit2 m 33 Storage 44 King-Size King-Size Bed Bed Lounge 55 Lounge

2m

LUXURY BEDROOM SUITE

3

View View

mm 2,4 24,46 m 46 m mm

6

4 2,4

m 6 mm ,464m 2 4 4 2, mm

View

3 9

3

9

8

9

8 6

2 2 6,130 mm 6,130 mm

6

2,446 mm 2,446 mm

6,130 mm 6,130 mm

2,446 mm

6,130 mm

5 4

7

7

4

46 mm 2,4 24,46 m 46 m m

1

m

1

7

2,4

1 Entrance 1 Entrance 2 Courtyard Lounge 2 Courtyard Lounge 3 Shower Room & Wash Basin 1 Entrance 3 Shower Room & Wash Basin 4 Chemical 2 Courtyard LoungeToilet 4 Chemical Toilet 3 Shower5 Desk Room&&Dresser Wash Basin 5 Desk & Dresser 6 Storage 4 Chemical Toilet Unit 6 Storage Unit King-Size Bed 5 Desk &7 Dresser 7 King-Size Bed 8 Lounge 6 Storage Unit 8 Lounge 9 Outdoor 7 King-Size Bed Lounge 9 Outdoor Lounge 8 Lounge 9 Outdoor Lounge

4

5

6,1

5 1

6

mm 30 m 6,1 30 m 6,1 mm 30

2 6,130 mm

8

46

2

m

2,4

0 ,73

m 30 m 23,70 m 7 , 2 mm

0 0

2m 2m

0 2m

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 243

8 Wooden bench

Section

1:400 1:400 4 3 1:400 2 1

STANDARD BEDROOM SUITE SHARED BATHROOM UNITS: SHOWERS 1 Bowl to dispense water 1 Bowl to dispense water 2 4-L bottles 2 4-L 2 bottles 2water 3 Waste water container 1 Bowl to dispense 3 Cold WasteHot water container 4 Filter system: Gravel; Water Water 6 fine sand; 2 4-L bottles 4 Filter system: Gravel; fine sand; charcoal; 3 Waste watersand container 1 charcoal; sand 5 Filtered water replenishes 4 Filter system: Gravel; fine sand; 5 Filtered water replenishes groundwater charcoal; sand 3 groundwater 6 Organic soap and shampoo 7 5 Filtered water replenishes 6 Organic 7 Wooden stool soap and shampoo groundwater 7 Wooden stool 8 Wooden bench 6 Organic and shampoo 4 8soap Wooden bench 7 Wooden stool 8 Wooden bench

1 2 3

5

W/C both sexes Section Section Section

Water station detail

Water Station Detail

3 4

3

1

7

2m

0

Section

1 Bowl to dispense water 2 4-L bottles 3 Wastewater container 4 Filter system: Gravel; fine sand; charcoal; sand 2 2 Coldreplenishes Hot2 2 5 Filtered water Water Water 6 groundwater Cold Hot 6 Organic soap and shampoo Water Water 6 2 2 1 Cold Hot 7 Wooden stool 1 Water Water 6 8 Wooden bench 3

4

8

3 2 1

3 2 1

4 3 2 1

4

4

8 8

4 8 4 1 2 3

7

4

1 2 3

1 2 3

7

4 5

4 Water station detail Water station detail

5

5

Water station detail

244 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

W/C both sexes

0

W/C both sexes Showers for Both Sexes W/C both sexes

0

0

2m 2m

2m

STANDARD BEDROOM SUITE SHARED BATHROOM UNITS: W/C WITH CHEMICAL TOILETS

2 2

1

3

1 Connector unit linking two W/C units 2 Raised chemical toilet 3 Sink with water station 4 Water containers 5 Grey water container W/C both sexes with filter W/C both sexes W/C W/C both sexes both sexes W/C bothW/C sexesfor Both Sexes with Connector Unit W/C both sexes (5 stalls per gender) 6 Filtered water container 1 Connector unit 1 unit Connector unit linking two W/C units 1 Connector unit 1 Connector 1 Connector unit 1 Connector unit linking two 2units Raised linking twotwo W/Ctwo units linking W/C units linking twoW/C W/C units chemical linking W/C units 2 Raised toilet 2 Raised chemical 2 Raised chemical 2 Raisedchemical chemical 2 Raised chemical toilet 3 Sink with water toilet toilet toilet toilet 3water Sink station 3 Sink with water 3 Sink with 3 water Sinkwith withwater water 3 Sink with station 4 Water containers station station station station 4 Water 5 Greywater container 4 Water 4 Water containers 4 Watercontainers containers 4 containers Water containers 5 container Greywater container with filter 5 Greywater container 5 Greywater 5 Greywater 5 Greywater containercontainer with filter withwith filter filter with filterwith filter 6 Filtered water 6 Filtered container 6 Filtered water 6 Filtered water 6water Filteredwater water 6 Filtered container container container container container

6 5

Section

Single-Sex W/C Section

Section Section Section Section Section

2

2

2

2 2

2

3

2

2

Both Genders Plan Both Genders Plan Both Genders Plan BothBoth Genders PlanPlan Both Genders Plan Genders

4

2

W/C for Both Sexes Plan (2 stalls per gender)

Single Gender Plan Single Gender Plan SingleSingle Gender Plan Gender PlanSingle Single Gender Plan Gender Plan

Single-Sex W/C Plan

0

0 0

20m02 m22 m

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 245

0 2 m2 m

2m

MODULE STRUCTURE (EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC VIEW) Regular Unit Whole Module

Courtyard Unit Whole Module

1

1

2

2

Court yard unit Whole modules

Skin and Shell Regular unit modules 1 Skin: FourWhole layers of fabric; goat-hair fabric; waterproofing membrane; thermal insulation fabric; cotton interior finish 2 137-mm/15-mm steel plate ring 3 6-mm steel cable 4 60-mm aluminum (or smaller similar steel section) pipe 5 10-mm flexible polyster rod

Court yard unit Whole modules

3

5

4 6

7

Footing 6 137-mm/15-mm steel plate ring 7 60-mm aluminum (or smaller similar steel section) pipe 8 6-mm steel cable cross-bracing

246 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

8

4

Skin and Shell 1 Skin: Four layers of fabric; goat-hair fabric; waterproofing membrane; thermal insulation fabric; cotton interior finish 2 137-mm/15-mm steel plate ring 3 6-mm steel cable 4 60-mm aluminum (or smaller similar steel section) pipe 5 10-mm flexible polyster rod Footing 6 137-mm/15-mm steel plate ring 7 60-mm aluminum (or smaller similar steel section) pipe 8 6-mm steel cable cross-bracing

3

5

4 6

7 8

4

CONNECTOR UNIT (LINKS TWO ROOMS & CREATES ENTRYWAY) 2,730 mm 2,730 mm 2,730 mm

2,730 mm 2,730 mm 2,730 mm

Section Section Section

Section 2,730 mm 2,730 mm o/c 2,700 mm o/c 2,700 mm 2,730 mm o/c 2,700 mm o/c 1,165 o/cmm 1,165 mm 2,446 mm o/c 1,165 mm 2,446 mm

o/c 2,330 mm o/c 2,330 mm

o/c 2,446 mm 1,165 o/cmm 1,165 mm

o/c 2,330 mm

o/c 1,165 mm Plan Plan

Axonometric Axonometric

Plan

Axonometric

Plan

Axonometric

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 247

CONNECTOR UNIT – DETAILS

Connector unit: details

Structural Arch: PVC or Metal Metal “Zip Tie” Bolted or Secured in a Saddle Bracing Unit: Same as Structural Arch Bracing Detail Bracing Detail

