A coordination and working meeting was held as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen sustainable eco-tourism and community-based conservation, in the presence of Dr. Zeina Haddad, Acting Head of the Youth and Local Authorities Department at the Ministry of Tourism. The meeting brought together the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon, represented by its Director General Mr. Assad Serhal, along with members of SPNL’s team, Ms. Bassima El-Khatib, Mr. André Beshara, Mr. Rami Kadrou, Ms. Fatima El-Hajj, and Mr. Hammadeh Malaaeb. Participants also included Mr.

Environmental conservation is often perceived as a modern response to contemporary crises. Yet, in this region, the idea of protecting nature through collective responsibility is far older than modern states or environmental laws. It is rooted in a living tradition that spans more than four millennia: Hima. The origins of Hima can be traced back to the Proto-Sinaitic writing system, developed between the 19th and 16th centuries BCE. At its symbolic core lies the root H-M-Y, where each letter carries meaning. H represents a boundary or fence, …

Between November and December 2025, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) intensified its work across Lebanon’s most sensitive ecosystems, rivers, wetlands, agricultural landscapes, and emerging protected areas. Behind a dense calendar of meetings, field visits, trainings, and technical reporting lies a unified effort to restore ecosystems, strengthen ecological connectivity, and embed conservation within communities and local governance. Across projects ranging from freshwater restoration to bird protection, climate resilience, and biosphere reserve planning, SPNL’s teams worked in parallel on one shared objective, turning science, policy, and community engagement into durable conservation outcomes.

In the early hours of the morning, when mist still lingers above wetlands and fields, Chadi Saad is already in the field. Notebook in hand, binoculars at the ready, he moves quietly through reedbeds, agricultural margins, and river corridors, recording what many pass by unnoticed. As Director of the SPNL Birdwatching Observatory in Hammana Reserve, Chadi Saad plays a central role in documenting Lebanon’s birdlife and translating observation into conservation knowledge. Between late November and early January, his work in the Beqaa Valley intensified, producing a steady stream of verified checklists and field reports across some of Lebanon’s most ecologically significant landscapes.

In a modest field cabin overlooking the hills of Mount Lebanon, surrounded by sketchbooks, cameras, plant presses, and reference volumes, the work of documenting life unfolds quietly but relentlessly. This is the daily reality of Husein Ali Zorkot, a field biologist, naturalist, researcher, and scientific illustrator at the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL). Between November 24 and December 25, 2025, his work reached a critical point of convergence, bringing together years of field research, artistic production, and biomonitoring into tangible outputs that form part of one of Lebanon’s most ambitious biodiversity documentation efforts.

Lebanon, a small country with an outsized ecological role, sits at the heart of one of the world’s most important migratory bird routes. Every spring and autumn, nearly 200 species of birds pass through Lebanese skies as part of their long journeys between Eurasia and Africa. Yet for millions of them, Lebanon has become not a passageway, but a killing ground. According to an in-depth commentary “Blood in the Sky: Lebanon’s Slaughter of Migratory Birds”, 27 December 2025 by journalist Jonathan Cole, published by Badil – The Alternative Policy Institute…

Four Thousand Years of Natural Resource Management Hima is not a recent invention nor an isolated historical practice. Rather, it represents a surface layer built upon a deep structural foundation formed through the continuous overlap of Proto-Sinaitic letter memory, a Sabaean water–institutional experience, and an Arab–Islamic crystallization of environmental governance. Accordingly, the revival of Hima today through modern initiatives—most notably those led by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL)—does not constitute merely a contemporary resource-management tool, but rather a conscious continuation of a civilizational trajectory extending nearly four thousand years.

In the heart of Lebanon’s northern Bekaa, where natural landscapes are closely intertwined with local livelihoods, the Union of Deir El Ahmar Municipalities hosted an advanced awareness and experience-sharing session on combating illegal hunting. The session was organized by the Anti-Poaching Unit (APU) and marked another step toward reinforcing community-based protection of biodiversity through direct cooperation between hunters, municipal police, and environmental organizations. Bringing together members of the municipal police and more than 15 local hunters, the session went beyond a traditional lecture format. It created an open space for dialogue on responsible hunting practices, legal frameworks, and the crucial role of municipal police in enforcing regulations while safeguarding both nature and the ethical practice of hunting.

