THE CARMEL FIRE AND ITS CONSERVATION REPERCUSSIONS

The forest fire in Mt. Carmel National Park in Israel in 1989 resemble d the 1988 fire in Yellowstone Park in that public concern motivated t he authorities to appoint professional committees to assess rehabilita tion options and fire policies. The committees re-evaluated the goals and practices of nature conservation and management in protected areas , in a much broader context than just fire prevention. The recognition of the dynamic nature of ecosystems, the low predictability of their behaviour, and the role of fire as a disturbance agent that promotes b iodiversity, contributed to recommendations of minimal intervention, a llowing self-regeneration. The Israeli committee commissioned an inter disciplinary-research program designed to direct post-fire and fire-re duction management, and provide insights for planning for the region a s a biosphere reserve. The results of this three-year program are repo rted in this issue.