Goat-Hair Fabric Membrane

1/2” Metal Rod Metal Pin Secured with a Cotter Pin Recycled Rag Carpet

Structural Arch: PVC or Metal

1/4” Metal Plate Buried Concrete Footing Sandy Soil

300 mm 150 mm 70 mm 300 mm 60 mm 70 mm

Foundation Detail Foundation Detail

248 MASTERPLAN PHASE 1: CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING FEATURES

CONNECTOR UNIT – OTHER USES

x4

x2

x4

x3

x2

x2

x3

x2

x2

x2

x2

x1

x2

x2

x1

x3 x3 Circular Arrangement

Circular Arrangement Circular Arrangement

x3 x3

x2

x4 x4 Linear Arrangement

Linear Arrangement Linear Arrangement

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 249

MASTERPLAN PHASE 2: ENHANCE & DEVELOP

ENTRANCES & FEES To ensure access to all of the Shobak proposed protected area, entrance fees differ depending on visitor type. For instance, Shobakis pay a small fee, Jordanians a larger fee, and foreign tourists the largest fee. The entrance fee amount remains affordable for Jordanians’ average salary baseline and takes into account their generally large families. In order to ease the control of its access, the planning of the Shobak proposed protected area’s entries takes into account the existing vehicular and pedestrian infrastructure and the projected most traveled tourist routes. Three locations are proposed as entry and ticket-purchasing points. These three entry points are located so as to channel the majority of tourists approaching the site through the departure points below: • F eynan Ecolodge and the Dana Biosphere Reserve to the north • Petra via Namla Road to the south • T he viewing platform, Mansura, and the Desert Ephemera Ecolodge to the east

Forestry Station Forestary Station Dana DanaGuesthouse Guesthouse

Feynan Ecolodge, the Dead Sea Highway, or the Dana Biosphere Reserve. Goals: Regulating all entries into the site from the northern boundary, especially entering the Wadi Araba corridor. Services: Entrance ticket sales, maps and information, gift boutique, supply shop, guide and driver meeting point. 2. Junction Entry Point Existing: A dedicated section of the Desert Ephemera Ecolodge. Visitors will arrive via shuttle from the Shobak Castle Visitor Center. Focus: Addressing tourists arriving from the King’s Highway or the Dana Biosphere Reserve. Goals: Regulating all entries into the site from the eastern boundary. Services: Entrance ticket sales, maps and information, supply shop, guide and driver meeting point, café/restaurant.

3. South Namla Entry Point Existing: An existing Bedouin-style campsite. Focus: Managing tourists arriving from Wadi Musa and Petra via Namla Road. Goals: Regulating tourists entering the site from the southern boundary seeking en1. North Entry Point trance into the Wadi Araba corridor. Existing: Existing parking and shuttle ser- Services: Ticket sales, maps and informavice station for the Feynan Ecolodge. tion, and other services to be negotiated Focus: Managing tourists arriving from with the campsite owner.

252 MASTERPLAN PHASE 2: ENHANCE & DEVELOP

Wadi Nkhail Connection

Feynan Ecolodge

D

Wadi Araba

North Entry Point

ORGANIZE

E

Wadi HamraWadi Hamra Wadi Bustan Connection

Abu Makhtoub S

Almqar’eiah

D

Al Zbereiah

Shobak Castle Mansura

P

P

Visitor Center

Hazim Road Viewpoint

Shobak Junction Entry Point

N

Viewing Platform

E

Hawala

Shimakh

Old Al Jaheer

Bir Dabaghat

Junnineh Al Furn

Lower Shimakh Selmana Cave

Villages Locations Abandoned Village Shobak Proposed Reserve Dana Biosphere Reserve Petra Archeological Park High Trail (Hazim Road) Mountain Trail Wolf Trail Wadi Araba Trail 0

10 km

P

Heesha

Um Shumara Al Beida

Umm al-Amad

S

Peak of Safaha

South Entry Point

E

P

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 253

NOMAD INITIATIVES PART 2 In Phase 2 of the masterplan, the sustainability of the SPPA hinges on the engagement of the four Shobaki tribes in its management. Their involvement will not only create a sense of stewardship towards their ancestral land, but will also become an incentive to mitigate their ecologically damaging activities such as hunting and grazing outside the SPPA’s boundaries. To achieve these goals, more incomegenerating activities for the four nomadic tribes of Shobak need to be put in place. For instance, members from these tribes could be trained to become the RSCN’s park rangers for the SPPA. Their in-depth knowledge of the local fauna, flora, and culture, passed from generation to generation, will be an incredible asset. Moreover, selected members of the tribes could receive scholarships from the RSCN to study nature guiding at the Ajloun Academy. Once trained, they could lead and interpret nature excursions across the sensitive eastwest corridors of the protected area. Nomadic families, and women in particular, could be engaged in Phase 2 of the masterplan through cooking services, which they will provide to tourists traveling in the vicinity of the SPPA. In order to promote equity, families will take turns providing snacks and tea breaks.

254 MASTERPLAN PHASE 2: ENHANCE & DEVELOP

The women’s cooperatives craft initiative reinforced in Phase 1 of the masterplan (pages 218–19) could be extended to nomadic women. It will allow them to work from the safety of their homes and to generate extra income. Furthermore, a decentralized medicinal plant initiative targeted at nomadic women could be another source of income. Women will be commissioned to gather a list of medicinal plants specific to Shobak. These plants will be packaged by the RSCN at the Shobak Castle Visitor Center and then sold in its bazaar, in the Desert Ephemera Ecolodge, and in the RSCN’s headquarters in Amman. All these initiatives are similar to those already run successfully by the RSCN in its other protected areas, however, they follow here a decentralized model fit to nomadic women’s way of life. Indeed, the large distances separating nomadic settlements from villages, coupled with the lack of transportation and difficulty of access, renders centralized initiatives impossible for nomadic families. From our site analysis and the RSCN’s social impact study, the families from the Al Amareen tribe in Wadi Araba, the most arid region of Shobak, are among the poorest families encountered.