In a digital space driven by speed, trends, and fleeting attention, it takes something special to pause the scroll. On TikTok, where stories are often compressed into seconds, TinyTales25 has carved out a distinctive voice, one that proves that short stories can still carry deep meaning. @tinytales.25 Hima - Ancient Arabian Sustainable Land Management Discover the ancient practice of "Hima," a remarkable system of sustainable land management that has its roots in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula. This video explores how tribes of Arabia developed a unique approach to environmental stewardship, emphasizing preservation and community well-being long before modern conservation movements emerged.

Reading the Past through 1960s Topographic Maps and Rediscovering Traditional Conservation Landscapes By Bilal Alaouiyeh, Remote Sensing and GIS Expert, Specialist in Spatial Environmental Governance and Biodiversity Mapping. By revisiting a set of official topographic maps drawn more than six decades ago, a quiet truth reemerges from Lebanon’s landscape. Long before modern conservation jargon, before GIS layers and biodiversity indicators, communities across the country practiced an organized, place-based system of environmental stewardship known as Hima. Far from being an abstract tradition or a romanticized memory, Hima is etched into Lebanon’s spatial record itself.

As part of ongoing efforts to combat illegal hunting and protect biodiversity in Lebanon, and based on complaints submitted by sustainable hunters and environmental activists, the Anti-Poaching Unit (APU), with support from its Investigation and Follow-up Division and the Electronic Tracking Team, pursued a number of documented violations across the country. Following verification of the facts, complete violation files were prepared and submitted to the Operations Room of the Gendarmerie Command, which in turn mobilized the relevant units to apprehend offenders and take legal action in accordance with the nature of each violation.

The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL), in collaboration with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), held a presentation on December 19, 2025, at its Luc Hoffmann Hima Home in Kayfoun to share the outcomes of the 2025 activities and outline the plan for 2026 under the project “Beirut River Valley: Towards Establishing Lebanon’s First Natural Park.” This end-of-year event brought together key project staff, donors, technical partners, and community representatives to reflect on the progress made and to discuss upcoming actions aimed at conserving the…

This iconic species is among 42 migratory species of wild animals that countries will consider as needing international conservation at the UN wildlife conservation meeting in March 2026 Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) have submitted proposals to add 42 new migratory species to the Convention’s appendices as needing international conservation. Due to its increasing population, one species – the Bukhara deer – is proposed to be removed from the list requiring the highest protection. An environmental treaty of the United Nations, CMS convenes governments and stakeholders to address the conservation of migratory species and their habitats.

By the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon Context The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is one of the world’s most endangered marine mammals, with fewer than 600 individuals currently surviving.[1] The species is described as ”critically endangered” by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and is listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The Mediterranean Monk Seal was formerly found all over the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and northwest African coast. Whereas the former distribution was continuous throughout its range, the present distribution is discontinuous, with probably little exchange between the separated populations (Johnson et al., 2006)

On a crisp morning in the village of Btater, footsteps echoed along the Safa Trail as it stretched toward the village of Ghboun, marking more than a sporting event. The environmental and sports activity, joined by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL), was a living reminder of how nature, heritage, and community can converge along Lebanon’s historic pathways. Far from being a simple hike or race, the event formed part of a broader vision to revive traditional trails that once served as vital arteries between villages.

Biosphere reserves are often celebrated as success stories of modern conservation, spaces where nature protection, sustainable development, and community participation coexist. But a peer-reviewed study published in Sustainability challenges this narrative in the Lebanese context, revealing deep gaps between conservation ideals and on-the-ground realities. The study, “Biosphere Reserves in Lebanon: Rifts between Conservation Discourse and Practice,” authored by Sarah Karam, Giuliano Martiniello, Ali Chalak, Mounir Abi-Said, and Shadi Kamal Hamadeh, examines how one of Lebanon’s flagship biosphere reserves has reshaped rural life, often without the consent or participation of the people most affected.

The Homat Al Hima International Center (HHIC) organized a full educational awareness day across the West Bekaa zone, engaging students from three Hima-designated schools located in different villages: Sainte Famille Saghbine, Kherbet Qanafar Public School, and Kefraya Public School. The day included two SNOW (School With No Walls) environmental sessions and one Sustainable Hunting & Anti-Poaching training delivered under SPNL’s conservation programs. This initiative comes as part of HHIC’s continuous efforts to strengthen environmental awareness among youth in the Litani River basin and empower students to become active guardians of nature in their communities.

