Azaria Alon, Israel’s “Mr. Nature” and Israel-Prize winning environmentalist, passed away on January 19, 2014, at the age of 95. Born in 1918 in Wollodarsk, Ukraine, he arrived in Israel in 1925. Since 1938 he had been a member of Kibbutz Beit Hashita, where he was laid to rest. He was an agricultural worker, an educator and teacher of biology. In 1951, he became one of the founders of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) and took a major part in the campaign to save the wildflowers of Israel.
Azaria was also instrumental in creating the Israel Nature Reserves Authority, mapping the nature reserves and national parks of Israel and led numerous campaigns to save the wildlife and environment; General Secretary of SPNI from 1969 to 1977; taking a major part in education, especially in creating the network of Field Study Centers; the editor of SPNI publications; member of Life & Environment; taking part in the Stockholm Convention in 1972 and IUCN conferences from 1963 to 1990.
A prolific lecturer and author, Azariah Alon wrote a number of titles for Carta, notably Israel National Parks & Nature Reserves – A Carta Guide. Azaria also contributed the lush environmental background to Hanan Eshel’s Ein Gedi: Oasis and Refuge – A Carta Field Guide http://store.carta-jerusalem.com/israel-guides/16-ein-gedi-oasis-and-refuge-9789652207616.html
