13 – Winter Lake Park

Winter Lake Park, located on the southeastern end of the city, is a park that integrates a variety of different areas – large grassy expanses, a skating park and jungle gyms, and natural habitats where ecological systems at risk of extinction are carefully preserved. There is an impressive ancient vernal pool that is one of the largest of its kind in Israel’s coastal plain. Up until the beginning of the 20th century, the entire Sharon region was dotted with seasonal pools and marshes. This pool is testament to those once-common natural habitats. The pool is at the heart of the park and is home to a variety of different birds, amphibians and other animals. It is lush with vegetation commonly found near wet habitats. In the surrounding area stand tall eucalyptus trees, planted about a hundred years ago for the purpose of drying the swamps. However, whether eucalyptus trees are actually an effective method of drying wet regions is still disputed. The bottom of the pool is composed of heavy soil whose particles expand when they come in contact with rainwater, preventing the water from permeating the ground. This is what causes the rainwater to collect in a large pool, or a vernal pool as it is scientifically known. The pool dries up completely when the dry season begins (as July approaches). The seasonality of this habitat has shaped the way that the animals adapt over the course of the year. Primitive crustaceans, who spend their entire lives under water, are at the bottom of the food chain. When the pool dries up, they lay drought-resistant eggs in the drying soil and then die. Insects and amphibians spend the first stages of their lives in the water, and mature creatures then leave the pool when it dries up.
Various water fowl also live in this habitat, including mallards, little grebes and coots.
The vernal pool is also a habitat for many types of plants, especially aquatic species. During the spring, rare plant species flourish and cover huge areas. Some examples are the lanceleaf water plantain and the flowering rush with its bright pink blossoms. Additional aquatic plants are the saltmarsh bulrush, common tulip and the rare lakeshore bulrush. South of the pool is an open area where purple irises, tulips and anemones are in bloom in the spring. The best time of the year to visit the pool is between January and June, when the park is decorated with lush vegetation. From Winter Lake Park, you can continue on to visit the lovely Iris Reserve, which connects to the park via an overpass bridge overlooking the entire region.