Horsh Ehden

Situated on the upper north western slopes of Mount Lebanon, ranging in altitude from 1200 m to 2000, Horsh Ehden Nature Reserve covers more than 450 ha and is considered as a very important part of the country for its unique biodiversity.

Extending over 3 bio-geographic zones, the forest assembles different species of mammals, birds and plants of which some are nationally rare and threatened such as the imperial eagle and wolf.

The amount of plant species recognized till now accounts for nearly 40% of plant species in Lebanon.
Nowadays, the municipality of Ehden, owner of Horsh Ehden Nature Reserve’s land, is according much more attention on the reserve for its particular importance:

- Outstanding example of Cedrus libani forest (diversity of age classes and species diversity)
- Outstanding ecological condition (minimum degradation and pollution…)
- Habitat of rare, national and threatened animal and plant species
- Potentially outstanding high quality visitor experience in a forest
- 1,058 plant species
- More than 27 mammals species representing the third of the mammals in Lebanon
- Over 300 fungi species which are critical to maintain a healthy forest ecosystem.

Thus, Horsh Ehden is an outstanding example of Lebanese and Mediterranean natural ecosystem especially for its diversity of Cedars and other native plant species.

Al-Shouf Nature Reserve

Al-Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve, enclosing the three cedars forests of Maasir Shouf, Barouk and Ain Zhalta/ Bmohray, is located on the western slopes of Mount Lebanon chain and reaches from Dahr al Baidar in the North to Niha Mountain near Jezzine in the South. The Niha Mountain, with only scattered patches of trees, represents the natural southern limit of Lebanese cedar (Cedrus libani).

Covering nearly 2% of Lebanese territory, Al-Shouf Cedar Nature reserve is the largest Nature Reserve in Lebanon and is considered as a suitable location for the conservation of large mammals such as the wolf and the caracal lynx, and eventually an adapted site for the reintroduction of previously extinct species such as the mountain gazelle and the Nubian Ibex.

The importance of Al-Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve is particularly related to the presence of:
- 25% of the remaining cedar forests in Lebanon.
- 32 mammal species.
- Located on the important intercontinental migratory route for birds, the Reserve is considered as an IBA (Important Bird Area).
- Presence of ancient ruins such as the spectacular Niha cave fortress and cultural sites.

Since 2005, Al-Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve as well as Ammiq wetland are part of the Man and the Biosphere Reserves. "The Al-Shouf Biosphere Reserve", covers about 5% of the country and extends along the ridge of Mount Lebanon’s western chain at an altitude of 1000 to 2000 meters, including 24 villages.

Tannourine Nature Reserve

Covering 12 square km, Tannourine Nature Reserve lies in a splendidly beautiful area and protects one of the largest and densest cedar forests in Lebanon.
The area is rocky and mountainous with sharp slopes and a deep valley where cedars defy gravity and grow on extremely vertical slopes.

You can also enjoy the opportunity to discover naturally occurring grottos on their hike, as well as rare flowers particular to this high altitude terrain, like the mountain tulip or Lebanese prickly thrift.

Beside the 70 000 ancient trees, Tannourine Nature Reserves is also known for its various types of birds such as eagles, owls, robins and wild animals such as hyenas, boars, squirrels, snakes and bats.
This reserve is enriched with floating lakes of water. It has more than one hundred springs and water sources.

Outdoor activities include hikes through the forest and treks to visit rock-cut monasteries, as well as cross-country skiing and snow shoeing in the winter.

Lebanon's cedars threatened by global warming

A cedar is emblazoned on the country’s flag, and another on the planes of the national airline. It is on the currency, on passports and on all official documents. It is proudly worn on the uniforms of soldiers and crudely plastered on tourist knickknacks from ashtrays to fridge magnets.

But the imposing, majestic tree that has defined Lebanon since biblical times now faces a potentially bigger threat to its existence than war or political overkill. Global warming, the scourge of ecosystems worldwide, also is endangering the ancient Lebanon cedars that are native to the Mediterranean, by pushing ever-higher the snow line in the mountains where cedars thrive and jeopardizing the fragile environment that sustains them.

Here, on steep mountainsides dotted with cedars young and old, anecdotal evidence of the threat is clearly visible.Deep snow covers the uppermost reaches of the reserve, as it normally would at this time of year. But lower down, the snow is patchy or non-existent.Cedar cones need several weeks of snow cover every year to germinate properly. Yet this year’s snow arrived late, in February instead of December, and many trees received only 10 days of cover or less, Hani said. Typically, cedars thrive at an altitude of 4,000 to 6,000 feet. This year’s snow descended only to a level of 5,000 feet, leaving lower trees without any cover at all.Another problem is that the lack of snow encourages the proliferation of unwelcome pests. In the most alarming instance of the threat so far, scientists say, a plague of sawflies munched through the cedar forest of Tannourine earlier this decade, killing 12 percent of the trees before it was contained.Now just 5,000 acres of cedars remain, most of them contained in a handful of protected reserves high in the mountains.

More research is urgently needed to understand the effects of global warming if these last trees are to be preserved, said Nemer, the entomologist.“The cedar tree is the symbol of our country, and it would mean a lot if we were to lose it,” he said. “It would be like losing our identity.”