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

• All nature reserves with an Appointed Protected Areas Committees APAC (15) now have approved management plans in place, either developed for the first time or fully updated, including nine reserves and the RAMSAR site of Ammiq Wetland.
• Governance and legal frameworks strengthened through assessment of existing structures, development of a reform roadmap, and drafting of all legal texts under the Protected Areas Framework Law 130/2019.
• Ecosystem services valuation methodology developed by UNESCO and implemented across 15 nature reserves, accompanied by capacity building for management teams.
• Comprehensive biodiversity assessments completed across all nature reserves, covering flora and fauna (plants, mushrooms, birds, insects, reptiles, mammals, and amphibians).
• National planning and monitoring tools developed, including GIS-based monitoring for all 18 reserves, 50 species-specific monitoring plans, and business and investment plans for 10 reserves.
• National technical guidelines produced, including fire risk prevention and management, wayfinding and signage, and beekeeping–conservation integration guidelines.
• Scientific knowledge strengthened through the publication of three peer-reviewed scientific studies.
• Infrastructure and equipment delivered and upgraded, including restoration of cultural heritage elements, upgrading and renovation of visitor facilities, installation of solar photovoltaic systems, development of sustainable trails and resting areas, accessibility upgrades for persons with disabilities, design of environmentally sensitive visitor centers, installation of gates and fencing, procurement of solid waste management equipment, and deployment of marine and field equipment including RHIB boats for coastal and marine protected area management.
• Capacity building, awareness, and outreach activities implemented through national and international workshops, an exchange tour with Italy, a post-fire rehabilitation training mission, inclusive tourism webinars, and multimedia awareness products.

Key Figures:

• 18 Designated nature reserves supported.
• 15 nature reserves with APACs holding approved or updated management plans.
• 29 nature sites, 23 protected forests, and 25 Hima areas covered under national protection frameworks.
• Protected and nt approximately 15.6 percent of Lebanon’s terrestrial territory.
• 5 national guidelines developed, covering key aspects of protected area management and infrastructure.
• 15 nature reserves with completed ecosystem valuation.
• 10 nature reserves with business and investment plans.
• 50 species-specific monitoring plans developed.
• All national stakeholders trained through National/International training missions.
• 3 scientific publications produced.
• 42 habitat types identified within nature reserves, out of 190 habitats recorded nationally.
• Biodiversity assessments across 18 nature reserves recorded 38 mammal species (including nationally threatened species), 209 bird species, 41 reptile and amphibian species, and 993 insect species, including new national records and species of global conservation concern.
• Nature reserves host 27.8 percent of Lebanon’s total flora (794 species), including 90 endemic taxa and 46 rare plant species.
• Surveys across 15 nature reserves identified 193 mushroom species.
  
   

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.