As we traveled north to and through Amman for a brief visit to the Dibeen Forest Reserve (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dibeen_Forest_Reserve) we ventured through colorful transition zones, including grapevines spiraling around arbors with hollyhocks and roses in bloom, and several Km of roads lined by nurseries in springtime display. At Burma (the municipality) we found a Kermes & Valonia oak, pine and strawberry tree forest, with a fire lookout atop the promontory. The Reserve is attempting to establish a deer population, but unfortunately they allow visitors to feed the deer (“Oh dear, oh deer: here, have some Cheetos”) and they’ve become quit habituated to humans. The landscape is engaging. Too bad it was so littered by trash. (It is one of the top issues mentioned to us by foreign visitors at Petra: cost of entrance fees at Petra [50JD/90USD], litter/trash, child-vendors-in-face, safety: donkeys-on-stairs). As we journeyed with modern caravans (trucks) back to Amman you could see newly architected areas on hills, with Bedouin tents and camels grazing in between: the old between the new.
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Due to the many times we’ve noticed the most scenic of locations trashed by litter, I hope to use the national/Royal workshop as a springboard for a “Toss No Mas” or “Don’t Mess With Texas” type campaign: Lady Bird they need you here, and actually Queen Noor (of USA heritage) has a youth and the environment program: hmmm… The next generation is the key, as I’ve seen many a school girl on field-trips just discard that wrapper while walking the wadi. They’ve started highway beautification with the planting of trees in places, and could/should now take the next step with a pro-active awareness, education and pickup initiative. If the children start picking up, and teaching their parents…
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