--
The Baha'i garden terraces surrounding the
Shrine of the Bab on Mount Carmel have received
an award from the Society of American Travel
Writers.
The
society, comprising 1300 members in North
America, named the garden terraces as one of six
recipients of its Phoenix Awards for 2003.
The
awards honor individuals or groups which
"have contributed to a quality travel
experience through conservation, preservation,
beautification or environmental efforts."
In
its citation, the Society said: "At the
turn of the last century (19th), historic Mount
Carmel, sacred to Jews, Christians, Muslims and
Baha'is, was nothing more than another desolate
hill, rock and scrub brush."
But
with the creation of the garden terraces, the
once barren face of the mountain that overlooks
the city is now "a magnificent floral
jewel," the citation said.
"In
a region where water is precious, the gardens
use a combination of ancient and modern
gardening practices, from mulching and
composting to computerized irrigation systems.
