Lebanon: Environmental and Cultural Refuge.

Under the framework entitled “Conserving and Valorizing the Unique Botanical Heritage of Lebanon” funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) and the Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ), this project offers different approaches focused on the conservation of endemic, threatened and rare species.

The project is a support for the management of the nature reserves of Horsh Ehden, Jabal Moussa Biosphere, and Jaj Nature Reserve.

The first aspect of species conservation is to study the dynamics of the population from different endemic target species present in the above-mentioned protected areas.
This information is crucial to understand each species better and to elaborate a management plan focused on the preservation of such endemic species.

The second aspect is the implementation: a circum-situ conservation, in archeological sites, of endemic species present nearby these places under their legal status as protected areas.
Archaeological sites are protected areas that can integrate the conservation of endemic plant species into their management plan.
This innovative approach is quite promising in Lebanon and in the region where the archaeological sites are numerous and well distributed over all the bioclimatic zones.
Following this strategy, CEPF funded a four-year-old project in 2013 entitled “Determination of important plant areas and creation of micro-reserves to conserve rare or endemic plants of Lebanon.” One of the outputs of this project was the elaboration of Lebanon’s first IPA map of Important Plant Areas (Bou Dagher et al., 2018) and a red list for 200 of plant species with their IUCN assessment.

We know now precisely where and which species to focus our efforts to start implementing the conservation actions. A reintroduction into these sites from ex-situ genetic resources, some endemic plant species compatible with the presence of ruins and belonging to the same bioclimatic zones will be implemented.

These are herbaceous species (geophytes) without a deep root system. These introductions will have two objectives:

1 | the conservation on already protected sites of these plants species which would not require constraining maintenance since they would develop under the same abiotic conditions as their place of origin and;

2 | the awareness of the general public and local community about these endemic plants that are an integral part of our cultural heritage.

In Lebanon, archaeological sites are linked to the Directorate General of Antiquities (DGA). This institution, under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture, works closely with the Ministry of Tourism. The areas where these plants will be reintroduced will be agreed in partnership with the managers of the DGA, under their responsibility. The most sensitive areas will be avoided: in particular, only embankment areas, areas already excavated, and areas, where no sensitive cultural property is present, will be affected.
Author: Rhea Kahale – MS Biodiversity Conservation Initiative – Lebanon Faculty of Science USJ - Jouzour Loubnan