Please welcome SPNL’s 30th Hima at Baisour
14 September 2023 was an important day for SPNL welcoming the Baisour municipality decree to declare “Radar Baissour pine forest” as Hima.
Baisour or Bayssour, (Arabic: بيصور) is a village located in the Aley District of Mount Lebanon. It is 850 metres (2,790 ft) above sea level and shares a border with Aley, Kaifoun, Kabr Shmoon, Majdlaya, and Ainab.
Thousands of tourists visit Baissour every year, and along with the restaurants along the river, one of the biggest attractions is the Radar area. This beautiful, mountainous, tree covered picnic and recreational area is located at the highest point of Baisour and is accessible year round.
In 1838, Eli Smith, an American Protestant missionary and scholar, noted the place, called Beisur, located in Aklim es-Sahhar, between el-Ghurb and el-Jurd.
Baisour municipality is highly interested in reviving the Hima in the villages to protect natural resources and to promote tourism.
SPNL Droub El Hima programe will be linking the villages in the region together through trails. The idea is to develop trails that would host all groups: Students, Families, and Professionals. The trails will be supported by informational and directional signs as needed.
A meeting was held yesterday with the mayor of baisour, Nadim Malaeb as a follow up to what was done in Baisour the municipality signed new lands with SPNL under Hima so we can proceed with trails and droub al hima.
This year, SPNL celebrates its 40th anniversary, coinciding with IUCN’s 75th anniversary. 30 years ago, in 1993, SPNL became the first IUCN national partner in Lebanon.
The Hima Baisour center will be serving the activities planned in the area
Since 2004, SPNL took a further initiative in its mission by focusing on reviving the Hima system that was prevalent in the Arab region. Hima is Arabic for a land protected by the local community, and SPNL’s approach integrates traditional knowledge and practices with modern life and scientific research. It established 30 Himas across Lebanon in cooperation with municipalities and local communities, preserving 6 percent of the country’s area. SPNL is pursuing to expand the scope of this wise traditional approach in the Arab region. SPNL is now focusing on the young generation. Through its School with No Walls (SNOW) program, thousands of students across Lebanon were trained to protect nature, explore biodiversity and advocate sustainable practices. The Ministry of Education has adopted this program in public schools and SPNL established partnerships with universities to engage students in conservation programs.
SPNL is making connectivity and partnership with divers stakeholders, regarding the different topics of interest (climate change, biodiversity, anti-poaching etc.). Working with govermental authorities, municipalities, academic institutions, museums and the local communities, linking culture to nature.
Homat al Hima International (HHI) is SPNL business arm, to insure sustainibility of the programs in the face of the national and global financial metdown and the post covid-19 recovery.
NATURAL VALUE
IBA designation / A4iv
Habitat / Woodland / Plains / Fields / Farmland
Species
Flora: Calabrian pine, Lebanon shrubby sage,
Woody fleabane, Caper /
Fauna: Wild boar,
Threats /
Pollution /
Irresponsible hunting
Conservation action:
Done: Peace trail
Needed: Management plan / Responsible tourism / Monitoring