“Is it far worse in the Lebanon? In really simple terms it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen in my life.” Komitee gegen den Vogelmord (Committee Against Bird Slaughter as it’s known in English) – or CABS – is a German-based organisation founded to tackle illegal poaching and trapping of birds across Europe. Last year, working with SPNL, the Birdlife partner in Lebanon, CABS sent its first teams into the firing line to understand what was happening to migratory birds on a key part of the African-Eurasian Flyway. What they witnessed in Lebanon shook even experienced staff.
This edition of Al Hima magazine weaves together inspiring stories of nature conservation and community resilience, highlighting how Lebanon is being stitched back to life—one Hima at a time. The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) continues its mission to preserve the country’s natural heritage by empowering local communities. A cornerstone of this effort is the BioConnect project, funded by the European Union, which has achieved three national firsts: Lebanon’s first natural park (Upper Matn), first geological park (Shouf-Jezzine), and first endowment Hima (Btekhnay).