4) Dr. Boomie Ben-Sheleg

Green space is widely recognized as a vital determinant of population health, influencing environmental quality, human activity patterns, and overall well-being. To better understand the sources and distribution of greenness in Israel, we conducted a national-scale spatial analysis integrating remote-sensing data, land-use classifications through the Desert Data Initiative. Our findings reveal that agricultural land— in addition to urban parks and natural reserves—constitutes a major component of Israel’s green-space landscape. By mapping the extent, intensity, and environmental characteristics of cultivated areas, this study highlights the pivotal role of agriculture in shaping the country’s ecological makeup and underscores the need to account for agricultural green space in environmental planning and population-health research.