ORGANIZE

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 255

EAT & SLEEP AT LOCALS’ HOMES INITIATIVE The Eat & Sleep at Locals’ Homes initiative taps into the emerging trend among tourists wanting to have an authentic experience of a place. The initiative assembles a network of tour operators and local community members willing to participate in this homestay program, management guidelines, and basic training for all stakeholders. By participating in this initiative, local hosts would offer and share their day-to-day experience with tourists without falling into the trap of re-enactment for tourism’s sake. Proper training sessions would attempt to prevent this pitfall: local participants will be encouraged to not change their daily routines and be proud of all of its aspects. As part of branding and marketing, a portal website would be designed to facilitate reservations and ease the interaction between hosts and guests. By organizing this program, the RSCN will coordinate alternative sources of income for otherwise pastoral farmers and shift away the impact of grazing areas, which are among the most ecologically sensitive zones in Shobak. In return, the RSCN would collect a percentage of the fee as service charges and distribute the rest to the hosts. Aside from generating income, two of the most crucial advantages of this initiative are that it en-

256 MASTERPLAN PHASE 2: ENHANCE & DEVELOP

gages with Jordanian and foreign tourists, Homes initiative. In order to foster local caand it helps the RSCN communicate its so- pacity building, it will be best if the RSCN’s cial concerns among a wider audience. involvement in this initiative’s planning remains advisory. However, by introducing Gastronomy guidelines as well as engaging with other The Eat and Sleep at Locals’ Homes ini- qualified local NGOs and organizations, the tiative capitalizes on this asset and offers RSCN can craft a comprehensive plan of aca unique and pleasant gastronomic expe- tion that benefits responsible tourism as rience to tourists, including Jordanians, well as sustainable economic growth. who are often unfamiliar with rural cuisine. Guests can learn about recipes and pro- Choosing Participants duce used first-hand while sharing a meal Local participants will submit their interwith their hosts. est and the RSCN can evaluate accordingly Concentrating on Shobak’s gastronomy and give priority to established selection is not only appealing to foreign tourists, criteria. Based on these criteria, the Ministry but also attracts the portion of the Jorda- of Tourism and the RSCN will grade each cannian market that is unlikely to stay for the didate and issue a certificate of operation. night. Finally, Shobak’s seasonal home- Hosts would be registered automatically in processed goods such as apple vinegar, the Shobak Homestay Network Portal. medicinal herbs, and some dairy products are enticing for organic food aficionados The Homestay Network and the Slow Food movement followers. The Homestay Network Portal will provide guests with an online platform to choose Organizational Structure and explore available options offered by To organize and maintain the quality of participating local hosts. It will also work each homestay, the RSCN will collaborate as a marketing tool to promote the initiawith authorities having jurisdiction and tive nationally and internationally. Along beneficiary organizations, such as the Min- with information about hosts, facilities, and istry of Tourism and the Shobak Tourism Co- services being offered, reviews and knowloperatives, to draft a plan that regulates edge about natural and cultural aspects of and organizes the Eat and Sleep at Locals’ Shobak can be shared through the portal.

ORGANIZE

English

Map

Home

Our Story Reservation Gastronomy Families

History of Al Jaheer Jaheer is one of four main tribes in the fifteen communities that live across the Shobak area. Members of this tribe are either nomadic, semi-nomadic, or sedentary. Summer is spent in the high plateau area, while winter is spent in Wadi Araba. Old Al Jaheer is an abandoned village niched on a steep and rocky mountain slope. It has beautiful terraced gardens fed by a sophisticated irrigation system composed of a spring, canals, and water reservoirs. Although the paved road to Al Jaheer is not direct, a 2-km long dirt road branches out of the sinuous Hazim road that links the Shobak plateau and its paved roads infrastructure to the lower

Shobak Homestay Network Portal

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 257

TRAINING RANGERS The RSCN’s Ajloun Academy is Jordan’s first nature guide training school. It offers a great opportunity for Shobakis to become nature guides who will foster environmental awareness not only among visitors, but also within their own communities. In order to promote this scholarship-based training program, Phase 2 of the masterplan advocates that the RSCN develop an advertising campaign in order to reach out to Shobakis living all across Jordan. Finding the candidates with the right set of skills, such as leadership, open-mindedness, gregariousness, and top physical condition, is key to the success of the program. This campaign would be similar to the 2012 “Nature Guide Challenge” that the RSCN launched to find four Jordanian candidates to be sent to a nature training academy in South Africa. The success of the RSCN’s campaign pertained as much to its wide outreach through popular media and social networks (such as Facebook) as it did to the transparency of its selection process. Because the Shobak masterplan proposes a buffer zone full with activities around the SPPA, the nature guides should have a thorough knowledge of the different ecosystems of both the SPPA and its periphery. Finally, nature guides should be also knowledgeable about basic sustain-

258 MASTERPLAN PHASE 2: ENHANCE & DEVELOP

able design principles to be able to educate visitors about the accommodations and facilities they would be using.

The RSCN’s advertising poster for the “Nature Guides Challenge” (2012)

ORGANIZE

ECO-AWARENESS CAMPAIGN After the awareness campaign of Phase 1 has introduced the public to the natural and cultural riches of the SPPA and the proper rules of conduct while visiting it, the public campaign of Phase 2 can foster ecological awareness in more depth. This campaign will not only promote Shobak as a tourist destination, but can also foster the safeguarding of the SPPA’s ecosystems. It is often assumed that protected areas and those in-the-making (under the stewardship of an organization such as the RSCN) are completely immune to harmful threats. This is not the case. Protected areas in Jordan and around the globe face serious threats including road building, military training, mining, large-scale energy projects, grazing, and hunting. If left unchecked these can wreak destruction. Hence, a campaign to promote Shobak’s biodiversity and unique landscapes would hopefully hinder developments that could destroy its vistas and wildlife. The campaign’s goal is twofold: to provide information to the public which will make them aware of the necessity to protect Shobak’s natural wonders, and to promote acceptable behavior inside and around the SPPA. The most significant challenge of the campaign is to advocate for the stopping of grazing and hunting inside the SPPA. This

UPGRADE

is a significant challenge because these harmful activities help local families subsist. Thus, the campaign should put forward the socio-economic programs that Phase 1 and 2 of the masterplan recommend, as well as the benefits locals could derive from safeguarding the SPPA. Benefits include the rehabilitation of damaged ecosystems, increase of ecotourism, and growth of direct and indirect employment. In order to reach out to the public at large, the campaign should showcase Shobak’s flora, fauna, geology, and vistas through a diverse range of media: posters, TV, radio, and social networks. The campaign should also highlight sound behaviors, such as placing trash in recycling bins and using marked trails. Finally, a stewardship program similar to that of the Mount Hood National Park campaign in Oregon could further ecoawareness goals. The program proposes that the visitor should: 1. Become an expert on new models for protected areas The average person knows little about the ecosystem protection initiatives and improved recreation facilities of Shobak. This includes conservationists, who often have an outdated view of protected areas as overdeveloped theme parks, when the Shobak masterplan shows just the opposite

to be true. The campaign can help reverse this trend by providing a primer (available online) which outlines the masterplan’s strategies and proposed activities. 2. Become an explorer Most who visit Shobak start at the most popular spots such as the Shobak Castle Visitor Center. One way to become a Shobak steward is to make a point of exploring a new trail or landmark at least once a year. The visitor gains a broader understanding of the breathtaking treasures that exist beyond the popular stops, and the possible ecological risks associated with visiting them. 3. Adopt a trail The visitor can become a trail steward in a couple of ways. The easiest is to formally adopt a trail, visit it each year, and make a small contribution to the RSCN. The visitor’s name will be listed each year on the trail benefactors list. Informally, the visitor can care for the land by cleaning up garbage and reporting any harmful activities in his/her adopted trail. 4. Support local communities Healthy local communities, supported by ecotourism, are essential to the perennity of the SPPA. The visitor can become a steward for these communities by simply stopping when he/she travels through and supporting their businesses and services.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 259

GUIDELINES FOR TOURIST CAMPS One of the goals of Phase 2 of the masterplan is to entice visitors to use as many of the leisure and tourist facilities as possible, including accommodations. East and south of the buffer zone surrounding the SPPA exist numerous camps. Most tourists that trek across Shobak either camp on their own or stay in one of these camps: to the east of the SPPA, the Nawatef and Jaya camps; and on the south of the SPPA, the Seven Wonders, Little Petra, and Amareen camps. These camps’ buildings have fixed, hybrid structures comprised of concrete foundations and walls and goat-hair roofs. Unfortunately, both the construction and infrastructure of these camps follow unsustainable practices. For instance, the design of bedrooms does not allow for passive ventilation nor for proper insulation. As a result, rooms are cold at night and hot during the day. Also, the toilets’ waste and grey water are stocked in hastily built septic tanks, whose frequent leaks pollute the water table. Electricity is provided by loud generators which disturb the peace sought by tourists. Hence, if these accommodations are to become active nodes in the masterplan, catering to budget travelers, their upgrade is mandatory.

