USAID Convenes Public-Private Sustainable Reforestation Gathering
More than 150 key reforestation practitioners gathered at the “Building Linkages for Sustainable Reforestation in Lebanon” event, held at the Ecole Supérieure des Affaires in Beirut on April 18. The event highlighted the crucial role of coordination among native tree growers, tree planting groups (NGO’s), municipalities, and the private sector to enhance the results of reforestation efforts and increase survival rates. The main goal of the gathering was to develop broader constituencies for reforestation in the country, building on the early successes of native tree nurseries and municipality-based reforestation projects through the Lebanon Reforestation Initiative (LRI). The LRI is a four-year project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by the United States Forest Service (USFS) as part of USAID’s environmental program to engage local communities in preserving Lebanon’s natural resources.
There were many active participants in the event, including representatives of the new Cooperative of Native Tree Producers of Lebanon, and representatives of municipalities and private sector actors interested in supporting new approaches to sustainable reforestation in Lebanon. Key leading companies in Lebanon were enthusiastic about the initiative, and announced significant financial support to new reforestation proposals. These companies included, Tinol, Holcim, Dar Al-Handassah, and La Phenicienne Insurance. All participants agreed that creating these links will not only improve survival rates of native trees, but will also generate economic opportunities through jobs created and tree planting skills and abilities enhanced.
Please click on the links to view the videos screened during the event:
Vigorous Seedlings for successful reforestation :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y5XPjzJapc
Community commitment to sustainable reforestation in Lebanon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElpCNxa2mpo
