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 toward the border with
Saudi Arabia. It covers an area of about 542 km2, (see
map 1).
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 1991, the National Environmental
Strategy for Jordan described the establishment of Wadi Rum protected area as
having “top priority”. The Wadi Rum Protected Area was subsequently
selected as one of the four sites in the Kingdom to receive financial and
technical assistance through the World Bank Second Tourism Development
Project.
RSCN became the party 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.
There are no climatic stations in or near
the area. The closest stations are in Aqaba and Ma’an, and both are quite
far and not representative for 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 oC,
whereas the daily winter temperature ranges from 16-31 oC, dropping
to less than 5 oC 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 knots.
4.4.4-
Topography
The topography of the area is dominated by
an isolated tract of huge precipitous sandstone and granite mountains reaching
as high as 1754m at Jebel Rum, the highest mountain in the protected area and
the second highest mountain in the country.
The mountains in the protected area are
separated from each other by flat, sandy ‘corridor’ wadis. The northern
part of the Wadi Rum Protected Area is comprised of five major wadi systems,
running roughly parallel on a north-south orientation at an elevation of
between 800-1100m.
These wadis are (from west to east) Wadi
Marsad, Wadi Rumman, Wadi Rum, Wadi Um-‘Ishrin, Wadi Mahraj and Wadi
Um-Harraq. Smaller wadis that are present among the main wadis include
Khor’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 relatively
closed network of smaller wadis with numerous small mountains and rocky
outcrops. Beyond Jebel Khaz’ali this area extends to Jebel Burdah in the
east and Um Muqour in the south (see map 1).
Jordan
is divided into four main biogeographical zones and thirteen vegetation types
(see map 2). Wadi Rum Protected Area is
found in the Sudanian biogeographical zone. This region is represented by
three vegetation types in the protected area.
The
Sudanian Biogeographical Zone
This
region is characterized by having a warm winter and a very hot summer. The
temperature ranges from 15o-45 oC, while sometimes going
beyond these limits. The rainfall ranges from 50-100 mm/year. It is called
Sudanian penetration or tropical because it has some physical and biological
characteristics similar to those occurring in Sudan.
Vegetation
Types
Sand Dune Vegetation Type
This vegetation type is only found in the
Sudanian biogeographical zone, and the Wadi Rum area is one of the best
representatives of it. It is made up of shrubs and bushes (sand dune-fixing).
The main species that characterize this type include Haloxylon persicum,
Retama raetam, Calligonum comosum, Neurada procumbens and Hammada
scoparia.
Acacia
and Rocky Sudanian Vegetation Type
This
vegetation is limited to the rocky areas in the protected area. It is
sometimes 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 articulata,
Caralluma spp., Fagonia spp., Gymnocarpos decandrum and Helianthemum
lippii.
Hammada
Vegetation Type
This vegetation type covers more than 70%
of Jordan's surface area. This vegetation type is not dominant in the
protected area, but some of its components are nevertheless present. The main
species of this type that are present in the protected area include Anabasis
articulata, Retama raetam, Tamarix spp., Achillea fragrantissima, Artemisia
herba-alba and Zilla spinosa.
For more detail on the distribution of
vegetation types in the protected area, see map 3.
The major geologic characteristics of Wadi
Rum Protected Area are 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 parts,
platonic granitoids are overlain with sedimentary rocks and early Paleozoic
sandstone. Soil is mostly alluvial and generally composed of gravel and saline
sands.
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 BC (Borzatti and Masseti, 1991). Thamudic
letters referring back to the early Paleolithic and Neolithic periods were
recorded in the area.
Nowadays, semi–nomadic and resident
Bedouins from the Howeitat tribe are settled in Wadi Rum and the adjacent
area, and are divided into seven tribal groups. Some of these groups are still
utilizing separate territories in the protected area. The semi nomadic
Bedouins live in villages like Rum, located in the center of the protected
area, and in 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 is directly generated through tourism.
The amazing landscape of the protected area
makes it one of Jordan’s major tourism attractions. The fascinating
sandstone mountains and the sand dunes with their brilliant mixture of colors
give the area a very special beauty which cannot be seen elsewhere, since the
two extremes of upland and lowland is not present in any other desert.
