On November 17th, under the patronage of Lebanese Armed Forces Commander General Jean Kahwagi, hundreds of Lebanese men and women from all across Lebanon participated in a reforestation campaign to plant a bio-corridor linking the ancient forests of Bcharre and Tannourine.
More than 5,000 cedar seedlings were planted in areas between Bcharre and Tannourine with the help of the Lebanese Armed Forces, local citizens and families, scouts, university students, and other volunteers. The event helped raise awareness about the need to protect and expand Lebanon’s forests.
The event was commemorated by the participation of General Ahmad Hosni representing Commander General Jean Kahwagi, Mr. Thomas Tidwell, Chief of the United States Forest Service (USFS), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ms. Azza El-Abd, Mission Director of the Unites States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Lebanon, Bcharre and Tannourine heads of municipalities, and other local officials. The event was held on a reforestation site where more than 40,000 cedar seedlings have already been planted under the USAID-funded project, Lebanon Reforestation Initiative (LRI).
The Bcharre and Tannourine cedar forests are managed, respectively, by Friends of the Cedar Forests of Bcharre Committee and Tannourine Nature Reserve, who both played a major role in organizing the activity and engaging the local communities in coordination with the LAF and LRI.
Ms. Azza El-Abd stated, “This initiative is a model for successful and sustainable reforestation in Lebanon. It is also an important milestone in our efforts to promote Lebanon’s environmental diversity through conservation, awareness, and reforestation.
