The Developmental Role of Ajloun Forest Reserve in Jordan

Abstract

Ajloun reserve is the most important reserved areas set up by the Jordanian government to encourage development and ecotourism, is located on the green mountains of Ajloun north of Jordan, was founded in 1989 and follow The Royal Society for the conservation of the natur, an area of 13 km2, and covered with thick forests of oak trees and Butm, maple and others, characterized by the diversity of vital consists of 319 species of medicinal and aromatic plants and wild flowers, and where there are 40 species of birds, 14 species of mammals, 16 reptiles, 5 species of plants registered in the world. The Reserve has a great importance in Jordan ,it is the most reservations attractive to tourists, both internally and externally, and provide more tourist facilities for nature lovers, such as: center of tourism services, and environmental Trails, and the camp of tourism, and provide developmental programs for the residents of the surrounding countryside: Um Aleanabee, Altiary, Mehna, orjan , Rasoun and Baon, it supervised on several projects in the field of sustainable development. This research aims to introduce the rate of Ajloun reserve and to highlight its role in Bio Diversity conservation, which is characterized by the mountains of Ajloun, also aims to demonstrate its role in the sustainable development of the rural population in the middle of the surrounding environment, through training in traditional industries, which is famous for the region. To achieve the above objectives the researcher has followed a methodology based on repeated field visits to the reserve and conduct personal interviews with officials and with the local population in nearby villages to identify the developmental role of this reserve, The researcher has a set of results and recommendations that will contribute to improving the environmental performance of reserve areas, and improve the quality of life of the rural population around them.