Categories of Protected Areas

Lebanon has been designating protected areas since the 1930's. Responsibility for such designation originally fell under the jurisdiction of Ministry of National Economy. Since that time, this mandate has been reattributed to several parties including the Ministries of Environment, Agriculture, Culture and others.

Existing classification of Protected Areas in Lebanon includes 8 Nature Reserves, 24 Natural sites, 5 Himas, 12 Protected Forests, 14 touristic sites, and a multitude of sites that is worth protection (refer to the table below for further details).

In this regard, the Ministry of Environment, within the framework of the Stable Institutional Structure for Protected Areas Management (SISPAM) Project, is preparing a new categories system for Protected Areas defining criteria for the establishment of each category in addition to their management objectives and model, in order to ensure a better Protected Areas management in Lebanon.

I. Nature Reserves (click here): 1.

Palm, Sanany and Ramkeen Islands

Law no. 121 of 1992

2.

Horsh Ehden Nature Reserve

Law no. 121 of 1992

3.

Al Shouf Cedars Nature Reserve

Law no. 532 of 1996

4.

Tyre Coast Nature Reserve

Law no. 708 of 1998

5.

Tannourine Cedar Forest Nature Reserve

Law no. 9 of 1999

6.

Yammouneh Nature Reserve

Law no. 10 of 1999

7.

Bentael Nature Reserve

Law no. 11 of 1999

8.

Karm Chbat Forest Nature Reserve

Ministerial decision no. 14 of 1995
II. Natural Sites protected by Decision of the Minister of Environment (click here): II.1 Forests and Landscape

1.

Kadisha Valley site ( Kanobeen & Kizhaya)

Decision no. 151/1997

2.

Coastal Front Rocks of Wata Silm (Tabarja)

Decision no. 200/1997

3.

Forests between Ain El Hour- Daraya- Debiyé- Bérjin; Sheikh Osman Forest; Deir al Mokhalis surrounding; Ain w Zein Hospital surrounding; Dalboun forest; Al Mal valley; Kafra wells; Ainbal valley sites

Decision no. 132/1998

4.

Al Makmel Mountain ( Black summit)

Decision no. 187 of 1998

5.

Al Kammoua Area ( Akkar)

Decision no. 19 of 2002

6.

Dalhoun Forest (Al Shouf)

Decision no. 22 of 2002

7.

Al Qaraqeer Valley ( Zgharta)

Decision no. 21 of 2002

8.

Baatara Sinkhole site (Tannourine)

Decision no. 8 of 2004

II.2 River Streams

1.

Ibrahim River till outlet

Decision no. 34/1997

2.

Al Jawz River till outlet

Decision no. 22/1998

3.

Al Kalb River till outlet

Decision no. 97/1998

4.

Al Damour River till outlet

Decision no. 29/1998

5.

Beirut River till outlet

Decision no. 130/1998

6.

Al Awali River till outlet

Decision no. 131/1998

7.

Arka River till outlet

Decision no. 188/1998

8.

Al Assi River till outlet

Decision no. 189/1998
III. Hima and Forests declared by Minister of Agriculture Decision (click here): 1.

National hima from Maaser Al Shouf to Dahr El Baydar

Decision no. 127 of 1991

2.

National Marine hima at the Marine Sciences Center (Batroun)

Decision no. 129 of 1991

3.

National hima in Al Kammoua mountain (Akkar)

Decision no. 165 of 1991

4.

National hima in Kfar Zabad village (Zahle)

Decision no. 71 of 1992

5.

National hima in Hbaleen

Decision no. 152 of 1992

6.

Tannourine, Hadath El Jebbe, Jaj and Al Arz forests

Decision no. 499 of 1996

7.

Cedar forest in Swaysi area (Hermel)

Decision no. 587 of 1996

8.

Cedar, Shouh, juniper forest in A Kammoua (Akkar)

Decision no. 588 of 1996

9.

Cedar, Shouh and juniper forest in Karm Chbat (Akkar)

Decision no. 589 of 1996

10.

Cedar, Shouh, juniper, oak, ofis, and malloul forest in Bezbina (Akkar)

Decision no. 591 of 1996

11.

Knat forest

Decision no. 592 of1996

12.

Bkassine forest

Decision no. 3 of 1997

13.

Cedar, Shouh, juniper, oak, ofis, and malloul forest in Ain AlHokaylat and AlKeif Kirnet and shalout (Al Diniyé)

Decision no. 8 of 1997

14.

Cedar and juniper forest in Jurd Al Njass – Al Arbaen mountain (Al Diniyé)

Decision no. 9 of 1997

15.

Cedar and ofus forest in Sfiné village (Akkar)

Decision no. 10 of 1997

16.

Cedar, Shouh, juniper forest in Marbine - Jhanam Valley (Akkar)

Decision no. 11 of 1997

17.

Chebaa valley

Decision no. 174 of 1997
IV. Touristic Sites declared by Decision of Ministry of Tourism (click here): 1.

Arqa Village à Historical monuments

Decision no. 198/1993

2.

Kammoua Village à Natural landscape

Decision no. 198/1993

3.

Beni Saab Farm (Bcharre) à Natural landscape

Decision no. 634/1999

4.

AlShawaghir Village (Hermel) à Historical monuments and natural landscape

Decision no. 262/2004

5.

AlHibariya Village (Hasbaya) à Historical monuments and natural landscape

Decision no. 263/2004

6.

Zanoubiya Village (Baalbeck-Hermel) à Historical monuments and natural landscape

Decision no. 264/2004

7.

