The campaign comes within the framework of a partnership between the Ministry of Agriculture, the Lebanese Reforestation Association (LRI) and the University of Balamand, funded by touch, during a press conference held at the Ministry of Agriculture’s headquarters, in the presence of the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Nizar Hani, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of touch and the General Director, Mr. Karim Salim Salam, the Director General of the Reforestation Association in Lebanon, Dr. Maya Nehme, and Dr. George Mitri, representing the University of Balamand, along with representatives of ministries, official departments, partner agencies, experts, and the media.
The Minister of Agriculture began the conference with a speech in which he stressed that Lebanese forests are not just green spaces, but rather represent a national wealth and an environmental and economic strategy, forming an essential foundation for protecting biodiversity, preserving water and soil resources, and enhancing Lebanon’s ability to confront the repercussions of climate change.
He pointed out that forests today face unprecedented challenges, starting from the effects of attacks that affected large areas of them, through climate changes that increased the risks of drought and fires, all the way to the spread of diseases and pests that threaten basic forest species such as pine and oak.
Hani stressed that the Ministry of Agriculture adopts a scientific and proactive approach in managing forest health, through the specialized technical committee that undertakes continuous monitoring of diseases and pests, evaluates forest conditions, and develops scientific plans and appropriate interventions to protect them.
He explained that the ministry’s strategy is based on four main axes, including:
· Enhancing forest monitoring and protecting them from unjust cutting, fires and encroachments.
· Adopting modern technologies, especially drones, in monitoring, early detection, and combating diseases and pests that affect Lebanese forests.
· Strengthening cooperation with municipalities and official administrations, especially the Lebanese army and security forces, to ensure the effective implementation of the forest law and the protection of forest wealth.
· Completing the legislative reform through a modern draft law on forest management, prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, and which is currently under study in joint parliamentary committees, in order to establish a more modern and sustainable management of Lebanese forests.
He stressed that protecting forests is a shared national responsibility, requiring the integration of the roles of the state, the private sector, universities and civil society, thanking the Forestry Association in Lebanon, the University of Balamand and Touch for their support.
This is an exemplary partnership. He also praised the efforts of the Ministry of Environment, municipalities, the Lebanese Army, security forces, and environmental associations in various regions, for their efforts in preventing fires, combating encroachments, and preserving forest cover.
He said: “Protecting forests is protecting our water, soil, and biodiversity, and it is an investment in the future of our generations. The Ministry of Agriculture will remain committed to working according to the latest scientific foundations, and in cooperation with all partners, to preserve this irreplaceable national wealth, because the forest is the pulse of the earth… and life.”
For his part, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of touch and General Manager, Mr. Karim Salim Salam, confirmed that the partnership with the Forestry Association in Lebanon was launched in 2015 within the Positive touch program for sustainable development, of which preserving the environment is one of its most prominent pillars.
He pointed out that the Touch Forest initiative has, to date, resulted in the planting of more than 16,000 trees on an area of approximately 34 hectares in various Lebanese regions, which contributed to enhancing biodiversity and protecting the soil.
He added that the new cooperation aims to provide practical and sustainable solutions to reduce the risks of fires, through integration of roles between the partner parties, stressing that touch will harness its digital and media capabilities to spread awareness and enhance early monitoring and prevention of fires before they occur, in order to preserve the environment and the safety of citizens.
The national campaign aims to raise awareness about the most prominent risks threatening Lebanese forests, most notably forest diseases and pests, climate change, fires, and human pressures, in addition to promoting the concept of sustainable forest management as the basic foundation for preserving biodiversity and reducing the deterioration of natural resources.
The campaign also includes a series of awareness, media and educational activities that will be implemented during the coming months, in addition to the production and dissemination of simplified scientific materials based on the latest international standards, with the aim of promoting a culture of prevention and environmental responsibility, and encouraging citizens to actively participate in protecting and preserving forests.
The launch of this initiative comes at a time when Lebanese forests face increasing environmental challenges, making cooperation between official institutions, universities, the private sector and civil society an integrated national model for managing forest health, enhancing their resilience to risks, and ensuring the sustainability of this natural heritage for present and future generations.
