By Fatima Hayek
Water & Environmental Sustainability Manager
The full SPNL 2024 Annual Report is available for download at this link.
The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) has redefined conservation by reviving the ancient Hima approach. Rooted in tradition yet adapted to modern challenges, Hima provides a holistic framework that balances biodiversity protection with community well-being. Through the Hima for Peace initiative, SPNL has demonstrated how nature conservation can serve as a platform for conflict resolution and social cohesion.
Reviving the Hima Approach
SPNL began reviving the Hima approach in 2004, blending scientific methods with traditional practices. By establishing 32 Himas across Lebanon, SPNL has shown how local communities can actively participate in managing ecologically significant areas, including Important Bird Areas (IBAs) and Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs). This model integrates biodiversity conservation with socio-economic and cultural needs, promoting equity and collective decision-making.
The Hima model has gained national and international recognition, influencing Lebanese environmental law and being adopted by organizations like BirdLife International, IUCN, and the MedWet Initiative. Key success stories include the preservation of marine ecosystems in Hima Qoleileh, which earned SPNL the UN-Habitat Best Practices Award, as well as global accolades like the Midori Prize for Biodiversity. Inspired by its success in Lebanon, the Hima model has also been adopted in Jordan, Cyprus, and Greece, showcasing its adaptability and effectiveness.
Hima for Peace: Addressing Conflict Through Nature
Lebanon’s complex social fabric, characterized by ethnic, sectarian, and resource-related tensions, has often led to conflict. Recognizing these challenges, SPNL launched Hima for Peace, using nature and shared resources as neutral grounds to bridge divides. The initiative builds on SPNL’s successful experiences in places like Anjar and Kfar Zabad, demonstrating how conservation can transform conflict into cooperation.
Anjar and Kfar Zabad: A Model for Conflict Resolution
Located in the Bekaa Valley, the neighboring villages of Anjar and Kfar Zabad were historically divided by cultural, religious, and resource-based conflicts.
- Anjar is predominantly Christian Armenian, settled by survivors of the Ottoman genocide.
- Kfar Zabad is a mixed Sunni Muslim and Christian community.
- Both villages rely on agriculture and the shared wetlands of the Chamsin and Ghzayel rivers, leading to disputes over water access and land use.
In 2004, SPNL initiated a Hima conservation project in Kfar Zabad, which embraced the initiative due to its environmental and economic potential. Sustainable hunting regulations, reforestation efforts, eco-tourism, and youth training programs helped transform the village into a popular destination for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts.
However, Anjar remained hesitant, wary of collaborating with Kfar Zabad. This changed when Anjar’s municipality observed the economic benefits of eco-tourism in Kfar Zabad. By 2008, Anjar declared its wetlands a Hima, marking the beginning of a collaborative conservation journey between the two villages.
Key Initiatives and Outcomes
- Joint Eco-Tourism Development: Hiking trails connected both Himas, and events like bird migration festivals brought communities together.
- Youth Engagement through Homat al Hima: Local youth were trained in conservation, eco-tourism, and environmental education.
- Economic Empowerment: Women-led initiatives produced and sold traditional crafts, benefiting from the growing eco-tourism sector.
- Shared Conservation Goals: Farmers adopted sustainable agriculture and water conservation techniques, reducing resource-based conflicts.
Today, Anjar and Kfar Zabad are celebrated as a unified ecological entity, serving as critical habitats for migratory birds along the African-Eurasian flyway. This success highlights how the Hima model can transform conflict zones into models of cooperation and resilience.
Kayfoun and Chemlan: A New Chapter for Hima for Peace
The villages of Kayfoun and Chemlan, located in Mount Lebanon, have historically been divided by political, religious, and economic tensions. With Lebanon’s ongoing economic crisis and the influx of over 5,000 Syrian refugees into Kayfoun, competition over scarce resources, particularly water, further deepened divisions.
The Hima for Peace initiative provided a framework for dialogue and cooperation. SPNL facilitated community meetings, where representatives from both villages discussed shared environmental challenges and potential solutions.
Key Achievements and Collaborative Efforts
- Solar-Powered Water Pumping System
- With funding from the German Development Bank and UNDP, SPNL installed a solar-powered system to sustainably manage the shared well.
- This reduced reliance on costly fuel-powered pumps and ensured fair water distribution, easing a major source of tension.
- Hima Charter & Regional Cooperation
- Inspired by the success in Kayfoun and Chemlan, six additional municipalities (Baysour, Souk El Gharib, Aitat, Ain El Sayde, Ain El Remeneh, and Kfarmatta) joined the initiative.
- These villages signed a Hima Charter, committing to joint conservation and resource management efforts.
- Public Gardens for Community Bonding
- The Biblical Garden in Chemlan, Quranic Garden in Kayfoun, and Lavender Garden in Souk El Gharib provided communal spaces for social interaction and biodiversity promotion.
- Droub el Hima for Peace Trails
- Hiking trails were developed to connect the villages, encouraging eco-tourism.
- By end of 2023, over 6,400 hikers, including 2,200 individuals with special needs, had visited, boosting local economies.
- Souk el Hima: Women’s Empowerment & Local Economy
- A community marketplace was established to support local artisans, especially women, promoting handmade crafts, soaps, and perfumes.
Through these initiatives, Kayfoun and Chemlan transitioned from conflict to collaboration, proving that environmental conservation can be a catalyst for peace and economic resilience.
Harvesting the Fruits of Hima for Peace in Times of Crisis
The recent escalation of violence and displacement in Lebanon due to Israeli attacks has tested the resilience of communities. However, villages involved in the Hima for Peace initiative have stepped up, providing refuge and support for displaced families from South Lebanon, the Bekaa, and Beirut’s southern suburbs.
- The shared governance structures and community-led initiatives established by the program enabled these villages to manage the influx of displaced people effectively.
- Public gardens, communal spaces, and economic initiatives, such as Souk el Hima, provided essential resources and livelihoods for both host communities and displaced families.
From conflict zones to sanctuaries of unity, Hima for Peace has turned villages into symbols of resilience, proving that conservation and peacebuilding can coexist—even in times of crisis.
