Anjar and Hammana, Lebanon, November 2021
The project started on the field with the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL), a A Tree for You’s planting partner, and the local communities of Hammana and Anjar. It aims to revive the concept of Hima – ‘protected place’ in Arabic – which for centuries has enabled the sustainable use of resources and biodiversity for communities living in the vicinity.
Planting 2,500 trees in two villages will help local communities build a resilient livelihood model by growing fruit trees, such as almond, olive, cherry, etc. The trees planted will also restore ecosystems, protect animals and migratory birds, and create a cohesive community closely in touch with nature.
A total of 1,250 trees will be planted in Hammana with the municipality and local community. This town, located 30km east of Beirut, is famous for its cherry trees and cherry festival. Situated along the main migration route for birds, Hima Hammana has become an eco-tourism site for enthusiasts to watch them.
A total of 1,250 fruit trees will be planted in Anjar, a palace town in the east of the country that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hima Anjar, declared a protected area in 2008, includes wetlands and marshes that provide an important habitat for both migratory birds and biodiversity.
The project started in October 2021 with meetings between SPNL teams and local elected officials from both cities. One of its key aspects is the direct involvement of local communities. Hence the importance of explaining the project to local representatives, and together selecting the planting sites, planting designs, and species to be planted.
The municipalities are also contributing to the project by providing one technician per city responsible for organising the project, helping prepare the soil, and supervising planting with the local people. The local populations of both towns are invited to come and plant trees on planting days. This helps get them involved in the project, as well as raising awareness of the many benefits of trees.
In Hammana, trees will be planted in a corridor alongside a road and on a piece of land next to a religious monument. These two popular places are gathering points and so lie at the heart of the lives of the local population of Hammana, who will be able to fully enjoy these trees. In Hammana, oak, carob, almond, lime, olive, and cedar species will be planted.
In Anjar, fruit trees will be planted near a school and a church. The aim is to harvest the fruit and distribute it to local communities in need. Cherry, plum, peach, apple, olive, and apricot trees will be planted in Anjar.
The seedlings are currently still in the nursery and will soon be ready for planting. The nursery was selected because it meets the quality needs of the seedlings to ensure good health and minimise mortality during planting.
The planting campaigns in the two cities were originally planned for December 2021 and should have run up to February 2022. But due to climate change, rain is overdue in Lebanon, and it is impossible to start planting without it. This is a growing problem for farmers, whose harvests are shrinking year after year. After discussing with many agricultural experts, the SPNL team decided it would be too risky to plant the seedlings in December without rain. This would affect their growth and increase the loss rate. Planting is expected to take place around mid-January 2022, hoping that the rain will come.
