By Dr. Ibrahim Khader
I first became acquainted with the Hima approach nearly twenty years ago, when BirdLife International partnered with the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) to launch the first Hima project in the southern Lebanese village of Ebel El Saqi. It is truly remarkable—and deeply inspiring—to witness the widespread national embrace of this approach and its evolution into a comprehensive framework that now includes practical initiatives such as Hima Guardians, Hima Market, Hima Farms, Schools Without Walls, Hima Trails, and Hima for Peace, with 44 Himas established across Lebanon to date.
BirdLife International is the world’s largest and oldest international partnership of civil society organizations dedicated to nature conservation. Our global family brings together 124 national partners from every continent, and SPNL was among the earliest partners to join BirdLife in the Middle East.
BirdLife is committed to securing a sustainable future for all bird species and is recognized as the world’s leading authority on bird conservation. To achieve this, we identify Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs), working to protect, restore, and connect them along migratory flyways. Our work extends far beyond species and sites. We also address the underlying drivers of biodiversity loss and climate change, supporting the transition toward a nature-positive and carbon-neutral world.
However, we cannot accomplish this mission alone. Our partnership has the strength to mobilize society as a whole. We work to influence local, national, and regional decision-makers, engage with international conventions and treaties, collaborate with the private sector, and promote smarter, more sustainable policies. Beyond that, we inspire public engagement, empower young people, support Indigenous Peoples and local communities, learn from their knowledge and experiences, and contribute to building a just, equitable, and rights-based society where nature is recognized as the foundation of human well-being and dignified livelihoods.
For BirdLife International, the Hima approach—one of the world’s oldest models of protected areas—perfectly embodies these values. Hima is a traditional resource governance system that originated in the Arab region more than fifteen centuries ago. Within the Hima framework, local communities adopted principles of sustainability to conserve their natural resources while safeguarding their livelihoods, strengthening their resilience to harsh climatic conditions, particularly across the Arabian Peninsula. This community-led model of conservation has long fostered harmony between people and nature.
The adaptability of the Hima approach, reflected in its diverse implementation programs such as Hima Guardians, Schools Without Walls, Hima for Peace, and others, enables communities to build local capacity, empower marginalized groups, and strengthen local governance. It contributes to improving the conservation status of globally threatened species, protecting and restoring natural habitats, creating green jobs, and enhancing resilience to climate change. At the same time, it serves as a platform for peacebuilding and reconciliation among neighboring communities.
Dr. Ibrahim Khader
Regional Director, BirdLife International – Middle East