260 MASTERPLAN PHASE 2: ENHANCE & DEVELOP

Education Camps should provide guests with data on environmental and cultural characteristics of the SPPA such as available tourist activities, proper behavior inside the SPPA, water safeguarding, or waste recycling. Information could be in the form of leaflets, posters, multimedia, or presentations, and should be targeted towards different age groups. Water Management A limited daily amount of water should be allocated to visitors, and grey water from sinks should be filtered and sent to replenish the water table. A rainwater reservoir should be added. Compost or chemical toilets should replace regular toilets. Building Upgrades Bedrooms should be redesigned with windows to allow for cross-ventilation, and walls equipped with proper insulation. Bedrooms should not face loud public areas. Shaded seating areas of different sizes and levels of privacy should be incorporated in all public outdoor areas. Energy Saving Generators should be removed. Instead, the camps should be retrofitted with so-

lar panels. Cooking stoves should use gas, and rooms and public areas should use either solar lamps or candles. Hours of operation should be adjusted to capitalize on natural light. Waste Management Paper, plastic, and glass should be collected, separated, and brought back to a recycling facility in Amman. Organic waste should be separated and composted in situ. Certification Program Once the camps have upgraded and followed the recommendations provided, they would belong to the SPPA accommodations of choice. Their location and services would appear on maps and advertising documents available at the Shobak Castle Visitor Center. In order to create an incentive among camp owners to upgrade and maintain their accommodations, the masterplan proposes that the RSCN put in place a certification program specific to desert camps. This program would need to demarcate itself from the common hotel star system, whose rating system does not apply to desert camps. Instead, the proposed certification would rate each camp’s impact on its surroundings and its sustainable practices.

UPGRADE

The basic certification rating will be called Green, the mid-level Evergreen, and the highest Emerald. Each level is described on the opposite page. An external jury panel will assess each camp and provide it with its certificate if all conditions are fulfilled. In order to keep their certificate, the camp owners should submit a yearly activity report complete with photos and customer reviews. Eco Camp Certificate

VISITED CAMPS

1

This certificate is granted if the camp upgrades all its buildings and uses sustainable water management practices.

2

GREEN Eco Camp Certificate

This certificate is granted if the camp upgrades all its buildings, uses sustainable water and waste management practices, and uses renewable energy.

3

EVERGREEN Eco Camp Certificate

EMERALD

This certificate is granted if the camp upgrades all its buildings, uses sustainable water and waste management practices, uses renewable energy, and offers an educational program or activity on nature conservation.

6 5

1 Nawatef Camp 2 Jaya Camp 3 Rock Camp 4 Little Petra Camp 5 Seven Wonders Camp 6 Amareen Camp

4

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 261

SECONDARY CORRIDORS Phase 1 of the masterplan has focused only on the eastern corridors situated outside the SPPA (Mountain and High Trails), while the corridors inside the SPPA and along its western edge (Wadi Araba) were not included. The strategy was to first develop areas already in use and easily accessible from the Shobak Castle Visitor Center and the viewing platform. In Phase 2 of the masterplan, both the corridors inside the SPPA (Wadi Barwas, Wadi Al Feid, and Wadi Araba) and on its remaining periphery (King’s Highway) are to be upgraded. These are referred to as secondary corridors due to their planned low volume of traffic. Indeed, no major activities besides trekking, nor new construction would be added—unlike in the High and Mountain Trails, which will still concentrate most of the pedestrian traffic around the SPPA. As a result, visitor impact will be limited as it will remain concentrated in the highly serviced High and Mountain Trails. To render these two trails even more attractive, they will be equipped with new trekking tours, view points, activities with nomads, and wayfinding and information signage. Another strategy to minimize tourists’ impact is to market Phase 2 trails depending on seasons. A rotating use of corridors and their associated trails will foster a dis-

262 MASTERPLAN PHASE 2: ENHANCE & DEVELOP

continuous use, thereby allowing ecosystems to recover. The secondary corridors’ four upgraded trails could be used on their own to either experience Shobak and reach Petra, or as a two-day-long activity departing from the ecolodge or from upgraded tent camps. The trails could also be assembled according to the timeframe and level of difficulty that tourists prefer. In order to promote the secondary corridors and encourage their discovery and use, each one is imparted with a clear identity: Wadi Araba focuses on nomad interaction and desert fauna and flora experience; the King’s Highway corridor on abandoned villages and agricultural landscapes; and the cross corridors on the changing ecosystems of Shobak and their ephemeral character.

counters and the discovery of the arid plain’s fauna and flora. The trail developed in this corridor will start in Wadi Hagneh, cross Wadi Barwas, get to the Abu Mahmoud peak, and finally end in picturesque Wadi Al Namla. This wadi was named Namla (ant) because of its association with pilgrims, who looked like ants when viewed from Shobak’s mountaintops. The trail will include stops for tea with nomads and encounters with herds of goats and camels, and associated activities. King’s Highway Corridor This corridor connects a series of abandoned stone villages, some of which are to be converted into accommodations. The trail to be developed in this corridor will allow tourists to experience the vernacular architecture and its terraced agricultural landscapes. Food tasting and farming tours could complement the trail’s activities. The trail could start at the Shobak Castle, pass through women’s cooperatives (by shuttle), Old Al Jaheer, Old Al Shimakh, and Old Hawala villages, and end at the Al Zaitouneh mountain viewpoint.

Wadi Araba Corridor The Wadi Araba area is a vast, flat plain, populated by nomads during the winter and spring seasons. Only a few nomads from the Amareen tribes remain in Wadi Araba during summer; temperatures can reach 50°C and there is not much grazing space for goat and camel herds. Hence, Wadi Araba The East-West Corridors will be promoted as a winter and spring These two corridors, Wadi Barwas and destination that focuses on nomadic en- Wadi Al Feid, are almost entirely located

UPGRADE

inside the SPPA. Therefore, Phase 2 of the masterplan highly recommends that they only be accessible with a guide during spring and winter. Their trails should Wadi Hagneh focus on the wadis’ fauna and flora, which Wadi Hagneh Cave and Camp Hotel Wadi Barwas radically fluctuates not only with seasons, Wadi Barwas Shobak Castle but also as the topography and geology Alluvial Fan Hotel Montreal change alongAl Jaheer the wadis. Ephemeral flora Wandering Alluvial Camels Fan blooms could become a highlight of these Wandering Camels Shobak Wadi Sakakeen “We hiked for an Watch Tower two trails. hour and had a delicious herbal tea.” Agriculture Cave and Camp Hotel

