AUB-IBSAR community tree planting to commence this month

3,000 Lebanese native trees will be brought from AUB's farm in the Beqaa (AREC) to a central village location where trees will then be distributed to other nearby villages. Approximately 10 villages in the Al-Shouf region will receive Lebanese natives ranging from wild almonds and apples, to crape myrtles, oaks, pines, and, of course, cedars. The trees will be planted with the help and cooperation of the municipalities that have agreed to care for them as they establish in their new homes.

Team leaders consisting of AUB-IBSAR staff and volunteers will lead small groups of volunteers in planting areas within villages. Local community members from all ages and facets of life are expected to pitch in and plant trees within their own neighborhoods. Community participation is essential for biodiversity conservation according to IBSAR's vision, because without local participation, reforestation initiatives will not be as successful and enduring.

The planting of the trees in the Al-Shouf villages was made possible by donations made by Arab Reinsurance whose philanthropic chairman showed great interests in promoting community-based conservation projects.

Following the Al-Shouf planting, IBSAR will transport another 3,000 trees to the Akkar region to be allocated for planting in about a dozen villages there. This particular region is home to some of the most impoverished and marginalized communities who are in dire need of support.

We expect the youth in these villages to turn out in large numbers and participate in the tree planting. IBSAR recently hosted a biodiversity day camp in Akkar late August. The youth from this region were ecstatic with the activities presented to them by IBSAR staff and volunteers. The objective was to prepare them with knowledge regarding identification and various uses of native trees before they begin planting tomorrow's trees.

The 'Seeds of Hope, Trees for Tomorrow' campaign is aimed at mobilizing local communities to participate in a nationwide municipal reforestation project. Over 100 villages will eventually have 50,000 native trees from over two dozen species by 2010 in order to preserve the seed stock for future long-term community-based reforestation schemes.

The next phase (2010 - 2015) will include constructing cooperative native plant nurseries so that each village will have the ability to take charge of their own site-specific reforestation and land rehabilitation program.