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Crown Prince opens Royal Academy for Nature Conservation

December 20, 2015
Crown Prince opens Royal Academy for Nature Conservation

HRH Crown Prince Hussein on Sunday inaugurated the Royal Academy for Nature Conservation in Ajloun Forest Reserve.

The academy is “the first centre in the Arab world” specialised in offering training on nature conservation.

His Majesty King Abdullah laid the cornerstone of the academy in 2010, and it was established as an expansion of regional training programmes offered by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), which is an NGO.

The academy extends over an area of 3,000 square metres, with the aim of preserving bio-diversity in the Kingdom and enhancing nature protection in Jordan and neighbouring countries.

Crown Prince Hussein toured the facility and was briefed by RSCN Chairman Khaled Irani on the programmes implemented in the fields of training and entertainment, in addition to future plans to serve the environment and boost environmental awareness among Jordanians.

During the tour, the Crown Prince observed workshops held at the academy for experts and school students, and visited the “Nature Shop” that showcases handicrafts and natural products produced from materials available in the Ajloun reserve by members of the local community.

The academy also includes training rooms, a “search and rescue” facility for training in handling tourism emergencies, a medical clinic, a small conference hall, a library and resources room, management offices and staff rooms, storage and service rooms, a restaurant and staff accommodation, according to the RSCN website.

The academy plans to launch several economic projects to generate income for local community members and decrease their dependency on unsustainable forest resources.

It also implements mid-term and long-term training programmes and other entertainment activities for families and visitors.

The academy is partnered with several international institutions, including the University of Montana in the US, and it will work with them to develop training programmes on organising guided tours of natural areas.

The academy offers training workshops not only for local community members but at a regional level.

It also seeks to promote “educational tourism” alongside “environmental tourism”, constituting with the Ajloun Forest Reserve a local and regional tourist attraction.

The academy’s building was constructed over an abandoned quarry that to pose an environmental problem but it is now an example of an environment-friendly venue.