Agriculture

Shobak Castle Agriculture Hotel Montreal Al Jaheer Shimakh Shobak Watch Tower Junnineh Agriculture Agriculture Agriculture

Wadi Sakakeen “We hiked for an Wadi herbal Al Feidtea.” hour and had a delicious Wadi Al Feid Rocky Terrain Rocky Terrain Abu Mahmoud Peak

Abu Mahmoud Peak Delightful Thorny Acacia tortilis Delightful Thorny Acacia tortilis Bedouin Tent “They had so many goats. ” Bedouin Tent “TheySand had Dunes so many goats. View ” A

Sand Dunes View Abu Mahmoud Peak Abu Mahmoud Peak Shimakh Geological Transition Geological Transition Junnineh Sandstone Foothills Agriculture Sandstone Foothills Cemetery Cemetery Overlooking Wadi Araba “Breathtaking!” OverlookingFrench Wadi Araba Elevation: 1,300 m Hikers “Breathtaking!” (camping in Shobak) Seasonality: Closed in winter French Hikers Difficulty: Easy–Medium WadiinAlShobak) Namla (camping Guide: Not required Wadi Al Namla Tourist Type: Soft Adventurer, Luxury Tourist, Cultural Tourist

A

Wadi Barwas (not visited) Wadi Barwas (not visited) Wadi Barwas (not visited)

Wadi Al Feid

Wadi Al Feid Wadi Al Feid

Wandering Camels Wandering Camels Abu Mahmoud Mountain Alluvial FanWandering Camels Abu Mahmoud Mountain Alluvial Fan Abu Mahmoud Mountain Alluvial Fan Phragmites australis Phragmites Waterfall australis Phragmites australis Waterfall Waterfall Red Sandstone Red Sandstone Nerium oleander Maze Red Sandstone Sculptural Nerium oleander Maze Sandstone Sculptural Nerium oleander Maze Sculptural Sandstone Sandstone

Agriculture

KING’S HIGHWAY Elevation: 1,300 m Seasonality: Closed in winter Difficulty: Easy–Medium Guide: Not required Tourist Type: Soft Adventurer, Luxury Tourist, Cultural Tourist

WADI ARABA

Elevation: 250–1,300 m Elevation: 250 m Seasonality: Closed in flood season Seasonality: Winter and Spring Elevation: 250–1,300 m Elevation: 250 m Elevation: 250–1,300 m Difficulty: Medium–Difficult Difficulty: Medium Seasonality: Closed in flood season Seasonality: Winter and Spring Seasonality: in flood season Guide:Closed Required Guide: Recommended Difficulty: Medium–Difficult Difficulty: Medium Difficulty: Medium–Difficult Tourist Type: Hard Adventurer, Ecotourist Tourist Type: Soft Adventurer, Guide: Required Guide: Recommended Guide:Ecotourist Required Hard Adventurer, Cultural Tourist Tourist Type: Hard Adventurer, Tourist Type: Soft Adventurer, Tourist Type: Hard Adventurer, Ecotourist Hard Adventurer, Cultural Tourist

WADI CROSS CORRIDORS

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 263

ZONING STRATEGY The zoning of the Shobak proposed protected area promotes a new dynamic model of park management. In fact, the zoning strategy allows for a gradual transformation of the SPPA into a conservation zone, or eventually a protected area. In a first phase, the zoning of the SPPA and its surroundings will follow seasonal fluctuations: during grazing season, parts of the conservation zones will become semi-intensive zones where herds are allowed. Outside of the grazing season, all of the SPPA except the wadi cross corridors will be a controlled conservation area. However, the two wadi cross corridors, which are rich in fauna and flora and offer attractive landscapes for tourists, will remain semi-intensive zones dedicated to guided nature tours at all times. No grazing will be allowed in these sensitive areas, and tours will be limited to spring and winter. The area located between the SPPA and the Dana Biosphere Reserve will become a semi-intensive controlled zone, since it will act as an ecological corridor between the two biodiverse and ecologically sensitive areas. In a second phase, grazing will be phased out inside the SPPA. Seasonal hunting will be tolerated only in the intensive use area, and will hopefully be eradicated with time.

264 MASTERPLAN PHASE 2: ENHANCE & DEVELOP

Temporary Grazing (to be phased out) Intensive Controlled Semi-Intensive (with guide) Conservation N 0

10 km

UPGRADE

MARKETING & BRANDING In Phase 1 of the masterplan, the geol- well as their localization in the protected Winter Shobak Summer ogy of Shobak has been at the core of the area vis-à-vis the trails. Protected Area Map marketing strategy. Once the SPPA is more established and accessible to tourists, it is Winter Shobak Summer Protected Area Map key to portray it as a new typology of JorWelcome to the danian nature reserves by highlighting its park of the desert most appealing attributes and describing ephemera. Shobak’s diverse arid landhow the local population is involved in presscapes, including mountains, wadis, ervation efforts. Indeed, in order to attract and plateaus, experience magical and visitors, Shobak needs to stand out from unsuspected blooms of plants a few times the RSCN’s other protected areas, espea year. Guided tours cially nearby the Dana Biosphere Reserve. with a knowledgeable local guide can It should demonstrate that it can offer an take you to experience these unique exceptional experience for nature lovers, manifestations of desert flora. even though it is not yet a formal protected area. Shobak’s most unique natural feature is its drastic topographical change and diverse ecosystems. These ecosystems offer episodic floral displays, as heavy rainfalls Shobak 1 Wadi Barwas Protected Area Map induce ephemeral blossoming of desert flo2 Wadi Al Feid ra. For instance, during early spring, both 2 3 Alluvial Fan the Mountain and High Trails are sprinkled 3 4 Wandering Camels with white blooms of Urginea maritima. The Shobak 4 ecotourism expert Weaver (2001) highlights 5 Abu Mahmoud1 Wadi Barwas Mountain Protected Area Map in his seminal Encyclopedia of Tourism that 5 2 Wadi Al Feid 6 Waterfall such seasonal events are not only a big at2 6 7 Phragmites 3 Alluvial Fan australis tractor for tourists, but also encourage 7 8 Red Sandstone4 Wandering Camels multiple visits. Hence, Shobak’s branding 3 8 9 Nerium oleander should focus on the theme of ephemera, 4 5 Abu Mahmoud 9 Maze 1 Mountain and thus showcase in its promotional ma10 Sculptural 5 N 10 Sandstone 5 km 0 terial photos of floristic seasonal events as 6 Waterfall 6

7 Phragmites australis

7

8 Red Sandstone

UPGRADE

8 9

1 10

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 265 oleander 9 Nerium N

0

5 km

Maze 10 Sculptural Sandstone

BED & BREAKFAST IN SHIMAKH The village of Old Shimakh is comprised toilets (pages 250–51). Candles will proof two dozen abandoned stone houses, vide lighting and food will be brought in which are built along a rocky cliff’s edge from nearby women’s cooperatives. (1). Most houses still have walls but are missing a roof structure. In fact, four decades ago, the inhabitants of the village moved near the King’s Highway to be close to its modern infrastructure (running water and electricity) and took with them the wooden beams of their stone houses and reused them in their new dwellings. Interestingly, some terraced gardens of the villages are still in use and are irrigated with water from a spring, nestled at the crux of the valley. The spring is also used as a herd watering point by nomads. Twelve families 1 still tend to their lands in Old Shimakh; they cultivate fruit trees (apple, olive, apricot, and pomegranate trees) and vegetables (tomatoes). The village is located along a secondary paved road and its lower agricultural lands (2) are in close proximity to the High Trail. Its architecture and location are ideal for a bed and breakfast accommodation. Ten of the village houses are in good shape and are easily accessible. Therefore, they could be rehabilitated and equipped with basic amenities and furnishings; while other buildings near the village entrance could house a lobby, 2 office, kitchen, eating area, and compost

