Only five years after the State of Israel was established, Israeli pioneers and nature lovers established the SPNI, in the spirit of preserving some of the overpowering natural beauty that surrounded them. It's hard to fathom Israel's rapid transXformXation to what it is today, but if we look at pictures of the landscapes SPNI's founders experienced, and compare them to those around us, the accelerated development comes into crystal clear focus. As one EPD leader said, “The importance of the SPNI emerges when one tries to imagine what the country would have looked like if the organization did not exist and did not struggle for the past 60 years for the preservation of nature, flora and fauna, and heritage sites.” And Israel is beautiful today! While celebrating the phenomenal achievement this represents, we cannot forget the environmental devastation that was wrought in the process. SPNI endeavors to address these issues, so that we'll always have an Israel worth treasuring and cherishing.