SPNL Children learning about birds during the three-day children’s camp organised by SPNL Zoom In

Lebanese children camp for Peace and Birds

20-10-2006

The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL, BirdLife in Lebanon) celebrated the World Bird Festival with events at two Important Bird Areas (IBAs) which it is developing as himas, a traditional Islamic form of community-based land management [see note below].

Ebel es-Saqi IBA is centered on a remote, ancient village in a migration bottleneck, where a forested hill-top provides a perfect watchpoint for soaring birds such as pelicans, storks and raptors.  The Kfar Zabad wetland IBA is a small marshland on the level plain of the Bekaa Valley, part of the Syrian-African Great Rift Valley, on the main migration route for African-Eurasian water birds through the Near East. SPNL has recorded the globally threatened bird Syrian Serin Serinus syriacus and a number of regionally threatened bird species including Red Kite Milvus milvus, Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus and Saker Falcon Falco cherrug, as well as several biome-restricted species.

“After the devastating effects of the war on people and the environment, we were determined to celebrate the World Bird Festival”. —Assad Serhal, General Director of SPNL

“After the devastating effects of the war on people and the environment, we were determined to celebrate the World Bird Festival,” said Assad Serhal, General Director of SPNL. The communities around both IBAs had suffered: Ebel es-Saqi had been totally evacuated, while the people of Kfar Zabad were struggling to accommodate 120 displaced families, with help from SPNL’s Hope campaign, supported by Middle Eastern and international aid agencies.

Together with the environmental NGO TERRE, SPNL organised a three-day children’s camp under the theme "Peace and Birds". 130 children aged between six and 12 joined activities which included sorting solid waste, awareness sessions on the importance of birds, building bird feeders and nests, paper kites, and the distribution of posters and bird guides. The final night’s celebrations took place in the presence of the Mayor and the UNIFIL Head Commander stationed in the next village.

SPNL More than 100 children aged between six and 12 joined activities to celebrate peace and birds Zoom In

Around 70% of the Kfar Zabad community are farmers, and the event at this IBA was intended to show the vital role of farmers in protecting the site and its species. Assad Serhal clarified the importance of the Kfar Zabad wetlands, and the need to protect it as a hima through the sustainable use of its resources. He added that SPNL was working with an ecotourism company, Lebanese Adventure, to develop and market the potential of the site for camping, walking and biking and birdwatching, in order to bring work and money into the community.

A third event is planned in Hima Kfar Zabad wetland on Saturday 4 November, to introduce the site to schools, and discuss ideas for future activities, educational programs, and recreational tours.

Note: SPNL is currently advocating the revival of the traditional hima approach. Once governed by tribal chiefs and religious leaders, himas were intended to ensure the sustainable and fair use of the land. The modern form of hima will be governed by municipalities and other democratically elected bodies.  Currently, the Lebanese government is revising the national protected areas categorisation, and SPNL is campaigning to have himas included.