266 MASTERPLAN PHASE 2: ENHANCE & DEVELOP

BUILD

imakh Old Al- Shimakh 1

Spring Old Shimakh

2

11

22

Faucet can be opened to fill up the livestock watering tank

Water rreservoir

3 3

3 44

Water Water rreservoir Reservoir

1 Pomegranate Tree 2 Apple Tree 3 Apricot Tree 4 Olive Tree 1

Agricultural Terraces Retaining Wall Drip AgriculturalTerraces Terraces Irrigation Agricultural 1 Pomegranate Tree Retaining RetainingWall Wall 2 Apple Tree Drip DripIrrigation Irrigation 3 Apricot Tree 4 Olive Tree

Pomegranate Tree

2 Apple Tree Irrigation system in Old Shimakh 3 4

Wadi Al Feid

Apricot Tree Olive Tree

Gated Farms

Irrigated Crop Lands

Abandoned Village

Water Reservoir Bedouin Camps 1 Shared spaces: lobby, office, kitchen, eating area, and compost toilets 2 Twelve bedrooms

1

2

View of Old Shimakh ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 267

4

ECOLODGE IN AL JAHEER Unlike Old Shimakh Bed and Breakfast, which caters to adventure and budget travelers, the village of Old Al Jaheer can be rehabilitated to welcome a high-end clientele. Its secluded yet accessible location, pristine views, stone architecture, and terraced gardens are optimal to develop an ecolodge, similar in standing to the Desert Ephemera mobile ecolodge, yet offering a different experience. The Old Al Jaheer ecolodge’s central attraction will be a waterless spa which uses local medicinal plants and aromatherapy. The ecolodge will be composed of rehabilitated stone houses and new buildings that sinuously wrap around the mountain’s edge. The goal of the design is to blend with the rocky landscape. The interior of rooms and the spa will be carved into the landscape and display rocks. Water use will be limited; guests will receive set amounts of water daily and all wastewater will be filtered and then recycled to irrigate the terraced gardens. Organic waste will be composted and used as fertilizer in the gardens. Finally, comfort inside the buildings will be achieved thanks to the high thermal mass of stone walls and to crossventilation. Only seasonal produce from the terraced gardens and nearby orchards will be served to tourists.

268 MASTERPLAN PHASE 2: ENHANCE & DEVELOP

1

4

J

1

29

3

6

7

11

18

17 20

23

3

B

8

14

19

33 32 23

24

9 10

18 27

29 D

5

25

18

35 19 35 36 30

BUILD

27

21

23

34

7

22

24

12

31

30 G 35 32 18

32

23

13

15

35

31

26

18

24

32 31

18

24

18

33 35 36

28

H

16A

16

18

18

35

3

32

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 269

Number Elevation Typology from Road

Structure

Condition

Type of Stone

Number Elevation Typology from Road

1

+7 m

13

+22 m

2

+7 m

14

+8 m

3

+16 m

15

+8 m

4

+22 m

16

+18 m

5

+7 m

17

+8 m

6

+12 m

18

+16 m

7

+12 m

19

+23 m

8

+22 m

20

+18 m

9

+20 m

21

+21 m

10

+15 m

22

+19 m

11

+12 m

23

+21 m

24

+20 m

only 2 walls

12

+12 m

270 MASTERPLAN PHASE 2: ENHANCE & DEVELOP

Structure

Condition

Type of Stone

Number Elevation Typology from Road 25

+17 m

26

+17 m

27

+32 m

28

+16 m

29

+26 m

Structure

Condition

Type of Stone

Arch Construction

Dwelling on pre-existing caves

Limestone reinforced with railway steel

Reinforced roof with Arar or Juniper

Arch in traditional house

30

+21 m

31

+17 m

A

-4 m

G

+16 m

32

+16 m

B

+7 m

H

+22 m

33

+22 m

C

+7 m

I

+7 m

34

+22 m

D

-8 m

J

+10 m

35

+17 m

E

+11 m

K

+10 m

36

+21 m

F

-1 m

Water Cisterns

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 271

1

2

3 4 5

B

6 7 11

8

10

14

C

9 12 13 24 23

15

D

17

25 22 21

16 20

19

18 A

1 Entry Point/Drop-off Area 2 Shed 3 Sage and Thyme Vegetation 4 Baggage Drop-off Area 5 Lookout Point 6 Fruity Vegetation 7 Lookout Area 8 Outdoor Seating Area 9 Entry Pavilion 10 Washrooms 11 Staff Quarter 12 Reception Area 13 Library 14 Royal Suites 15 Luxury Suites 16 Charming Suites 17 Cistern 18 Mechanical Room 19 Spa 20 Private Dining 21 Culinary Workshop 22 Detox Workshop 23 Cosmetic Workshop 24 Private Dining 25 Lounge 0

Massing Plan of Al Jaheer Ecolodge 272 MASTERPLAN PHASE 2: ENHANCE & DEVELOP

20 m

1 Double Roof System

1

9 10 1

4

Programs 6

8 2 3 Wall Systems 5

7

1 Double Roof System (The upper roof provides shade while the lower roof keeps the temperature cool. The perforations allow light to come in and create different patterns depending on the sun’s location.) 2 Living Area 3 Concrete Wall 4 Composting Toilet System 5 Perforated Wall 6 Two-way Fireplace 7 Compressed Concrete Block Wall 8 Sleeping Area 9 Bathing 10 Washrooms

Exploded Axonometric of a Luxury Suite ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 273

Section A Through the Basic Suite

Section B Through the Royal Suite 274 MASTERPLAN PHASE 2: ENHANCE & DEVELOP

0

10 m

0

10 m

Section C Through the Royal Suite’s Bathroom

Section D Through the Luxury Suite

0

10 m

0

10 m

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 275

276 SECTION OF THE BOOK THAT WE’RE IN

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 277

REFERENCES CASE STUDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN OTHER ARID CLIMATES Red Location Museum of Struggle, Port Elizabeth, South Africa Findley, Lisa. Building Change: Architecture Politics and Cultural Agency. New York: Routledge, 2005. Hruska, Libby. Small Scale Big Change. New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2010. METI Handmade School, Rudrapur, Bangladesh and Ghana School Design/Build, Ghana, Ho, Kpedze Todze “Aga Khan Award for Architecture: The Tenth Award Cycle, 2005–2007.” C3 Korea 280(2007): [164]–179. Retrieved August 15, 2012: http:// ezproxy.qa.proquest.com/docview/55485154? accountid=14771. Finch, P. “Out of the Ordinary: A Bangladeshi SelfHelp Programme is Reaping Rewards [Rudrapur, Bangladesh].” Architectural Review 224(2008), no. 1342: [46]–[49]. Retrieved August 15, 2012: http://ezproxy.qa.proquest.com/docview/554 10756?accountid=14771. Heringer, Anna. “Architecture: Handmade School. Architecture: Vision.” Retrieved January 31, 2012: http://www.anna-heringer.com/index. php?id=30. Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre, Uluru, Australia Australian Government: Director of National Parks. “History of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta 278 REFERENCES

