The Jordan River Valley holds importance across several dimensions: religious, ecological, and agricultural. The religious significance is anchored particularly at Al-Maghtas (Bethany Beyond the Jordan), identified in John 1:28 : “These things were done in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.” Denoting the John the Baptist’s activity in the Jordan River Valley. Archaeological investigations in the 1990s uncovered ancient churches, baptismal pools, water channels, and pilgrims’ facilities dating from the Roman and Byzantine periods. These findings, along with historical accounts by early Christian writers, helped scholars and religious authorities identify Al-Maghtas as the historical baptism site, leading to its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Al-Maghtas is set within a fragile desert–riverine ecosystem. Its ecology is shaped by the contrast between the arid Jordan Valley and the life-supporting waters of the river and nearby springs. Riparian vegetation—such as tamarisk, reeds, and willow—clusters along the water’s edge, providing habitat for birds, amphibians, and small mammals that depend on the scarce freshwater. Beyond the river corridor, the landscape shifts to dry scrub and salt-tolerant plants adapted to intense heat and limited rainfall. Human visitation and regional water use make conservation efforts essential to preserving this rare, biodiverse oasis in an otherwise harsh environment.