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LB003
Shouf Cedars Nature Reserve
Location Lebanon, Beqaa,Mount Lebanon
Central coordinates 35o 41.70' East  33o 41.22' North
IBA criteria A1, A2, A3
Area 20,000 ha
Altitude 1,750 m
Year of IBA assessment 2008

Society for the Protection of Nature and Natural Resources in Lebanon



Ornithological information See box for key species. Other breeding species include Alectoris chukar (if not extinct), Lullula arborea, Eremophila alpestris, Anthus similis, Oenanthe oenanthe, O. hispanica, Sylvia hortensis, Parus lugubris, Pyrrhocorax graculus (possible), Emberiza cia (possible) and E. caesia. Migrants include Ciconia ciconia.

Site description The best remaining stand of cedar Cedrus libani forest in Lebanon, in a mountainous, rocky area at 1,750 m, covered in snow between December and March. The forest is relatively open, with much scrub, and about 10% of the area is under cultivation. Currently the area is primarily used for hunting, tourism and recreation, secondarily for forestry, rangeland and wildlife conservation.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus breeding  2005-2007  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Sombre Tit Parus lugubris resident  1974  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Upcher's Warbler Hippolais languida breeding  2005  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum breeding  2005-2007  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala breeding  2005-2007  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Menetries's Warbler Sylvia mystacea breeding  2005  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata breeding  2005-2007  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Western Rock-nuthatch Sitta neumayer resident  2005  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Finsch's Wheatear Oenanthe finschii breeding  1976-1977  3 breeding pairs  poor  A3  Least Concern 
Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica breeding  2005-2007  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Syrian Serin Serinus syriacus breeding  2005-2007  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Vulnerable 
Cretzschmar's Bunting Emberiza caesia breeding  2005-2007  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala breeding  2005-2007  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Al-Shouf Cedars Nature Reserve 15,600 protected area contained by site 15,600  
Shouf UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve 52,260 protected area contains site 20,000  

Local conservation groups The local conservation group below is working to support conservation at this IBA.

Name Year formed
Society for Arz El-Chouf 1994

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Temperate  major
Grassland Temperate  major
Shrubland Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation  major

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
tourism/recreation major
hunting major
rangeland/pastureland minor
forestry minor
nature conservation and research major

Other biodiversity Mammals: Canis lupus (V), Sciurus anomalus (relict), Mongoose (present at site, highly endangered in other parts of the country. Flora: there are many endemic plants, and Cedars of Lebanon (Cedrus libani)

Management considerations Major problems include persecution and excessive hunting and disturbance of birds, abandonment of traditional forest management, excessive soil erosion and a fungal disease attacking the cedars. Drought, fire, logging and overgrazing are also causing forest loss and degradation locally. There is no forest management plan. A national nature education center is planned, given the site's great potential for tourism, recreation and education in the future. The area has been nominated as a natural World Heritage Site by the Lebanese government.

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Shouf Cedars Nature Reserve. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife