The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) is proud to announce the release of its latest publication, “Manual for Citizen Science Biodiversity Monitoring in Lebanon,“ prepared by Miriam Gately, under the “BioConnect” project, funded by the European Union. This groundbreaking manual serves as a comprehensive guide to engaging local communities in biodiversity conservation and environmental management, focusing on Lebanon’s Hima protected areas.
Empowering Communities for Conservation
Lebanon’s rich biodiversity is not currently being monitored on a large scale, and there remains a disconnect between society and biodiversity conservation. This manual provides practical guidance on how to implement citizen science biodiversity monitoring projects, particularly within Himas—community-based protected areas that integrate conservation with local traditions and needs.
Key Highlights of the Manual:
📌 Citizen Science as Democratic Innovation: Engaging local communities in biodiversity monitoring and environmental governance.
📌 A First for Lebanon & MENA: The first manual in Lebanon and the Middle East North Africa region to outline formal citizen science biodiversity monitoring.
📌 Broad Application: While focused on Hima conservation areas, the principles can be widely applied to various habitats and ecological questions.
📌 Data-Driven Decision-Making: Helping scientists, environmental organizations, and policymakers gather, analyze, and use biodiversity data to inform land-use practices.
📌 Community-Centered Conservation: Strengthening the role of rural communities as stewards of Lebanon’s biodiversity through active participation in monitoring efforts.
A Roadmap for Future Citizen Science Projects
The manual outlines a step-by-step process for designing and implementing citizen science biodiversity monitoring initiatives, emphasizing that this approach goes beyond data collection. It fosters a collaborative knowledge-building process, where communities actively participate in research, policy formation, and land management—ensuring conservation efforts are both ecologically and socially beneficial.
📖 How to Use the Manual:
- Designed for scientists, environmental organizations, universities, practitioners, and researchers.
- Provides a clear methodology for structuring citizen science biodiversity monitoring projects.
- Includes a fictional case study monitoring Lebanese cedars (Cedrus libani) to demonstrate project implementation.
- Encourages feedback and iterative improvements based on stakeholder and practitioner experiences.
SPNL’s Commitment to Citizen Science & Biodiversity Protection
By democratizing environmental governance and integrating conservation with socio-economic development, this manual supports Lebanon’s transition toward a more inclusive, data-driven, and community-led approach to environmental stewardship.
📢 SPNL welcomes engagement from all sectors of society—scientists, conservationists, educators, and local communities—to help refine and expand this initiative for broader impact.
Join the Movement for Citizen Science & Conservation!
This manual marks a major step toward strengthening Lebanon’s biodiversity monitoring efforts, and SPNL hopes it will inspire similar projects across Lebanon and beyond.
🔗 Read the Full Manual & Get Involved:
#EUBioConnect4Lebanon
The European Union supports Lebanon’s stability, independence and sovereignty, its prosperity and democratic order. It strives also to help protect its environment and natural resources by supporting sustainable enterprise and development.
Find out more about the EU’s work in Lebanon or follow it on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @EUinLebanon
Overview of the BioConnect Project
The BioConnect Project, funded by the European Union, aims to enhance the management and governance of environmentally significant sites in southern Lebanon and establish new protected areas to preserve natural landscapes and biodiversity on a broader scale in the region.
Project Partners
Four main partners implement the project:
- Shouf Biosphere Reserve Association (ACS)
- Association for Rural Capacities Development (ADR)
- Association for Community and Environment (ACE)
- Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL)
These partners work collectively to:
- Improve the management of significant environmental sites.
- Establish new protected areas.
- Implement “Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures” (OECMs) for more comprehensive landscape preservation.
Main Objectives
The project seeks to achieve the following goals:
- Enhancing Ecosystem Health
- Improve social and economic benefits derived from ecosystems.
- Reducing Biodiversity Pressures
- Support local communities to ensure the sustainability of conservation efforts.
Geographical Scope
The project focuses on four main regions:
- Southern Coastal Lebanon
- Western Bekaa
- Mount Lebanon
- Southern Lebanon Mountains
Targeted Sites
The project covers the following Himas:
- Qolaila and Mansouri
- Khirbet Qanafar
- Ain Zebdeh
- Hammana
- Ras el-Metn
- Ibl es-Saqi
Project Duration
The project spans 45 months, from February 1, 2022, to October 31, 2025.
Strategic Goals
1. Biodiversity Conservation
- Develop and implement monitoring protocols for biodiversity, including plants, birds, mammals, and other wildlife.
- Increase knowledge of biodiversity in the targeted areas.
- Create citizen science protocols to ensure the sustainability of research efforts.
- Reduce habitat fragmentation by improving connectivity between natural landscapes.
2. Empowering Traditional Practices
- Support farmers through the “Hima Farm Program” to promote the transition to more sustainable agricultural practices.
3. Education and Capacity Building
- Deliver educational programs through initiatives such as:
- “School Without Walls” (SNOW) for children.
- “Youth Hima Rangers” for young conservationists.
- Develop eco-tourism activities to enhance the ecological tourism value of targeted areas.
- Organize annual Hima Forums to enable Hima leaders to share success stories.
4. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
- Establish an ecosystem-based framework to address climate change challenges.
- Strengthen the resilience of protected areas to climate change impacts.
5. Policy-Making
- Collaborate with municipalities to draft local policies for biodiversity conservation.
- Promote sustainable resource use in hunting, farming, and fishing activities.
