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1-1.
Introduction
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1.6-Study
Area
1.6.1-Site
Description
1.6.1.1-Location
Wadi
Rum protected area is located in the southern part of the country, about 370
km south of Amman and about 60 km north east of Aqaba (Center Coordinates:
3274230 N, 732144 E). It lies along the northern edges of the Arabian Desert
and stretches near the borders of Saudi Arabia.
It covers an area of about 560 km2,
see map (1).
1.6.1.2-Wadi
Rum protected area Establishment
The establishment of the protected area in Wadi Rum was first proposed by
IUCN/WWF following a 1978 ecological mission to the Hashemite Kingdom of
Jordan. The study recommended
"to protect and preserve a representative area of the Eastern Desert
(Hisma) land type, together with its indigenous flora and fauna and to
preserve a large section of the scenic mountains of Rum" (Clarke 1979)
In
199 1, the National Environmental strategy for Jordan described the
establishment of Wadi Rum protected area as warranting 'top priority'.
The Rum protected area was subsequently selected as one of the four
sites in the Kingdom to receive financial and technical assistance in the form
of the World Bank Second Tourism Development Project.
RSCN
became the agent responsible for formulating and implementing a long-term
management strategy for the protected area.
It has been reasoned that by applying an integrated, participatory
approach to site protection and tourism development, greater tourism benefits
can be secured by the host community
1.6.1.3-Climate
There
are no climatic stations in the area of wadi Rum. The closest stations are the
ones in Aqaba and Ma'an and both are quite far and not representative of the
study area. Generally the climate
in Rum is of the dry desert type with a wide range of annual variation between
daytime temperatures. During the
summer, temperatures range from 15-45 C, whereas in winter, daily
temperature ranges from 16-3 1 C, dropping to less than 5C at night.
Annual precipitation is low, usually between 50-100 mm and concentrated
in the winter months. The mean annual relative humidity is about 4%, the
prevailing wind direction is north to Northwest, and the average annual wind
speed is about 2.3 k\knots.
1.6.1.4-Topography
An
isolated tract of huge, precipitous, sandstone and granite mountains, going up
to 1754 m at jebal Rum, the highest mountain in the protected area and the
second highest mountain in the country (the highest mountain summit in the
country is Um Al-Damiah Mountain close to the southern national borders).
The
mountains in the protected area are separated from each other by flat, sandy
‘corridor’-wadis. The
northern part of Wadi Rum protected area comprises five major wadi systems,
running roughly parallel on a north south orientation with the elevation
ranging between 800-1100m.
These
wadis are (from west to east) Wadi Marsad, Wadi Ramman, Wadi Rum, Wadi
Um-‘Ishrin, Wadi Mahraj and Wadi Um-Harraq.
Smaller wadis that are present among the main wadis include Khor el.
Ajram, Wadi Um-Rushrash and other smaller wadis.
To the south of the western wadis lies an open sandy area of isolated
peaks and mobile sand dunes known locally as Hadbat Qara and further to the
east is located a more closed network of smaller wadis with numerous small
mountains and rocky outcrops. Beyond
jebal Khaz’ali this area extends to Jebal Burdah in the east and Um Muqour
in the south,
Figure (1):
Beautiful landscape of wadi Rum
1.6.1.5
1.6.1.5-Vegetation
Jordan
is divided into four main biogeographical zones that have thirteen vegetation
types. Wadi Rum protected area is present in the Sudanian vegetation region,
see map (2).
·
The
Sudanian Vegetation Region
This
region is characterised by having usually warm winter and very hot summer, the
temperature ranges from 15-45C
and it might go beyond these limits in some days of the year. The rainfall
ranges from 50- 1 00 mm/year. It is called Sudanian penetration or tropical
because it has some physical and biological characters similar to those
occurring in Sudan.
·
Vegetation
Types:
There
are three vegetation types represented in Rum Protected Area, see map
(3),
these types are:
a)
Sand Dune Vegetation Type:
This
vegetation type is only found in the Sudanian Vegetation Region.
Wadi Rum area is one of the best representatives for it.
It is made up of shrubs and bushes (sand dunes fixatives).
The main species that characterise this type include Haloxylon
persicum, Retama raetam, Calligonum comosum, Neurada procumbens and
Hammada scoparia.
b)
Acacia and Rocky Sudanian vegetation Type:
This
vegetation is limited to the rocky areas in the protected area.
Sometimes it is found together with the Sand Dune Vegetation Type.
The main species of this type that are present in the protected area
include Acacia raddiana, Anabasis articulate, Caralluma spp., Fagonia
spp., Gymnocarpos decatidrum and Helianthemiim lippii.
c)
Hammada Vegetation Type:
This
vegetation type covers more than 70% of Jordan's surface area.
In the protected area, this vegetation type is not dominant but
nevertheless some of its components are present. The main species of this type that are present in the
protected area include Anabasis articulate, Retama raetam, Tamarix spp. ,
Achillea fragrantissima, Artemisia herba-alba and Zilla spinosa
1.6.1.6-Geology
The
major characteristic feature of Wadi Rum protected area is the presence of the
precipitous sandstone and sedimentary rocks.
Varieties of distinctive plutonic granitoids of the late praterozoic age
are found in the western and central parts of the protected area.
In
the eastern and northeastern sides, sedimentary rocks, early Paleozoic
sandstone uncomfortably overlie platonic granitoids can be found.
Soil is mostly alluvial and generally composed of water, saline, sandy
and gravel.
1.6.1.7-Culture
The
human existence in the Wadi Rum area dates back to prehistoric times.
The nomadic Thamudic tribes were present in the area during the fifth
century before Christ (Borzatti and Masseti 1991). Thamudic letters referring
back to early Paleolithic and the Neolithic periods have been recorded in the
area.
Nowadays,
semi-nomadic and resident Bedouins from Howeitat tribe are settled in Wadi Rum
and the adjacent area, the tribe is divided into seven tribal groups. Some of
these groups are still utilising separate territories in the protected area.
The semi nomadic Bedouins live in villages like Rum which is in the center of
the protected area and other villages such as Shakeryya, Disi and Salhiyah
which are located on the edges of the protected area. The main income for the
locals in Rum village specifically comes from tourism.
