As part of ongoing efforts to bolster environmental security in Lebanon, the Commander of the Gendarmerie, Brigadier General Jean Aouad, received a delegation from the Anti-Poaching Unit (APU) in a meeting that focused on intensifying national efforts to combat illegal hunting and protect biodiversity.
During the meeting, Brigadier General Aouad emphasized that addressing poaching is no longer a marginal issue but a pressing national priority directly linked to public safety and environmental sustainability. He stated, “Environmental security is no less important than community security—it is a safeguard for the future of society.”
He further stressed that environmental protection is a shared responsibility that requires close cooperation at both the local and international levels. “The environment concerns everyone. It is not confined to one region or one group; it is our collective heritage and duty to protect it,” he added.
The APU delegation included:
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Adonis Khoury, Head of the Middle East Sustainable Hunting Center (MESHC) and Field Coordinator for Responsible Hunting at the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL),
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Shereen Bou Rfoul, Head of the APU and Country Director for Lebanon at the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS),
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Kabi Nader, Field Operations Director at APU.
The meeting included a discussion of the key challenges faced by field teams in curbing illegal hunting activities, as well as opportunities to enhance coordination between the APU and Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces—especially in hotspot areas where poaching violations are frequent.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Brigadier General Aouad expressed his full commitment to collaboration and support, affirming the Gendarmerie’s readiness to enforce environmental laws and hold violators accountable in order to safeguard Lebanon’s natural heritage and combat the ongoing threat of poaching.
The APU is operated jointly by the Middle East Sustainable Hunting Center (MESHC) and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL). The unit implements a project to combat illegal hunting, supported by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, in collaboration with BirdLife International, and in partnership with CABS (Committee Against Bird Slaughter), in coordination with the Internal Security Forces, the Intelligence and Investigations Branch, and Military Intelligence.
APU’s work also contributes to the BioConnect project—a 45-month initiative running through October 2025. This project focuses on improving the management and governance of ecologically important sites, establishing new protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs), and enhancing the conservation of broader landscapes. BioConnect aims to improve ecosystem health, deliver socio-economic benefits, and support local communities by addressing the main drivers of biodiversity loss.
