Conserving Palestines Endangered Floral Treasure
Safeguarding the Nablus Royal Iris: A Community-Based Conservation Initiative in Palestine
The Nablus Royal Iris (Iris lortetii var. samariae) is one of the most striking and threatened wildflowers in Palestine. Endemic to the Nablus Mountains, this rare plant is under increasing pressure from habitat loss, urban expansion, agricultural encroachment, overgrazing, and unregulated collection. With a highly restricted range and fragmented populations, the species has been assessed as Endangered under IUCN Red List criteria.
To confront these threats, the Biodiversity & Environmental Research Center (BERC), with support from the Van Tienhoven Foundation, is launching a science-based conservation project aimed at securing the future of this iconic species and its Mediterranean maquis habitat. Building on previous research in population mapping and seed germination, this initiative now moves toward practical conservation action.
As part of the project, BERC plans to establish five micro-reserves in collaboration with village councils and landowners. These reserves will serve to protect remaining iris populations and critical habitat areas. Seed propagation using forced germination techniques, developed at BERC, will be expanded, with the goal of producing vigorous seedlings for reintroduction into historical but currently extinct sub-populations, including those at Qeshda and Til.
Community participation will be at the heart of the project. Educational workshops, school outreach, and awareness campaigns will be organized, with a focus on engaging local stakeholders, especially women and youth groups. These efforts aim to foster a strong sense of ownership and long-term commitment to habitat stewardship.
The project also plans to apply genetic fingerprinting and establish field monitoring protocols to guide adaptive conservation measures. These tools will help track the success of reintroductions and inform future restoration plans. In the long term, the micro-reserves will be managed jointly by local communities and public agencies to ensure sustainability and resilience.
“Despite the challenges facing the region, we are committed to taking action to protect this beautiful and vulnerable species,” says Prof. Mohammed S. Ali-Shtayeh, Director of BERC. “The support of the Van Tienhoven Foundation enables us to translate scientific knowledge into real conservation efforts.”
Through this initiative, BERC hopes to lay the groundwork for broader, community-driven conservation models that can be replicated across Palestine and in other biodiversity-rich regions.