In an era of accelerating climate change, biodiversity loss, and mounting pressure on natural resources, the need for cross-border cooperation and shared environmental learning has never been greater. Against this backdrop, Lebanon is taking meaningful steps to strengthen its engagement within the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, positioning itself not only as a beneficiary of global environmental frameworks but also as an active contributor to international knowledge exchange. At the heart of this growing engagement stands Assad Serhal, Director General of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL), whose leadership continues to bridge local conservation traditions with global environmental governance.

The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) welcomed a senior delegation from UNESCO at the Luc Hoffmann Center in Kayfoun. The visiting experts, Dr Nizar Hassan and Dr George Gharios, reviewed the final nomination file and scientific studies that SPNL prepared to designate the Beirut River Valley as Lebanon’s newest Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR). The visit focused on the comprehensive dossier that SPNL assembled, which details the ecological, cultural, social, and spatial characteristics of the region and explains how it meets UNESCO MAB criteria for inclusion in the global network.

Dr. Sami Alawieh Receives the “Homat Al Hima Environment Hero Award – 2025” 🥇 As part of the strategic agreement signed between the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) and the Litani River Authority (LRA), and following three years of positive and fruitful cooperation, both institutions reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding one of Lebanon’s most vital ecological corridors: the Litani River Hima zone. Their joint efforts continue to focus on rehabilitating and protecting key bird habitats and areas of high biodiversity value extending across the Central and Western Bekaa, from the Kfar Zabad–Anjar Hima complex to Saghbine and the wider network of Hima sites in the West Bekaa.

As part of the “Reviving the Upper Litani River and Qaraoun Lake” project funded by DIMFE, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) has launched a new practical measure to improve waste management practices across the West Bekaa. In a significant step toward source-level pollution reduction, SPNL has distributed dedicated waste cooking oil collection barrels to ten municipalities: Saghbine, Kefraya, Joub Jannine, Ain Zebdeh, Kherbet Qanafar, Qaraoun, Mansoura, Lala, Aana, and Beb Mareh. This intervention supports local authorities in shifting toward cleaner, safer, and more sustainable disposal methods.

Today, the Municipality of Kfarselwan hosted a vital training session for a group of Homat Al Hima, as part of a comprehensive capacity-building program focused on guiding skills and nature-based tourism. The training blends theoretical learning with practical, hands-on experience to empower local guardians of nature with the tools they need to lead in sustainable tourism. Throughout the intensive session, participants showcased outstanding engagement, enthusiasm, and a deep commitment to personal and professional growth. The program goes beyond technical guiding—it aims to instill a robust understanding of sustainable tourism practices and the pivotal role that local communities play in preserving natural and cultural heritage.

HHIC Leads Major Planting Event on the Litani River Basin Under the DIMFE Project Under the DIMFE project, the Homat Al Hima International Center (HHIC) of SPNL organized a large-scale planting event along the Litani River Basin in collaboration with the Litani River Authority (LRA), the Lebanese Reforestation Initiative (LRI), and Kon Fares organization. This landmark event is part of a long-term effort to rehabilitate the entire Litani River Basin and strengthen community-based environmental stewardship in the West Bekaa. The activity took place in the presence of the President of the Union of Lake Municipalities…

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) successfully hosted Assad Serhal, General Director of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) and one of the region’s most influential conservation leaders, for a Brown Bag Lunch (BBL) on Tuesday, 2 December 2025. Organized in collaboration with the IUCN Regional Office for West Asia (ROWA), the event took place at IUCN Headquarters in Gland and was streamed for online participants via Microsoft Teams. Serhal’s presentation introduced colleagues to the Hima, an ancient Levantine system of community-based stewardship that SPNL has revived, expanded, and transformed into a global model for community-led conservation.

The Anti-Poaching Unit (APU), in cooperation with the Municipality of Lala and the Hima Center, organized an awareness lecture at the Lala Official High School in West Beqaa, under the title: "The Role of the Student in Combating Poaching and Protecting Biodiversity." This initiative comes within the national efforts aimed at enhancing the awareness of students and youth about the increasing dangers of poaching, and their pivotal role in protecting wildlife and ecosystems in Lebanon. Around 50 male and female students, including a number of young hunters, participated in the lecture, alongside the teaching staff.