Lebanon has reached another important milestone in its national conservation journey with the official declaration of Hima Sarhmoul, making the village the 42nd Hima in the country. This step further strengthens a growing national movement that places community stewardship, local governance, and cultural heritage at the core of environmental protection.
With Hima Sarhmoul, the national Hima network led by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon now includes 42 community-based conservation sites across Lebanon. Together, these sites stand as a living testament to the power of collaboration between municipalities, local leaders, civil society, and partners, while positioning Lebanon as a regional pioneer in community-led conservation, in line with global biodiversity commitments such as the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the 30×30 target.
A Municipal Decision Anchored in Law and the Public Interest
The establishment of Hima Sarhmoul was formalized through Municipal Council Decision No. (17), adopted by the Sarhmoul Municipal Council during its session held on 5 December 2025, following a formal invitation issued on 27 October 2025. The session was attended by the Mayor, Mr. Samer Nazem Nour El-Din, and the Vice Mayor, Ms. Jouria Nabih Saad.
The decision was taken in accordance with the Lebanese Municipal Law (Legislative Decree No. 118/1977 and its amendments), Decree No. 295/1985, and based on the requirements of the public interest. It approves the establishment of a Hima project on Cadastral Parcel No. 77, which is municipal property of Sarhmoul, in cooperation with the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon.
The objective of the Hima is to regulate sustainable land use, protect natural resources, and ensure long-term environmental sustainability, while safeguarding the village’s ecological and cultural assets.
Sarhmoul, A Strategic Location in Mount Lebanon
Sarhmoul is located in the Aley District of Mount Lebanon Governorate, approximately 13 kilometers from Beirut, at an elevation of around 400 meters above sea level. Covering an area of roughly 2.064 square kilometers, the village occupies a strategic position linking the coastal plain to the mountain hinterland.
Sarhmoul is bordered by Ainab to the east, Aramoun to the southwest, Al-Bsatine to the southeast, and Bchamoun to the north. Several longstanding families, including Nour El-Din, Ismail, Nasr El-Din, and Abu Shakr, have historically shaped the village’s social fabric and relationship with the land.
An Ancient Tanukhid Stronghold
Sarhmoul is considered one of the oldest villages in the Aley District, carrying a rich historical legacy that dates back to Phoenician and Tanukhid times. The village’s name is believed to derive from “Hisn Moul,” later evolving into Sarhmoul, a composite of sar (prince) and hamoul (keeper or storehouse), reflecting its historical administrative and defensive role.
One of Sarhmoul’s most prominent landmarks is Sarhmoul Hill (Tal‘at Al-Rweisseh), which hosts significant Phoenician and Tanukhid archaeological remains, including stone sarcophagi, rock-cut tombs, and carved stone basins. The site also preserves the remains of a Tanukhid castle, which once served as a key defensive and administrative center in Mount Lebanon.
Historically, Sarhmoul played a central role within the Tanukhid Emirate, particularly during the 11th and 12th centuries. The fortress of Sarhmoul functioned as a strategic stronghold during resistance against Crusader incursions and as a hub of political, military, and religious authority in Jabal Al-Gharb. From this landscape, the Tanukhids developed a distinctive model of governance rooted in territorial belonging, autonomy, and stewardship of the land.
A Hima that Protects Nature and Memory
The declaration of Hima Sarhmoul goes beyond environmental protection. It represents an integrated approach that safeguards natural ecosystems, historical landscapes, and collective memory. By protecting hillsides, vegetation cover, and archaeological sites, the Hima helps prevent encroachment and degradation while reconnecting the local community with its cultural and environmental heritage.
Hima Sarhmoul forms part of SPNL’s broader vision to integrate biodiversity conservation, cultural heritage, and local development into a single, coherent framework in which municipalities play a leading role in planning and management.
A Message from the Mountain to the Future
With Sarhmoul joining the national Hima network, Mount Lebanon sends a clear message, that protecting nature is inseparable from protecting history and identity. Through informed local governance and community participation, villages and towns can play a decisive role in shaping a more resilient and sustainable future.
Hima Sarhmoul stands as a living testimony to the meeting of nature and history, and as a reminder that communities which preserved their land for centuries remain capable today of safeguarding it for generations to come.
