The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) and the Ministry of Environmental Protection are issuing an offer of support for companies involved in projects for maintaining biological diversity in their business activity. The amount offered is NIS 100,000 per project and a total of NIS 400,000, plus an offer of assistance and consultation for the companies and businesses for taking bio-diversity in their activity. The deadline for bids is September 15.
Dr. Anna Trakhtenbrot, head of biodiversity section, open areas and biodiversity division, Ministry of Environmental Protection, says, "There is currently no specific legislation forbidding damage to biological diversity, but any activity regulated in the Planning and Building Law requires an environmental impact review. Government companies are obligated to do so in their corporate responsibility report, while it is voluntary for non-government companies. When a company encounters a challenge involving biological diversity in its review, the problems are presented to it, and it does not always know what to do about it. That is what we are here for."
The character of these projects very much depends on the type of industry involved. For example, one of the projects designed to protect a unique strain of garlic (Coleman garlic) found only in Israel is in an infrastructure facility of a commercial company. Trakhtenbrot explains, "It turns out that a unique hothouse with this strain has been preserved within the infrastructure facility, because that facility was fenced off and isolated. This strain grows only in the northern Negev, where there are few nature preserves, and it is therefore very difficult to protect it from extinction. This has proved possible in the facility, and the garlic is blossoming there, while the entire surroundings are dry."
Other products include the establishment of ecological vineyards. "Vineyards are usually sterile areas. They are usually fenced off, because one gazelle can eat an entire young vineyard, and various techniques are also used in order to prevent weeds from growing. It was recently learned, however, that if certain weeds and a culture of reptiles are allowed to grow, a new greenhouse can be created for these strains, thereby reducing the use of pesticides. This project was carried out in the Tabor Wineries last year, for example, and the wine will soon be developed, and it can be seen whether or not it will taste good."
Two other project are preventing the spread of invasive strains through the shoulders of new roads, which Trakhtenbrot says are "just like corridors for the spread of invasive strains," in cooperation with Ayalon Highways, and activity with Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) (TASE: ELEC.B22) to prevent birds from colliding with electrical wires, and to reduce light pollution.
The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) and the Ministry of Environmental Protection say that management of the interface between business activity and the ecological system is now considered an integral part of the management of sustainability and corporate responsibility in enterprises. Growing public awareness of nature preservation needs, combined with the realization that preservation of nature is essential for man's welfare and sustainability, is bringing about a substantial increase in absorbing ecological considerations in the activity of business enterprises.
Published by Globes [online], Israel Business News - www.globes-online.com - on July 18, 2017
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