Natural areas in Lebanon
Forests cover 13.6% of Lebanon, and other wooded lands represents 11%.[1] Since 2011, more than 600,000 trees, including cedars and other native species, have been planted throughout Lebanon as part of the Lebanon Reforestation Initiative (LRI).[2] More reforestation efforts are needed. For example, the 40 hectares of Cedrus libani at Al Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve could be expanded to 3,000 hectares.[3] The Friends of the Cedar Forest Committee planted 200,000 cedars, with 180,000 surviving.[4] The Committee goal was to create a corridor connecting the cedar forests o of Bcharre, Ehden, and Tannourine with each other to create an ecosystem in order to make the forests more resilient to future environmental pressures.[5]
Natural areas of Lebanon include:
- Aammiq Wetland, an area of marsh in the Beqaa Valley
- Al Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve, an area of cedar forest around Barouk
- Benta'ael, a national park area in the mountains above Byblos
- Horsh Ehden, a cedar forest north of Ehden
- Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab), the remains of an ancient Lebanese cedar forest containing some of the oldest extant Cedar trees of the country.[6]
- Jabal Rihane, a nature reserve in the Rihane mountains of south Lebanon
- Jabal Moussa Biosphere Reserve
- Palm Islands Nature Reserve, small islands near Tripoli
- Qammoua protected area, a grove of cedars, Cilicica fir and junipers in Akkar, North Lebanon
- Jaj Cedars, an area of cedar forests in the Byblos District area.
- Tyre Coast Nature Reserve, a Ramsar site in Southern Lebanon.
- Abraham River gorge, a valley in the Byblos District.
- Tannourine Cedar Reserve, a cedar forest in the mountains above Byblos.
- Wadi Jhannam, a ravine in North Lebanon.
- Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley), a UNESCO's World Heritage Site consisting of steep valleys with a longstanding monastic history.[6]
- Yammoune
- Mount Hermon[7]
References
- ^ "Forest and landscape restoration in Lebanon". Sundance Institute. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "Restoring Lebanon's cedar forests". Share America. 10 January 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ Greipsson, Sigurdur Ph.D. Restoration Ecology, Jones & Bartlett Learning, Kennesaw State University, 2011, page 279
- ^ Chehayeb, Kareem (8 December 2023). "Lebanon's Christians feel the heat of climate change in its sacred forest and valley". Earthbeat, National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ Cartier, Catherine (24 September 2019). "Interfaith Collaboration to Save Lebanon's Cedars". Pulitzer Center. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ a b "Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley) and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab)". UNESCO. Retrieved 8 Jul 2015.
- ^ "Mount Hermon Becomes Lebanon's Newest Nature Reserve". the961.com. 5 January 2021.