Palestine Bank Supports the Establishment of the Um al-Tout Environmental Garden in Jenin in Partnership with the Development Work Center "Together"

SadaNews - Palestine Bank has provided its support for the establishment of an environmental garden in the Um al-Tout nature reserve in Jenin governorate, in partnership with the Development Work Center / Together. The initiative of the environmental garden aims to enhance environmental protection led by youth and the local community by raising their awareness and training them to adopt environmentally sustainable agricultural practices, as well as promoting composting methods based on waste reuse, in addition to encouraging community participation and raising local awareness of the importance of preserving the environment.

The initiative was implemented through three components, where the first component involves the establishment of a local environmental garden by allocating a green space of 600 square meters, planted with more than 150 trees and shrubs, local medicinal herbs, endangered plants, local vegetables, and other agricultural products. Additionally, basic pathways will be created, and educational signs carrying environmental messages will be installed.

The second component includes providing a composting unit, which will contribute to waste management to enhance environmental sustainability, and will be dedicated to holding a practical community training course on composting techniques. Meanwhile, the third component includes stimulating youth participation and civil work by organizing two workshops on sustainable agriculture and waste reuse, and organizing a collaborative day that includes cleaning and planting, as well as painting a mural on environmental topics.

Regarding Palestine Bank's support for this initiative, the bank's General Manager, Mr. Mahmoud Al-Shawa, emphasized the importance of the initiative, as it contributes to preserving the Um al-Tout nature reserve. He pointed out the bank's commitment to supporting high-quality environmental initiatives, which would achieve a sustainable impact on the local community, aligning with sustainability goals adopted by the bank across all its internal and external practices and activities. He clarified that Palestine Bank is keen to participate in preserving the Palestinian environment in cooperation with local and international environmental organizations.

Al-Shawa added, "Such environmental initiatives, combined with developing the capacities of youth in terms of environmental knowledge and enhancing their role to lead environmental preservation, alongside activating community participation, will contribute to establishing the concept of environmental preservation as a sustainable environmental culture passed down through generations to protect the Palestinian environment and harness it to serve the community."

For his part, the General Manager of the Development Work Center / Together, Mr. Sami Khader, expressed his gratitude and appreciation to Palestine Bank for its support for this project, which constitutes a pioneering step towards supporting environmental activities and projects in Palestine, and enhancing the participation of the local community and youth in protecting and developing their environment. The center hopes that this project will be the beginning of a serious partnership with the bank that contributes to implementing more pioneering environmental projects in the future.

He emphasized that the importance of the environmental garden lies in providing a learning and awareness space aimed at spreading environmental culture and encouraging the local community, particularly youth, to engage in environmental initiatives and volunteer work. The Um al-Tout reserve is also one of the important natural sites that host native wild plants and contributes to biodiversity protection, land degradation mitigation, and supporting the sustainability of natural resources.

The project looks forward to collaborative action between supporting institutions, the local community, and volunteers as a fundamental pillar in environmental protection, and that planting every seedling today represents a true investment in a more balanced and sustainable environmental future. The Development Work Center / Together implemented this intervention in partnership with the Local Communities Foundation and the Um al-Tout village council, supported by Palestine Bank.
It is noteworthy that the Um al-Tout natural reserve, which extends over an area exceeding 380 dunams, is distinguished by its environmental and community significance, as the youth and local community in the village of Um al-Tout have implemented small local initiatives to preserve the reserve and its local plants, which include more than 70 species of local plants, and is a major route for the migration of local bird species. The environmental garden initiative is the culmination of these local contributions, building on community interest, and achieving a sustainable impact that benefits both the community and the environment.