programs Covid program Small Grants – 2020: Negative impacted Governmental change During COVID-19 period in the biodiversity of Qana Forest / Palestine.

The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened threats to health, livelihoods, and wellbeing of indigenous communities causing unprecedented disruptions to economy and environment, including the forest biodiversity. Since more than thirty years, the raw wastewater flow of the Areil settlement,  one of the largest Israeli settlement in the West Bank is draining into the adjacent Palestinian Qana forest, where the natural springs are emerging; forming a river of wastewater. The forest consists of a series of dense oak trees and is considered as one of the largest woodland in the West Bank with 50,000 doums. The natural environment of Wadi Qana is indeed unique and impressive and is worthy of protection.  Therefore, the forest springs are polluted from the wastewater and accordingly, their water quality will not be fit for drinking and agricultural purposes. 

The natural view of the Wadi was destroyed and a socio economic crisis was happened for the adjacent Palestinian communities, who are living adjacent to the wastewater flow causing difficult environmental problems and preventing them in acting into normal living, especially during COVID-19 period. The Environmental biodiversity violations and the social interaction of the inhabitants has to be justified in order to raise gender empowerment role in environmental awareness. The effect of COVID-19 on the biodiversity of Qana forest will be addressed in relation to the negative damage caused by the governments towards the oak forest. During COVID-19 period there are restricted movements of the humans and organizations as well as the stopping of monitoring processes in regards to lockdown and stay homes policy. Therefore  the governmental actions were increased in the area in flowing more wastewater into the Wadi forest and this will destroy the biodiversity elemental impacts in Wadi Qana Forest. This will include the springs, soil, fauna and flora in the Forest area.