Cultural Centre.” Canberra: Director of National Parks, 2007. Retrieved August 15, 2012: http://learnline.cdu.edu.au/tourism/uluru/ downloads/A%20history%20of%20the%20UKN TP%20Cultrual%20Centre.pdf. Findley, Lisa. Building Change. Building Visibility. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2005. Cultural Park for Children, Cairo, Egypt Abdelhalim, Abdelhalim I. “Culture, Environment, and Sustainability: Theoretical Notes and Reflection on a Community Park Project in Cairo.” In Sustainable Landscape Design in Arid Climates, edited by William Reilly, 49–61. Geneva: Aga Khan Trust for Culture, 1996. Al-Radi, Selma, and Charles Moore. “Cultural Park for Children.” In Architecture for a Changing World, edited by James Steele, 104–23. London: Academy Editions, 1992. Longitude 131°, Uluru, Northwest Territory, Australia Grima, J. “Architecture in Extreme Environments 2: Australia, Longitude 131.” Domus870 (2004): [36]–[41]. TripAdvisor. “Longitude 131 (Yulara, Australia): Resort Reviews.” Retrieved January 31, 2012: http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_ Review-g255065-d261870-ReviewsLongitude_131-Yulara_Red_Centre_ Northern_Territory.html. Amangiri Resort, Canyon Point, Utah, USA Aman Resorts. “Amangiri Resort.” Retrieved

January 20, 2012: http://www.amanresorts.com/ amangiri/home.aspx. Sustainable By Design. “SunAngle.” Retrieved January 20, 2012: http://susdesign.com/ sunangle/. TripAdvisor. “Amangiri, Utah: Hotel Reviews.” Retrieved 15 August, 2012: http://www.tripadvisor. com/Hotel_Review-g56933-d1563873-ReviewsAmangiri-Big_Water_Utah.html. U.S. National Park Service. “Grand Loop.” Retrieved January 20, 2012: http://www.nps.gov/ index.htm. Wendell Burnette Architects. “Amangiri Resort.” Retrieved August 15, 2012: http://www.wendell burnettearchitects.com/index_previous.html. Geolodge Camp, Erg Chegaga, Morocco Geolodge. “The Lodge.” Retrieved January 21, 2012: http://www.geo-lodge.com/index.php/ home/theLodge. Hotel Explora Atacama, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile Explora. “Rooms.” Retrieved January 23, 2012: http://www.explora.com/explora-atacama/ hotel-de-larache/rooms/. German del Sol Architects. “Un hotel en Atacama.” Retrieved August 15, 2012: http://www. germandelsol.cl/memhotelenatacama.htm. Three Camel Lodge, Mongolia King, P.R. A Complete Guide to Making a Mongolian Ger. 1995. Retrieved August 15, 2012:

ALL LINKS IN THIS BOOK WERE ACCURATE AT THE TIME OF WRITING UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF DET TEAM AND THE RSCN

http://www.woodlandyurts.co.uk/Yurt_Facts/ Build_your_own_yurt.pdf. SITE ANALYSIS: LOCAL SCALE Fauna Amr, Zuhair S. Jordan Country Study on Biological Diversity. Irbid, Jordan: United Nations Environment Programme, 2000. Andrews, I.J. The Birds of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Midlothian: Andrews, I.J.: 1995. Disi, Ahmad M. Jordan Country Study on Biological Diversity: The Herpetofauna of Jordan. Amman: A.M. Disi, 2002. Disi, M.A., Moudry, D., Neces, P., and Rifai, L. Reptiles and Amphibian of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan: An Atlas and Field Guide. Frankfurt: Chimara, 2001. GCEP. Jordan Country Study on Biological Diversity. Amman, GCEP: 1998. GCEP. Jordan Country Study on Biological Diversity: Jordan Ecology, Ecosystems and Habitats. Amman, GCEP: 2000. Flora Al-Eisawi, D. M. Field Guide to Wild Flowers of Jordan And Neighbouring Countries. Amman: D.M.H. Al-Eisawi, 1998. Al-Eisawi, D. M. “Vegetation of Jordan” In Studies in the History and Archaeology of Jordan II, A. Hadidi (ed.): 45–57. Amman: Ministry of Archaeology, 1985.

GCEP. Jordan Country Study on Biological Diversity: Plant Biodiversity and Taxonomy. Amman, GCEP: 2000. Kurschner, H. “A Physiogonomical-ecological Classification of the Vegetation of Southern Jordan” In Contributions to the Vegetation of South West Asia, H. Kurschner (ed.) Beihefte Tübinger Atlas Vorderer Orient, Reihe A (Naturwissenschaften): 45–79. Weisbaden: 1986. Interviews with Locals Arabiyat, S. “Water Price Policies and Incentives to Reduce Irrigation Water Demand: Jordan Case Study.” Options Méditerranéennes : Série B. Etudes Et Recherches 52(2005): 133–47. Retrieved August 15, 2012: http://om.ciheam.org/ om/pdf/b52/05002254.pdf. “King Delays Price Hikes for Gas Cylinders and Fodder.” King Abdullah, 15 March, 2008. Retrieved August 15, 2012: http://www.king abdullah.jo/index.php/en_US/news/view/ id/6438/videoDisplay/1.html. World DataBank. The World Bank Group, 2009. Retrieved August 15, 2012: http://databank. worldbank.org/data/views/reports/tableview. aspx. MASTERPLAN His Majesty King Abdullah II Website. “Press Room.” Retrieved August 15, 2012: http://www. kingabdullah.jo/index.php/en_US/news/view/ id/6438/videoDisplay/1.html.

Mount Hood National Park Campaign. “The Vision.” Retrieved August 15, 2012: http://www. mounthoodnationalpark.org/MHNPVision/ MHNPVision.html. Weaver, D.B. “Deserts, Grasslands and Savannahs.” In The Encyclopaedia of Ecotourism, 251–64. Wallingford, UK: CABI Publishing, 2001. World Bank, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Poverty Update, vol. II: Appendices. November Report No. 47951-JO. Washington, DC: World Bank, 2009. MASTERPLAN PHASE 2: ENHANCE & DEVELOP Marketing & Branding Weaver, D.B. The Encyclopaedia of Ecotourism. Wallingford, UK: CABI Publishing, 2001. IMAGE CREDITS (page 75) Longitude 131°: Courtesy of Edward P. Costello / Flickr Amangiri Resort: Courtesy of The Style Junkies, www.thestylejunkies.com Geolodge Camp: Courtesy of Uglix / Flickr Hotel Explora Atacama: Courtesy of Francisco Boetsch Tagle / Flickr Three Camel Lodge: Courtesy of Dave Polesky / Flickr (pages 182–83) Via Alpina Green Trail: Courtesy of www.johnhayeswalks.com Lebanon Mountain Trail: Courtesy of Christian Akhrass, www.lebanontrail.org

