Mountain Pastures’ Restoration in Lebanon: A review

The MAVA funded Project “Building the ecologic and socio-economic resilience of the Shouf Mountain Landscape by restoring and strengthening the socio-cultural fabric which sustains its biodiversity and cultural values” is implemented by ACS – Al Shouf Cedar Society in partnership with SPNL – Society for the Protection of Nature of Lebanon and aims to:

  1. Increase the understanding and recognition of the links between the traditional practices that constitute the cultural heritage of the landscape and its biodiversity;
  2. Stop and reverse the major threats impacting the landscape, and adapt the cultural practices to current socio-economic context and environmental constraints – with special focus to climate change trends –through innovations in sustainable management and the restoration of optimal conditions;
  3. Ensure the economic sustainability of the goods and services resulting from the cultural practices, by supporting the greening of the economy;
  4. Create enabling conditions through the improvement of policy, governance, and the capacity of all concerned stakeholders, so as to secure the upscaling and replication of best practices in Mount Lebanon and in the other cultural landscapes;

and includes a pilot action focusing on The Shouf Mountain Landscape comprising the southern half of Mount Lebanon and the adjacent West Beqaa foothills. “Strategy 2”, under the project, addresses the design and implementation of restoration plans
for mountain pastures and wildlife. Activities under this component are not the first ones tackling issues related to pastures and rangelands management in Lebanon and more specifically in the West Bekaa.

The objective of this report is to provide a review of previous programmes, initiatives and studies related to rangelands and pastures management and restoration in Lebanon from 2008 till today. It also summarizes the gaps for pastures management and highlights measures that were suggested for a strengthened rangelands management. This report is based on a desk review of available literature, projects and initiatives on projects targeting rangelands in Lebanon in addition to consultation meetings with experts in the field (from the UNDP and MoA).

Download the review here.

Article first published in Mountain Pastures’ Restoration in Lebanon: A review.