Evolution of JREDS

JREDS was founded in 1993 by a group of concerned Jordanian ecological divers, headed by Princess Basma bint Ali, one of the first female divers in Jordan. The initiative officially became a non-governmental organization in 1995. It first gained technical and financial momentum with the help of the Global Environment Fund’s Small Grants Program (SGP). Capacity development was a main element of the “Coral Reef Rehabilitation, Research & Conservation Project” implemented with a grant of US $ 50,000. The project activities included the initiation of a continuous coral reef monitoring program, in close association with the top Marine Ecology scientists in the country, followed by an intensive public information and awareness campaign that was the first of its kind in Aqaba.

During the implementation of this pilot project, JREDS staff was exposed to training, capacity building initiatives and skill-building opportunities, greatly augmenting the staff’s project management, public advocacy, and information dissemination skills. JREDS also benefited from its close cooperation with the Marine Science Station, the leading marine research institution in Jordan, in building a comprehensive information database within JREDS, which has served all its subsequent awareness and capacity development initiatives and programs. JREDS has also managed to develop, update and maintain this database and use it to lobby for the environment and the sustainable management of economic development of Aqaba.
JREDS capitalized on its technical, advocacy, and project management capacity, to attract further support from donor agencies. Working with stakeholders in the marine environment, such as the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, and local communities, JREDS has greatly expanded its programs over the years. JREDS current scope of activities ranges from community development and income generating programs, to public awareness and clean-up campaigns, to rehabilitation of water networks in poor urban areas and Environmental Impact Assessments. Since inception, JREDS has grown in size and influence, currently managing 30 projects under 9 program areas, with local, regional and global partners. JREDS has also gained influence at the regional level, working with other national environmental groups under a regional initiative to regional protect the Red Sea. Under The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden (PERSGA), JREDS has coordinated public awareness programs in the Red Sea region.

Background

Jordan, a relatively small country in the Middle East, faces many pressing environmental and social issues. One of its most complex development issues is the sustainable management of its short, fragile and over-exploited coastal area in the port city of Aqaba.
The Jordanian segment of the Gulf of Aqaba is only 27 km long. Being the only port in Jordan, many development activities have engulfed the short coastline in the last decades. Currently, only 7 km of the beach is still natural and devoid of ports, hotels and industries.

This fragile ecosystem has its unique ecological features, comprising the northernmost distributions of coral reefs in the world and a world-class center of attraction for divers. However, the stress of development in Aqaba and the fierce competition between transport, tourism and industry sectors to occupy the beach have left the environment of Aqaba fighting a difficult battle against coastal and marine ecosystem deterioration and marine pollution.

The Aqaba region entered a new era in 2000 with the declaration of Aqaba as a “Special Economic Zone”. This transformation means that the city of Aqaba and its marine environment will come under increasing pressure of economic development and growth.
This comprehensive intensification in economic activity in Aqaba places the marine ecosystem under increasing threat, and preservation of Aqaba’s marine environment has become one of the country’s foremost environmental concerns. The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority has developed environmental protection bylaws and regulations, and 7 kilometers of beach and coral reefs fall under the protection of the Aqaba Marine Park. While the park and environmental legislation form a sound foundation for marine environmental protection, successful sustainable management of Aqaba’s economic development and preservation of its marine environment require the integration of the efforts of various institutions and community groups, as well as the private and government sectors.

JREDS''s marine conservation programs emerged primarily from a serious need to protect the national heritage and biodiversity of the marine environment in Aqaba. We, at JREDS, strive to reduce the pressure on the marine environment, by engaging all stakeholders in the joint task of preserving our marine heritage.