Deforestation of Lebanon\'s Forests

¶ … tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money

~ Cree Indian Proverb

Lebanon is home to some of the most famous forests, with Mount Lebanon's Cedars mentioned in the Old Testament numerous times. For millennia these trees have been planted and replanted, preserving the history within the land. However in recent times, the ancient forests of Lebanon have been cut down for fuel to heat the homes of impoverished Lebanese. For millennia, the trees on Mount Lebanon have been, over time, depleted in order to make houses, boats, etc. due to the high quality of the Cedars. Even with ancient (Roman) and modern (WWF and AFDC) conservation attempts at controlling the level of deforestation, there are still various situations that promote the continuance of deforestation: frequent forest fires, exploitation, unregulated tourism, and overgrazing.

The beauty of Lebanon exists within its ancient and beautiful trees. People of today do not cherish the nature surrounding them and at times, take desperate measure to ensure their survival, at the cost of losing something as precious as the forests and the wildlife within them. In an article by Al-Fakih, the people of northern Bekaa use the lumber from the nearby forests to heat their homes. "HERMEL, Lebanon: With the beginning of winter, residents of villages and towns in northern Bekaa, many of whom are unable to afford fuel, are turning to wood from the area's forests" (Al-Fakih, 2011, p. 3).

They do not understand the extent of the damage they cause by cutting and burning the few trees that remain in the country, seeing the trees as a means of keeping warm. Poverty lies rampant in certain areas of Lebanon and where there is a deep need for warmth and comfort, the trees are used to supply their needs. In truth it would be very hard to control the misuse of lumber by locals without providing them fuel or insulation to keep their homes warm during the winter. Ultimately the loss of the trees has and is based on the people's desire for comfort with ancient people using the wood for boats and homes and modern people to heat their homes and cook their food. To turn the other cheek to the balance of nature for human comforts is considered common amongst society as a whole.

The Garden of Eden was seen throughout biblical history as a paradise. Lebanon's forests were also viewed as a heaven with lush cedars and oaks. But over the course of several thousand years all but five percent of the trees remain. Now more and more trees are cut down to satisfy the demand by the poor of Lebanon. "…the poorest of the poor" secure their need by gathering fallen branches in orchards and fields and at the edges of the area's forests or by buying them from the owners of the fields for LL150,000 to LL200,000 a ton" (Al-Fakih, 2011, p. 3).

Not only are the trees being cut down, but the branches are taken as people view the wood as their only viable source of fuel. Without any income to pay for gas or electricity, these people of the small towns and villages see the woods of Lebanon as their only means of existing decently, albeit sparsely in a world full of poverty and misfortune. There are however suggestions for reforestation, specifically in certain regions that would only need rainfall to grow. "He suggested reforestation take place in the plains and mountains of the Hermel region, as it would only involve planting tree seedlings which could grow on their own with the help of the area's soil and high rainfall levels" (Al-Fakih, 2011, p. 3).

Most of Lebanon is either too dry or too inhabited to provide enough room and water for healthy trees to grow. Like the hair of Samson, trees draw their strength from strong roots. Planting seedlings in mountainous regions, especially Mount Lebanon will at least allow for some possibility of regrowth. The ancients used to replant often to keep the forest of Lebanon from dissipating even if the numbers of trees eventually diminished.

Back when the Phoenicians built their empire amidst the lush forests of Lebanon, then called Phoenicia by the Greeks, the trees covered the land. Presently most of Lebanon is covered in scrub vegetation. "It is now generally agreed that the prevalent scrub vegetation of the Levantine highlands is the degraded remnant of an original cover of forest" (Mikesell, 1969, p. 1). The once beautiful landscape that drew the life of a civilized people, now exists as a mere skeleton of its former beauty.

Much like in modern times the trees are used as a means of either making money or for fuel, the ancients also took from the bountiful land to exist and flourish. Many souls, not just the Phoenicians depended on the timber found in Lebanon. "From the time of the earliest Egyptian and Mesopotamian documents until the reign of Emperor Hadrian this area was known for its valuable timber " (Mikesell, 1969, p. 1). People used the timber from Lebanon for many purposes, most of which were for boats. As most know boats were used for fishing and exploring foreign lands. The ancient Phoenicians settled Carthage thanks to the timber cut from Lebanon. Sadly less and less of the once bountiful trees exist today.

"Only scattered remnants survive of the once extensive stands of cedar, fir, and juniper, and most of the oak forests have been reduced to scrub" (Mikesell, 1969, p. 1). Scrub is neither useful nor beautiful. Cedars, which stay green all year long, barely exist, with a few in Mount Lebanon, and sparingly elsewhere. Besides the needs of the impoverished, forest fires are also depleting the already exhausted supply of forests.

The forest fires come from the hellish accidents of farmers who try to clear their fields but unwittingly cause vast devastation from their simple actions. In addition to forest fires, farmers also allow their herds to overgraze, ruining possibilities for seedlings to grow and become the cedars of old that provide not only shelter for animals, but much needed food, freshwater, and desertification for humans. Trees, especially cedars are slow in growing and need several decades of uninterrupted development to reach maturity. Having the goats and other farm animals eat most of the seedlings keeps trees from getting a chance to spread and thrive. Along with overgrazing, unregulated tourism also presents an obstacle.

Places like Mount Lebanon have attracted international interest throughout the century. Due to several mentions in the Bible and by the likes of Homer, Mount Lebanon and the cedar have become well-known throughout time. There is a reason why cedars have remained so popular, especially for the ancients who cherished and prized its wood. "Prized for its color, fragrance, commercial value, and utility in building, cedar was considered the king of trees by the ancient world" (Gunther, 2010, p. 1). As the most valued of all the woods in the ancient world, cedar quickly became heavily used with economies dependent on cedar forests.

Lebanon known for its cedar forests, especially in Mount Lebanon might lose its precious trees. The wood was not the only thing used by people. Cedar Resin was also valued. "Cedar resin was equally valued for its preservative and medicinal properties. It was used for preserving wooden equipment on ships, papyrus scrolls, and the insides of earthenware wine jars, as well as for embalming Egyptian mummies and in various medicines" (Gunther, 2010, p. 1). To lose the precious cedar from Lebanon along with all its benefits, would be an utter travesty. Like a petal falling from a rose, the cedars disappearance from the country will leave the country bare and empty.

Most of the land surrounding Lebanon is filled with desert and emptiness leading to a vast wasteland. Preserving the trees of Lebanon, the forests of Lebanon, will allow for the present and future generations to reap the same rewards people have for thousands of years. The travesty of man is in the loss of nature. Several historic literature refers to the period of uses of the trees including the middle Ages.

"In the Middle Ages, mountain villagers cleared forests for farmland, using the wood for domestic fuel and construction. And in the early 1900s, the Ottoman Empire cleared much of the remaining cedar forests for use as fuel in steam trains" (Gunther, 2010, p. 1). Much like the 2011 article explains, most of the deforestation that occurred in the past and is now happening in the present is for fuel. If people do not find alternative sources for fuel, the forests will continue to deplete until there is nothing left. Lebanon is home a multitude of different kinds of trees. There are conifer species, that back when the forests were full, expanded throughout all of Lebanon. The trees were so plentiful, people often considered the land of Lebanon as an important place to visit.

Ten species of conifers in five genera are found as wild populations in Lebanon: Cilician fir Abies cilicica, cedar of Lebanon Cedrus libani, Mediterranean cyprus Cupressus sempervirens, Syrian juniper Juniperus drupacea, Grecian juniper J. excelsa, willdenow J. foetidissima, prickly juniper J. oxycedrus, Calabrian pine Pinus brutia, Aleppo pine P. halepensis and stone pine P. pinea (Talhouk, Zurayk, & Khuri, 2001, p. 206).

People still view Lebanon as a place worth visiting with tourism being one of the main source of income for many of the residents. Unregulated tourism however is attributing to the growing deforestation problem. Tourists regularly visit unlicensed Lebanese zoos that contain smuggled animals.

A lot of the building materials for these zoos come from the forests or are put on cleared land that once had trees. These actions not only affect the animals but also the population of trees as people readily attempt to satisfy the needs of the tourists in order to earn income. People who visit the country mainly come to visit the nightlife or see its beauty. But as the forests are disappearing to fulfill the needs of the people, the beauty that attracts tourists is fading.

People who do not attempt to conserve the forests of Lebanon do not see the importance of them. They are an integral part of the landscape with wolves and other animals using the forests as permanent habitats. Forests also keep soil erosion from happening. Soil erosion is a devastating effect from lack of trees to root the ground leading to life threatening landslides.

The preservation of the trees in the country can protect its inhabitants from deadly landslides, but also keep rainfall and water levels consistent. Lack of rainfall in parts of the Middle East are attributed to deficiency in trees. Trees help produce more rain throughout areas and also prevent desertification. Desertification can wreak in already impoverished areas of Lebanon.

For people to continue inhabiting the area, conservation must take place to not only preserve the serenity and beauty of the natural landscape, but also keep their economy and resources intact. Although conservation efforts were unsuccessful in the past, current efforts are gaining ground. People are finally understanding the importance of preventing deforestation and are attempting to replenish the scarred lands. Efforts nevertheless, are concentrated on cedars as cedars are the most well-known trees of Lebanon. "Conservation efforts in Lebanon have concentrated mainly on the cedar of Lebanon, with two cedar of Lebanon forests protected as Nature Reserves" (Talhouk, Zurayk, & Khuri, 2001, p. 206).

The world famous cedars of Lebanon are at increased risk year by year of falling out of existence. The travesty of losing such a valued and wonderfully historic source of sustenance is something the people of the country do not wish for. As more and more people feel the need to change their view on conservation, more and more changes become implemented.

Tourism in Lebanon is beginning to take the form of cultural and ecotourism. "Lebanon receives about 750,000 visitors a year, attracted by a diverse tourism portfolio with an increasing emphasis on cultural and ecotourism" (Shackley, 2004, p. 417). More and more people wish to see the natural gifts of the country instead of hang out in night clubs and sun at the beaches. As more and more people pine for the sweet smelling pines, more and more residents seek to quell their desire for Mother Nature. They have planted over 250,000 seedlings and have enlisted volunteers to fight forest fires.