Project Overview

The project aims to strengthen the conservation, management, and sustainable use of Lebanon’s nature reserves and protected areas by reinforcing legal and institutional frameworks, advancing scientific research and evidence-based planning, and enhancing on-the-ground infrastructure and management capacity. Through a combination of governance support, biodiversity assessments, climate and fire risk management, sustainable livelihood promotion, and inclusive capacity-building, STEP4Nature contributes to improving ecosystem resilience, safeguarding natural heritage, and supporting socio-economic benefits for communities living in and around protected areas, in alignment with national priorities and international environmental commitments.
 

Project Objective

• Enhance legal, institutional, and governance frameworks for effective management, coordination, and sustainability of nature reserves and protected areas.
• Improve scientific knowledge, biodiversity assessments, monitoring systems, and planning tools to support informed conservation and management decisions.
• Increase the resilience of ecosystems and protected areas to climate change, forest fires, and environmental risks through targeted management and restoration measures.
• Promote sustainable use of natural resources, inclusive and gender-responsive livelihoods, capacity building, and improved infrastructure to deliver socio-economic benefits while safeguarding natural heritage.
   

Achievements & Key Figures (2020–2026)

• Governance, Legal and Institutional Framework:

1 national protected-area governance review completed.

2 strategic policy instruments developed.

3 draft implementing decrees and 4 draft ministerial decisions prepared to support the implementation of Protected Areas Framework Law No. 130/2019.

18 standardized job descriptions developed.

• National Guidelines and Technical Standards

6 national guidelines developed covering protected-area management, wayfinding, trails, wildfire risk, wildlife-friendly fencing and sustainable beekeeping.

• Protected Area Planning and Management

10 protected-area management plans developed.

19 solid waste management plans prepared.

10 business, investment and marketing plans developed.

15 ecosystem service valuation assessments completed.

1 national ecosystem service valuation methodology developed with UNESCO.

• Biodiversity Conservation and Monitoring

18 comprehensive biodiversity assessments completed, covering all 18 Nature Reserves. 

2,400+ species documented, including rare, endemic and threatened species (45 mammal species; 209 bird species; 40 amphibian and reptile species; 982 insect species; 941 vascular plant species; 194 macrofungi species).

43 integrated monitoring plans developed covering 234 priority species (17 plans covering 91 vascular plant species; 8 plans covering 16 macrofungi species; 18 plans covering 127 fauna species).

1 national remote-sensing monitoring framework established.

4 types of ex situ conservation collections and facilities supported: seed banks, herbaria, fungarium and insectarium.

• Climate Resilience and Ecosystem Restoration

9 Fire Risk Management Plans developed.

2 post-fire ecological assessments completed.

1,200 carob trees planted.

5 pollinator hotels installed in Nature Reserves.

• National GIS and Scientific Research

102 protected and conservation areas/sites mapped nationally (18 Nature Reserves; 29 Nature Sites; 23 Protected Forests; 25 Himas; 3 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves; 4 Ramsar Sites).

15.6% of Lebanon’s terrestrial territory mapped as protected areas, reaching 24.4% with ecological buffer zones.

1 national GIS inventory developed and spatial data submitted to WDPA.

4 peer-reviewed scientific publications produced.

• Sustainable Financing and Nature-Based Livelihoods

10 protected-area business and investment plans developed.

2 sustainable apiary designs prepared.

6 protected areas introduced to oyster mushroom cultivation and 87 women trained in mushroom production.

3 native plant-based products developed (myrtle syrup, myrtle liqueur and strawberry-tree jam)

• Inclusive and Sustainable Infrastructure

5 solar PV systems installed across 4 protected areas.

80 stone benches installed across 10 protected areas.

8 protected areas supported with accessibility improvements.

3 visitor centres upgraded.

10 protected areas equipped with waste-segregation systems.

1 greenhouse rehabilitated and 2 heritage structures restored.

1 marine patrol boat provided.

• Capacity Development and Knowledge Exchange

51 training, awareness and knowledge-exchange sessions conducted.

1,045 participations recorded, including 582 women (55.7%).

3 international technical exchange missions organized to Italy.
 

GESI Component (Gender Equality and Social Inclusion)

The project is designated with a GEN2 gender marker, ensuring that gender equality is a significant objective. It incorporates the principles of non-discrimination and meaningful participation, with a specific focus on engaging the poor and women living in the communities surrounding Nature Reserve boundaries. By prioritizing accountability and the inclusion of marginalized groups in the formulation of management plans, the project ensures that conservation efforts do not adversely impact human rights and instead provide inclusive socio-economic benefits.