Lebanon forest project: achievements

AFDC Centre, Ramlieh, Lebanon.
© WWF-Canon / Michel GUNTHER

Fewer fires, improved livelihoods

• Some 250,000 trees planted throughout Lebanon in the past 10 years
  

Fire fighting

• 400 volunteer fire-fighters trained and equipped, organized into nine village units throughout Lebanon
• clear system of roles and responsibilities developed for the different groups (fire-fighters, civil defence, and government ministries) involved in extinguishing forest fires
• reduced area of forest that is burnt each year - in Ramlieh, for example, just seven of the 30 fire outbreaks in 2003 became big fires
  

Fire prevention

• active clearing of undergrowth and creation of fire breaks by volunteers
• teaching farmers better fire management practises
  

Cedar protection

• working with the Al-Shouf Cedar Society, grazing in and around the Al-Shouf Cedar Reserve has been brought under control in order to protect the cedar forests from fires and overgrazing
  

Improving local livelihoods

• equipment provided to the beekeepers' cooperative AASAL to help improve honey production, storage, and marketing
  

Environmental education and advocacy

• work with hundreds of schools throughout Lebanon
• provide training to other NGOs, government offices, and institutions an different aspects of conservation work
• become a leading organization for environmental issues in Lebanon
• organized a national conference on forest fires
• organized a national conference on faith and conservation
• playing an increasing role in public policy on environmental issues
  

Ecotourism

• organized an ecotourism festival with 1,000 participants
• developed the AFDC Centre in Ramlieh village as an ecotourism site, with accommodation and activities