By Wassim El Khatib
Director, Homat Al Hima International Center, Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL)
Qolalieh and Al Mansouri, two coastal villages in southern Lebanon, once stood as vital ecological sanctuaries and flagship sites within the EU-supported Bio-Connect project. Among the first himas established in Lebanon, they embodied a powerful model of community-led conservation, integrating both coastal and inland ecosystems rich in biodiversity. From sandy shores to inland habitats, the region sustained a remarkable diversity of flora and fauna, maintaining a delicate yet thriving natural balance.
These himas were particularly known as nesting grounds for marine turtles, which returned year after year to lay their eggs along undisturbed beaches. They were also home to the Sea Daffodil (Pancratium maritimum), a rare and elegant white flower that blooms in late summer, symbolizing the ecological purity and uniqueness of this coastline. Together, these natural elements made Qolalieh and Al Mansouri not only environmentally significant, but also essential to conservation efforts at both national and regional levels.
At the core of this success were local leaders such as Adnan and Abed, members of Homat Al Hima, who dedicated themselves to protecting these landscapes. Through continuous education, training, and support provided by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) under European Union-funded initiatives, they became true stewards of their environment, equipped with the knowledge, tools, and responsibility to safeguard their communities’ natural heritage.
Today, that entire system has collapsed.
Under the impact of war and repeated attacks, life has vanished from these areas, for people, for animals, and for the fragile plant life that once flourished. The beaches are no longer safe for turtle nesting, and the sands can no longer sustain the Sea Daffodil. The interconnected ecosystems that once defined the himas have been profoundly disrupted, if not entirely destroyed.
Adnan and Abed can no longer fulfill their roles. Displaced and now living as refugees elsewhere, they have been severed from the land they once protected. With their absence, the human foundation that sustained the hima system has collapsed. Years of education, training, and capacity-building, together with the equipment and resources provided through SPNL and European Union-supported initiatives, have been rendered ineffective in the face of widespread devastation.
There are no shelters left, no safe spaces for residents, and no protection for wildlife. Perhaps most tragically, there is almost no one left to document what is unfolding. The loss is taking place in silence, without witnesses, without records, and without immediate accountability.
This is not only an environmental disaster, it is a profound injustice against life itself. A place that once embodied coexistence between humans and nature has been reduced to absence, absence of safety, biodiversity, and hope.
Qolalieh and Al Mansouri must be remembered for what they were, living examples of how communities can protect and coexist with nature. Their destruction is not merely a local tragedy, but a stark warning of how fragile such systems become in times of conflict.
Even if no one remains today to bear witness, the truth cannot be erased. What has been lost is real, and it must be acknowledged. Most of the people of Qolalieh and Al Mansouri depended on fishing for their survival, and many have lost their boats, their only source of income and connection to the sea. Others relied on agriculture, yet there is no longer any safe or viable land to cultivate. Livelihoods have disappeared alongside the landscape itself.
Qolalieh and Al Mansouri, two coastal villages in southern Lebanon, once stood as vital ecological sanctuaries and key sites within the EU-supported Bio-Connect project. Among the first himas established in Lebanon, they represented a powerful model of community-led conservation, integrating both coastal and inland ecosystems rich in biodiversity. From sandy shores to inland lands, the region sustained a delicate balance between human life and nature.
These himas were especially known as nesting grounds for marine turtles, which returned each year to lay their eggs along quiet, undisturbed beaches. They were also home to the Sea Daffodil (Pancratium maritimum), a rare and elegant white flower that blooms in late summer, emerging directly from the sand and symbolizing the uniqueness of this coastline. The richness of biodiversity, both fauna and flora, made the area a cornerstone of conservation efforts in Lebanon.
The local community played a central role in protecting this environment. Life was deeply tied to both the sea and the soil, and both were treated with care, knowledge, and respect.
At the forefront of these efforts were Adnan and Abed, leaders within Homat Al Hima, who worked tirelessly to safeguard these areas. Through education, training, and equipment provided by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) under European Union-supported initiatives, they became key stewards of their environment, ensuring that conservation and community needs advanced hand in hand.
Today, all of this has been shattered.
Under the ongoing war and repeated attacks, life has all but vanished from these villages, for people, for animals, and for plant life alike. Fishermen have lost their boats, their sole source of income, leaving them unable to return to the sea. Farmers can no longer access or cultivate their lands; there is no safe or viable ground left to plant or harvest. The essential bond between people and their livelihoods has been completely severed.
Adnan and Abed are now displaced, living as refugees far from the lands they once protected. Unable to continue their work, they represent the broader collapse of the human foundation that sustained the hima system. Years of training, education, and investment, along with the resources provided through SPNL and European Union-supported initiatives, have been rendered futile in the face of destruction. The system that once supported both nature and community has effectively ceased to exist.
There are no shelters left, no safe spaces for residents, and no protection for wildlife. The beaches can no longer sustain turtle nesting, and the fragile Sea Daffodil cannot survive in damaged and disturbed sands. The rich biodiversity that once defined this region is steadily disappearing.
Even more alarming is the near-total absence of witnesses. There is almost no one left to document what is unfolding, no one to record the loss, no one to preserve evidence. This silence deepens the tragedy, transforming it into a loss not only of life and environment, but also of truth and accountability.
This is more than destruction, it is a profound assault on life itself. A place that once embodied coexistence, sustainability, and hope has been reduced to emptiness.
Qolalieh and Al Mansouri must be remembered, not only for what has been lost, but for what they once stood for.
