The Sea of Galilee seen from the resort village, Vered  Hagalil.   Desmond Kaplan is currently 
 planning  the expansion and upgrading of Vered  Hagalil in collaboration with 
the architectural  firm, Michael  Schwartz &  Associates.

    

   The firm recently won  the tender to  prepare a new  Master Plan for the  City of Naharia.
  Work on the project  is due to begin within the coming  weeks.

     Planning is in  progress on a section of the Snir  River in the Upper  Galilee in collaboration  with Landscape
  Architect Eran Gaash.  It includes development for  ecotourism that combines  tourist activity with environmental
  rehabilitation, protection and  management. The client is the  Rivers/Streams and Drainage  Authority.
  

   Work has recently begun on a series of plans for the development of  zones  for animal husbandry, mostly sheep
  and  beef cattle, in the Sahnin and Netufa Valleys. The objectives include  providing solutions for animals that
  are currently housed in built areas where they contribute to environmental  and health hazards. Agricultural tourism
  and  ecotourism are part of the  planning brief. The clients are the  Ministry for the Protection of the
  Environment and the local authorities.

  

  Desmond Kaplan is assembling a broad  based multidisciplinary team to  undertake feasibility
 studies and design  pilot/demonstration projects involving food production in urban
conurbations.  This work is aimed at integrating sophisticated, quality food production 
 into urban infrastructure and systems in an environmentally sustainable manner.
 It will include water harvesting and  recycling, optimization of energy use and local energy
production. Current  polluting agricultural practice needs to be reduced and  eventually
discontinued allowing agricultural land to be rehabilitated and devoted to organic farming and/or
 returned to nature. This can contribute to increased biodiversity and provide additional
natural landscapes for  recreational use.