Partnership agreement between SPNL and LRA

A partnership agreement between the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon – SPNL and the Litani River Authority – LRA was established on the 31st of December 2018.

Both parties signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation for sustainable development and combating pollution through the Hima approach and training Homat Al Hima.

In addition to that Dr. Sami Alawiyi, the director of LRA, offered the hunting tower of Lake Qaraoun to SPNL to turn it from a hunting tower into a bird watching and monitoring tower of illegal killing of birds. 


Commenting on the agreement, Assad Serhal, SPNL Director-General said that “LRA will help SPNL and its partners to increase the awareness of the importance of cultural heritage by promoting the value of Litani’s natural environment, safeguarding the authentically unique, traditional and irreplaceable character of the Litani’s Basin, building rapport with the local community, creating job opportunities, enhancing and promoting local facilities, and training local guides to grasp the historical developments of their town”.

“The importance of Hima municipal decisions in the Litani Basin and the partnership agreement with LRA , that it not only covers over 70% of the Eastern Slopes/West Beqaa Shouf Biosphere Reserve (SBR) area for sustainable use of resources and conservation, but also for setting the stage for the identification and execution of priority areas for action, based on a solid participatory policies, approved and endorsed by local authorities”. Serhal added.

The Litani River Authority was established under the Law dated August 14, 1954 amended on December 30, 1955. Since its establishment, the Litani River Authority was considered to be a public institution whose functions are identified as follows:

First: Implement the Litani irrigation, drying, drinking water and electricity projects.

Second: Establish a network linking up power stations in Lebanon.

Third: Establish electrical substations and distribution lines in all the Lebanese regions.

Fourth: Invest in the different parts of the project at both the technical and the administrative levels