|
|
June 10, 2005
Linking arid landscapes
Alberta and Israel become partners in water research
RICHARD BRONSTEIN JEWISH FREE PRESS
In an historic agreement, the Alberta government and the Jewish
National Fund have signed a formal agreement to co-operate on water
research and conservation.
At a signing ceremony in Edmonton on May 12, both sides pledged
at least $1 million each over several years to support research
initiatives focusing on the innovative design, construction or rehabilitation
of water management or irrigation superstructure.
Lyle Oberg, minister of Infrastructure and Transportation, said
that, "Water is a precious resource for both Alberta and Israel.
This partnership establishes links between the two jurisdictions
to share information, expertise and best practices related to water
conservation and irrigation."
Rami Kleinmann, the Israel emissary to the Prairie region for the
Jewish National Fund, said, "We look forward to sharing our
104 years of knowledge and experience with environmental issues
– namely water, soil and reforestation – with the government
and people of Alberta. He said he plans on taking Oberg and his
staff, as well as members of the University of Lethbridge, to Israel
this fall for a firsthand visit to irrigation and de-salinization
projects.
In an interview with the Jewish Free Press, Kleinmann said
he could not yet predict what types of projects might get launched
by the signing of the agreement with the Alberta government. He
noted, however, that Dr. Avi Gafni, chief hydrologist and research
co-ordinator for JNF in Israel, has already visited his peers at
the University of Lethbridge to identify priority issues.
The southern Alberta university, through its Water Institute for
Semi-arid Ecosystems, is a key player in the arrangement, as is
the Alberta Irrigation Projects Association.
Water has been a mainstay for the economic development of rural
Alberta ever since the Canadian Pacific Railway built the first
national railway across Canada in the late 19th century. The early
Zionists and chalutzim of Israel were also acutely aware of water
issues from the earliest times of the yeshuv.
In fact, the signing of the Alberta-JNF agreement had a lot to do
with the common background and experience of two of the people at
the table in Edmonton.
Kleinmann said he first met Oberg at a social event some six months
ago through an introduction by Toronto-Tel-Aviv businessman Nathan
Jacobson. When Oberg and Kleinmann discovered they had rural roots,
the doors magically opened.
Oberg, a veterinarian from Brooks, quickly recognized that there
were a lot of similar issues of water conservation and irrigation
between his southern Alberta riding and the Negev region of Israel.
"He said, 'Let's do something together,' and I jumped at the
chance," said Kleinmann.
Within a few months, there was another meeting, attended also by
Israel Consul-General Ya'acov Brosh while he was in Calgary in April,
and the outlines of a general agreement fell into place.
For Alberta, the agreement secures a lot of research data that JNF
scientists have been collecting over many years on such issues as
reservoir management, forestation and water conservation and the
problems of salinity in irrigation. The agreement also fits into
the Alberta government's increasing concern over province-wide water
issues.
Guy Boutilier, Alberta's minister of the environment, noted that
knowledge gained through the partnership will be used to support
Alberta's Water for Life Strategy. He noted that, in Alberta, water
is referred to as "blue gold," while in Israel it is "mayim
shel zahav" ("water of gold").
For Kleinmann, the partnership is not only important for Alberta
and Israel, but could lead to future joint projects to assist other
dry areas of the world in Africa and the Middle East.
"JNF has over 104 years of experience dealing with water conservation,"
Kleinmann said. "We are a world leader in this. We are an official
United Nations NGO [nongovernmental organization].
"I hope this partnership helps Jewish communities everywhere
to realize that JNF is a leading world environmental organization.
This is something Jewish people should be very proud of."
– With files from Edmonton Jewish Life
^TOP
|
|
