Dead Sea and Arava Science Center Information

The Dead Sea-Arava Science Center (DSASC) operates along the entire Dead Sea and Arava Valley, a region that covers about 20% of the area of the State of Israel. This area is under the jurisdiction of the regional councils Megilot, Tamar, Central Arava and Hevel Eilot. This area, the lowest in the world, combines an array of extreme geographical, geological, physical, and climatic conditions. It displays unique flora and fauna and contains a combination of minerals that does not exist anywhere else in the world. The area is also home to sites of international cultural, religious and historical significance including the Dead-Sea Scrolls, Masada, the Dead Sea, and Timna Mines. The local settlements, regional councils, and research institutes have taken economic advantage of region's special characteristics, particularly in the fields of agriculture, tourism and industry. These enterprises exist while preserving the area's unique natural resources. Areas of Research and Activity: Climate change, infrastructure, geology, and water (groundwater, flooding, salination) Regional involvement in the various proposals for halting further Dead Sea level decline and rehabilitating the Jordan River, including the "Red Sea-Dead Sea Conduit", and assessment of the effect on settlements, agriculture, water, and environment. Sustainable management of trans border infrastructures in the Dead Sea, Arava, and Jordan River. Botanical and zoological species diversity along the extent of the valley and in the Dead Sea. Local environmental quality, natural resources, and ecology (air quality, waste recycling, renewable energy, etc.). Biotechnology, agriculture, and sustainable agriculture in an extreme arid climate (plants, algae, microorganisms). Eco-, archeological, and heritage tourism. Medical implications of the Dead Sea climate, minerals, and environment. Environmental education and scientific literacy.