Shaqra and Dobiya Villages à Historical monuments and natural landscape

Decision no. 265/2004

8.

Jbaa Village à Historical monuments and natural landscape

Decision no. 266/2004

9.

Arnoun Village (South) à Historical monuments and natural landscape

Decision no. 267/2004

10.

Mezyara Village à Historical monuments and natural landscape

Decision no. 268/2004

11.

Shameh Village à Historical monuments and natural landscape

Decision no. 269/2004

12.

Hardeen Village à Historical monuments and natural landscape

Decision no. 270/2004

13.

Kosba Village (Koura) à Historical monuments and natural landscape

Decision no. 271/2004

14.

Qaa ElReem Village (Baalbeck-Hermel) à Historical monuments and natural landscape

Decision no. 325/2004
V. Natural Sites & Monuments declared by Decree (click here): 1.      Cedars in Bcharre

2.      Deir El Qalaa site

3.      Bolonia Forest

4.      Al Mourouj Oak site

5.      Horsh Beirut Site

6.      Al Yammouneh Lake

7.      Natural Bridge on Al-Laban river

8.      Baalbeck historical monuments

Decree no 434/1942
VI. Sites of natural and/or ecological importance in need for protection (click here): a)

Wetlands

1.

Ammiq Wetland

Bekaa Mohafazat

b)

Grottos

1.

Al Rwaess grotto

Mount Lebanon Mohafzat – Jbeil Caza

2.

Afqa grotto

Mount Lebanon Mohafzat – Jbeil Caza

3.

Ain Labne grotto

Mount Lebanon Mohafzat – Jbeil Caza

4.

Salem grotto

Mount Lebanon Mohafzat – Kesrouan Caza

5.

Al Tarash grotto

Mount Lebanon Mohafzat – Kesrouan Caza

6.

Kfarhim grotto

Mount Lebanon Mohafzat – Shouf Caza

7.

Dahr El Ain grotto

North Lebanon Mohafazat

8.

Al Rahwa Spring grotto

North Lebanon Mohafazat – Batroun Caza

9.

Zoud grotto

North Lebanon Mohafazat

10.

Al Motran grotto

North Lebanon Mohafazat

11.

Al Hawa grotto

North Lebanon Mohafazat

12.

AlShatawi spring grotto

South Lebanon Mohafazat

13.

Al Rihan grotto

South Lebanon Mohafazat – Jezzine Caza

14.

Deir Amess grotto

South Lebanon Mohafazat – Bent Jbeil Caza

15.

Haris grotto

South Lebanon Mohafazat – Bent Jbeil Caza

16.

Debl grotto

South Lebanon Mohafazat – Bent Jbeil Caza

17.

Jeita grotto

Mount Lebanon Mohafazat – Kesrouan Caza

18.

Al Kasarat grotto

c)

Holes

1.

Kateen Azar Hole (Tarshish)

Mount Lebanon Mohafazat – North Metn caza

2.

Fawar Dara Hole (Tarshish)

Mount Lebanon Mohafazat – North Metn caza

3.

Meshemshiyit Hole (Tarshish)

Mount Lebanon Mohafazat – North Metn caza

4.

AlBadwiyi Hole

Mount Lebanon Mohafazat – Kesrouan Caza

5.

AlAbed Hole (Tannourine)

North Lebanon Mohafazat – Batroun Caza

6.

AlKadaha Hole (Tannourine)

North Lebanon Mohafazat – Batroun Caza

7.

Osman AlRamhi Hole

North Lebanon Mohafazat

8.

Smokhaya Sinkhole (Rmeich)

South Lebanon Mohafazat – Bent Jbeil Caza

9.

Katmeen Sinkhole (Rmeich)

South Lebanon Mohafazat – Bent Jbeil Caza

d)

Natural Bridges and Rocks

1.

Faqra Natural Bridge and Rocks

Mount Lebanon Mohafazat – Kesrouan Caza

2.

Al Laqlouq Natural Bridge

North Lebanon Mohafazat – Batroun Caza

3.

Sites with Calcerous- Karstic rocks ex. Faytroun and Rayfoun in Kesrouan; Douma in Batroun

e)

AlQellé Forest (Akkar)

North Lebanon Mohafazat – Akkar Caza

f)

Jaj Cedar Forest(Jbeil)

Mount Lebanon Mohafazat – Jbeil Caza

g)

Al Ozor (Fneidek)

North Lebanon Mohafazat – Akkar Caza

h)

Bshaalé Olives

North Lebanon Mohafazat – Batroun Caza

i)

Sir Doniyeh Valley

North Lebanon Mohafazat – Doniyi Caza

j)

Sheikh Zinad area

North Lebanon Mohafazat

k)

Gold river – Moussa Mountain

Mount Lebanon Mohafazat –Kesrouan Caza

l)

Al Sheikh Mountain - Hermoun

Mount Lebanon Mohafazat – Rashaya Caza

m)

Al Rihan Mountain

South Lebanon Mohafazat – Jezzine Caza

n)

AlKneisse Mountain (Sinkholes and dollines)

o)

Sanine Mountain

p)

Black Summit

North Lebanon Mohafazat – between Dah Sogrine and Bscharre

q)

Ebel Es Saqi hima

South Lebanon Mohafazat

r)

Sandy beach between AlAbassiyé – Al Mansouri (South of Litani)

South Lebanon Mohafazat

s)

Litani Stream

Bekaa Mohafazat -South Lebanon Mohafazat