Mashjar Juthour – ISA Partnership & Volunteer Capability Framework

Draft concept – for Saleh

1. Why this matters now

Mashjar Juthour is a regenerative land project whose central vision is to create an arboretum and ecological education centre in Palestine. Since 2013 it has:

• Embodied intentional land stewardship and sustainable, values‑aligned infrastructure
• Built a living landscape with many 100+‑year‑old oak and olive trees, an emerging food forest, and an ecological pond system
• Been carried by the founding family’s ancestral ties, a social‑enterprise revenue model, and growing municipal and international support

Changes to immigration and visa rules have restricted the contribution of skilled professionals, educators, and volunteers, slowing progress and public engagement. At the same time, the political context does little to protect or regenerate the natural environment.

There is now a clear need to bring skilled, values‑aligned people back into the ecology of the project in a way that is structured, safe, and sustainable.

2. The proposal in essence

Create a structured service‑immersion program at Mashjar Juthour, anchored in a Capability & Learning Framework, and explore a formal partnership with the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).

Target participants:

• Emerging / early‑career arborists
• Land‑care practitioners and other aligned volunteers

Participants would typically enter on tourism visas, combining:

• Ecotourism and experiential learning
• Hands‑on contribution to the land
• Deliberate personal and professional development