Within the EU financed project RECONET,  the AL Fayhaa KTC team met the President of Jerd EL Kaiteh Union of Municipalities Mr.Abdel Ilah Zakaria on October 21^st, 2015 to assess the Union and draw a picture of its strengths and weaknesses and define what the KTC can bring to enhance the situation in the area

The Kammoua’a  forest covers an area of around 700 Sq. Km. and has more than 10 million trees of fifty different species, the most important of these including the junipers, cedars, and  hairy oaks which grow among a carpet of hundreds of  varieties of wild flower. The closely clustered Azer forests are unique in the Middle East and exists only in California, U.S.A. The Azer trees stand and exceed 30 meters high. In Autumn a real Indian summer characterize the region . The region is also famous for its rich fruit production and its unique type of mushroom.

One of the Union’s villages Fnaydek,  is famous for its touristic sites ( the citadel of Akouba, with inscriptions from the time of Nabuchodonosor, founder of Babylonia dynasty ) and a number of springs and forests of natural beauty.

However , the forest has suffered considerable damage throughout its history. Great number of the trees were cut in order to use their trunks as sleepers under railway.

Many major priorities of intervention and support were pinpointed by the president:

1. Promoting  Eco Tourism which will help the population getting in contact with tourists and support micro enterprises and SME’s and create jobs and reduce unemployment,
2. Rebuilding the Livestock,
3. Promoting vocational centers and
4. transform the forests of Kammoua’a and Azer into reserves