Integrated rural heritage landscapes: The case of agricultural cooperative settlements and open space in Israel

Progressing development trends threaten the continued existence of open space, natural resources and cultural heritage sites in rural areas. These trends are evident in many countries worldwide, yet they are especially conspicuous and threatening in Israel, a small and densely populated country with limited land resources. Moreover, the present urban-biased development trends pose a threat to the continued existence of Israeli rural cooperative settlements, which comprise universally unique settlement models, and are therefore very highly valued cultural heritage assets. The aim of his paper is to enlist all the relevant planning authorities to cooperate in designing an integrative plan. The purpose of the plan is to combine rural heritage landscapes, agricultural lands and valued textures (fabrics) which deserve conservation together with open space, written in current National and Regional Outline Plans. Such integration may provide a planning response to the status of the rural space in Israel, its unique settlements and nature.