Caza - Zgharta
The Horsh Ehden Nature Reserve Click here to view maps & trails
To visit the nature reserve of Horsh Ehden, the Forest of Ehden, is to experience the natural beauty of the Lebanese mountains at their best. One of only three such reserves in the country, this is all that has survived of the ancient natural forests, glorified, in Biblical accounts, that once covered the mountains and valleys of the region. Horsh Ehden contains the largest remaining natural stand of the legendary cedars of Lebanon, and is the only site in the country where these trees grow alongside other species. Thanks to the work of a group of far-sighted environmentalists, this unique forest is now protected and should continue to thrive in the future.
Located at the northern end of the Mount Lebanon chain, 35km from Tripoli, the reserve has a surface area of 1000 hectares and an altitude that ranges between 1300 and 1950 meters, encompassing a very rich variety of plant and animal life in a relatively small area.
Located at the northern end of the Mount Lebanon chain, 35km from Tripoli, the reserve has a surface area of 1000 hectares and an altitude that ranges between 1300 and 1950 meters, encompassing a very rich variety of plant and animal life in a relatively small area.
42 different species of trees have been identified here, and a total of more than 500 species of flowering plants bloom at different altitudes and times of the year. Some of these are endemic (found only in this region), for example the Perwinkle of Lebanon and the Lebanon Star of Bethlehem, and some were unknown before studies were carried out.
In addition to these rare plant species, many endangered mammals, such as squirrels, hedgehogs, badgers and wild cats, have made their home here, alongside reptiles, amphibians, butterflies and insects. The forest is also a sanctuary for numerous kinds of resident and migratory birds, which can be heard in full voice morning and evening.
Until 1990, the habitat of these rare plant and animal species was seriously threatened, and a small group of people formed the Friends of Horsh Ehden, a local NGO, that have undertaken the management and protection of the reserve. We have to mention also the research and the works done by Myrna and Ricardus Haber in the early nineties.
In 1992 the House of Parliament ratified the government decreed law #121 that declared "The Public Domain of Horsh Ehden a Nature Reserve". The law prohibits any act which may upset the balance of nature within the forest. It is forbidden to fell Trees, bring in livestock or extract any living or non-living material, unless it is for scientific purposes. The law also bans the hunting and trapping of animals, the lighting of fires, camping and littering. A 500 meter wide "buffer zone" surrounds the perimeter of the reserve in which any activities which may cause harm to the forest are prohibited.
In 1997, the United Nations, through the UNDP, implemented a 5 years program for helping Lebanon guarding, promoting and financing its Nature Reserves.
The immense importance of a nature reserve such as Horsh Ehden cannot be disputed. Its establishment has ensured the survival of a number of species of plants and animals which may otherwise have died out as a result of man's abuse or neglect of their environment. Equally significant, this was the first attempt in Lebanon to promote the notion of 'ecotourism', and its success should alert the public to the fact that it is not too late to save and repair Lebanon's natural heritage.
