Nature Defense Forces
Every soldier in the IDF knows that the most important mission during their military service is to protect the citizens of the State of Israel -- but they’re not the only ones in need of protection. In a special initiative called ‘Nature Defense Forces’, IDF soldiers joined the effort to protect the environment. In honor of ‘Tu B'Shvat’, the Jewish holiday also known as “New Year of the Trees”, we present to you the most important accomplishments of the ‘Nature Defense Forces’ this year:
28.01.21
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[IDF combat soldiers frequently operate in open areas and fields. Many of their operations and training take place in isolated areas with security restrictions, and by virtue of this, the areas are typically in nature. Thus, the IDF soldiers often get rare opportunities to take part in environmental protection initiatives that are not available to everyone.
The IDF Trackers Unit, for example, which operates extensively in the territories near Israel’s borders, often encounters wounded wild animals in need of aid. Within the past year, IDF trackers have saved a countless number of birds, rodents, and other wildlife. And that’s not all — the troops also work in cooperation with IDF field observers, who inspect various territories to locate potential terrorist activities around the clock. The field observers also undergo special training on how to identify animals in need of rescue.
In addition, as part of the educational programs in our units, many soldiers go out to clean up areas surrounding their bases. Soldiers from bases located near the coast perform beach clean-up operations, and when soldiers from bases that are located next to tourist sites go on trips, they take with them garbage bags to clear the paths along the way.
New IDF initiatives are constantly taking place, both above and below the surface: this year, the IDF Navy's YALTAM Unit took on the task of replicating the corals in the IDF’s naval areas. In the Air Force, another important program has been implemented in which IAF planes will not train in areas where bird migration is common.
"A love of the land, the landscape, the nature, and the environment, are the basis of the connection between the IDF and environmental organizations in Israel,” said Lieutenant Colonel Liad Kalbo, the commander of the Nature Defense Forces program. “In 2020, the connection between the IDF soldiers who protect the environment and their environmental surroundings was manifested in a significant way. In 2021, we will prove that there are even more shades of green to the IDF.”
