By Assad Serhal, Director General of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL), Founder and Chairman of Homat Al Hima International (HHI), and Birdlife Chairman Middle East Region Partnership
There are moments when an official letter becomes more than paperwork — it becomes a milestone in a nation’s environmental journey.
The endorsement of the Beirut River Valley Biosphere Reserve by the Ministry of Environment is not just a formal document, but a recognition of a vision rooted in community, science, and stewardship.
The proposed reserve represents a complete hydrological system stretching from mountain ridges to the sea, rich in biodiversity, ecologically connected, and full of potential for education, research, and eco-tourism.
The Union of High Metn Municipalities has officially voiced its support, confirming that responsibility is shared among municipalities, communities, national institutions, and international partners.
• 22,135 hectares
• 67 towns and villages
• Protected core areas
• Sustainable buffer zones
• Thriving transition areas
This isn’t theory — it’s the result of decades of fieldwork, dialogue, and collaboration.
Today, 47 Hima sites stretch across Lebanon.
From wetlands,
To forests,
To rivers,
To the Mediterranean coast.
From the Mediterranean waves to the snow-covered peaks,
From the crash of the waves to the reach of the snow,
The Hima network reflects Lebanon with all its ecological and cultural diversity.
Protecting a watershed means protecting livelihoods.
Safeguarding biodiversity means safeguarding identity.
Reviving Hima means reviving stewardship.
From ridge to coast,
From village to nation,
From Lebanon to the world,
One Hima at a time.