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 279

APPENDIX SCIENTIFIC NAME

COMMON NAME

STATUS

Plants

SCIENTIFIC NAME

COMMON NAME

STATUS

Vulpes cana

Blanford’s Fox

Endangered on the local level, and vulnerable on the global level

Canis lupus arabs

Arabian Wolf

Endangered at the local level

Canis aureus

Asiatic Jackal

Endangered on the local level

Hyaena hyaena

Striped Hyena

Vulnerable on the local level, and endangered on the global level

Capra nubiana

Endangered on the local Wild Goat, Nubian Ibex level, and vulnerable on the global level

Lacerta kulzeri

Kulzers Rock Lizard

Resident

Hooded Wheatear

Belongs to those species whose distribution is confined to areas of the Middle East, and rare in Jordan

Sand Partridge

Belongs to those species whose distribution is confined to areas of the Middle East

Animals

Pistacia atlantica

Atlantic Pistachio 

Endangered

Centaurea sinaica

Sinai Centaury

Resident

Juniperus phoenicea

Phoenician Juniper

Endangered

Acacia tortilis

Acacia

Endangered

Ziziphus spina-christi

Syrian Christ-thorn

Endangered

Kickxia floribunda

Fluellen

Rare

Verbascum fruticulosum

Mullein

Resident

Oenanthe monacha

Ammoperdix heyi

280 APPENDIX

GEOLOGY LEGEND DESCRIPTIONS

Turdoides squamiceps Arabian Babbler

Belongs to those species whose distribution is confined to areas of the Middle East

Onychognathus tristramii

Tristram’s Starling

Belongs to those species whose distribution is confined to areas of the Middle East

Corvus rhipidurus

Fan-tailed Raven

Belongs to those species whose distribution is confined to areas of the Middle East and East Africa

Corvus corax

Raven

Among the species declining in numbers worldwide

TABLES 1 & 2: FAUNA AND FLORA The most important species that have been recorded in the Shobak proposed protected area according to their local or global status. SOURCE The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) Search and Surveys Section “Rapid Assessment Survey for Shobak Area,” Unpublished, May 2011.

AHP Al Hisa Phosphorite AIS Aeolian Sand and Sand Dunes AK Abu Khushayba Sandstone AL Alluvium and Wadi Sediments ALFO Early Holocene Alluvial Fan/ Early Holocene AM Ahaymir Volcanic AS Wadi As Sir Formation ASL Amman Silicified Limestone B Basalt BA Al Bayda’ Quartz DC Dana Conglomerate Formation DI Disi Sandstone DS Dhira Ibn Salih Conglomerate FHS Fuhayas/Hammar/Shu’ayb Undifferentiated FN Fidan Syenogranite GR Ghor Al-Katar Formation HS Hanneh Siltstone Member IN Umm Ishrin Sandstone KS Kurnub Sandstone LM Lisan Marl LS Lisan Sandstone MCM Muwaqqar Chalk-Marl MR Musaymir Effusive ND Numayri Dolomite NL Na’ur Limestone PL/PLG1/PG2 Fluviatile and Lacustrine Gravel PLF Fluviatile and Lacustrine Fan

PLG2 Early Pleistocene Fluviatile Gravels S Shuaib Formation SB Salib Arkosic Sandstone URC Umm Rijam Chert Limestone WB Wadi Bustan Calcarenite WG Wadi Umm Ghudran WSL Wadi As Sir Limestone SOURCES Henry, D.O. “Prehistoric Cultural Ecology in Southern Jordan.” Science 265(1994): 336–41. Retrieved January 23, 2013: http:// www.jstor.org/stable/2884454. USAID Jordan. Wastewater Treatment Facilities for Small Communities in Jordan, Task 3: Final Environmental Assessment, November 2005.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 281

BIOGRAPHIES

aziza chaouni Aziza is the founding principal of Aziza Chaouni Projects, and an assistant professor at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto. She is the director of the Designing Ecological Tourism research platform at the Daniels Faculty. She holds a Master of Architecture with Distinction from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Civil Engineering from Columbia University. Aziza’s personal research and teaching are focused both on developing world design issues and on methodologies to integrate architecture and landscape, particularly through investigating the potential of green technologies in arid climates. Aziza’s present and past offices have been recognized with top awards for both the Global and Regional Africa and the Middle East competition from the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction; the Architectural League of New York Young Architects Award; the Environmental Design Research Association Great Places Award; the American Society of Landscape Architects Design Awards; and other professional design awards and prizes.

282 BIOGRAPHIES

nick roland Nicolas holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design Studies from Dalhousie University and a Master of Architecture from the University of Toronto. His main research interests include settlement patterns, architecture on the fringe of nature, and sustainable furniture. He is an avid traveler of the Canadian territory, having lived in four provinces, one territory, and eight different cities. His thesis, “Detour Architecture,” supervised by Aziza Chaouni, proposed using architecture as a means of bringing individuals into contact with seldom seen parts of the Canadian landscape. Reimagining the TransCanada Highway as a tourism route, new pavilions would be constructed along its length to act as temples to the different landscapes and to tell the story of the land’s history, natural beauty, and culture. As part of Aziza’s team, Nick made two voyages to Jordan and worked closely with Jordanian ecologists from the RSCN to better understand the landscape and its life. Most striking were the encounters with the semi-nomadic Bedouin people of Shobak, whose unique relationship with the land inspired much of the subsequent work in Shobak.

mani k. tabrizi Mani is a recent recipient of his Master of Architecture from the University of Toronto. He also has a Bachelor of Architectural Science from Ryerson University in 2009, and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Iran where he was born and raised. After graduation, he worked in multiple Toronto-based offices and became an LEED-accredited professional. Mani’s interest in design lies in the intersection of architecture, landscape, and ecological restoration. Aside from architecture, he has a keen interest in cinema and visual arts.

keren golan Keren holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Toronto as well as a Specialized Honors Degree in Biology from York University. Born and raised in Israel, she was taught to be cautious of her “water footprint” very early in life. Keren’s master’s thesis—a continuation of her interest in water scarcity and desalination plants—focused on the aesthetic and urban integration of desalination plants with their natural and built environments. Keren is hopeful that she will continue the themes of awareness, beauty, and socially responsible architecture in her future work.    

yi (louis) lu

amanda chong

Louis Liu received his Bachelor of Architectural Studies degree from Carleton University, and is currently preparing for his Master of Architecture thesis at Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto. He was born in China, and was raised in Germany and Canada. This gives him a fascination with the various cultures around the world, and it inspires him to travel. During his spare time, he plays the violin and paints. Louis has worked in China and participated in various projects from residential community planning to golf resort design under GHD Global. His interest lies in the integration of specific urban programs in order to alleviate problems found in cities. In the future, he hopes to further his architectural education in the United States or Europe.

Amanda is a graduate of the University of Toronto (Bachelor of Architectural Design Specialist with Honors in 2008) and is currently in the second year of her Master of Architecture. She was born and raised in Toronto, and this diverse city has nourished an appetite for food and architecture. Her particular interest lies within the overlap between architecture and urbanism through the impact that food has on culture. She is an avid gleaner with the organization Not Far From the Tree, harvesting from urban fruit trees to share with homeowners, volunteers, and the city.

ECOTOURISM, NATURE CONSERVATION, AND DEVELOPMENT 283

284 SECTION OF THE BOOK THAT WE’RE IN