Planning Gold

Gali Vardi, a student at the Technion – Institute of Technology, won first place in the Student and Young Professionals Competition initiated by the European Region of International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA). Vardi, a student in the Technion’s Landscape Architecture Program, won in the “conceptual planning” category. She was invited to present her project as part of IFLA’s annual General Assembly held in Helsinki in October.

The project: “Resilient Path-Strategic Planning for Wildfires in the Jerusalem Mountains” was conducted within the framework of the “LandBasics Studio – Climate Crisis / Local Landscapes,” under the guidance of landscape architects Alisa Braudo, Matanya Sack, and Izabela Levy, and with the consultation of Dr. Shira Wilkof.

“Resilient Path” outline

The project dealt with extreme wildfire incidents that are increasing worldwide due to the climate crisis. In August 2021, a destructive wildfire erupted in the Jerusalem mountains in Israel, causing thousands of people to evacuate their homes, including the patients of “Eitanim” hospital. The disaster destroyed 11,000 dunams (11 sq.  km) of forest area.

The analysis of the development of the fire showed that the firefighters might have been able to stop the fire from progressing towards the settlements if they had been aware of the existing buffer zones in the area – empty paths designed to stop fires. Vardi deduced from this the necessity of a systematic evaluation of the buffer zones and planned this as part of her project.

The resilient path will connect the settlements around the forest and weave the buffer zones into a structured system. Using fire-resistant vegetation and connection points for the supply of water, the proposed path itself will serve as an effective buffer and provide access for the fire services and an escape route for residents and travelers in danger. Such a system has added values, and on a daily basis, will be used as a hiking trail for leisure and sports, while exposing its travelers to the forest restoration process.

“Resilient Path” poster

It is an ecological restoration that Vardi suggests, one that also brings to the front historical, cultural and political aspects; the proposal promotes a transition into a sustainable forest, through planting and reuse of the terrace systems that were revealed with the last fire. The path is planned to pass next to old observation towers, which were used in the past to detect fires by the KKL.

While walking on the path and through the observation points, the visitors will reconnect with their surrounding landscapes. They will learn about the transformation of the forest – a mosaic of forest formations that creates a resilient system to preserve our nature from fires.

For Gali Vardi’s project, click here

To see the announcement of the winners, click here