Launch of an Italy-supported environment project in Shuf reserve

The Minister of Environment, Mohamad Mashnuk, and the Italian Ambassador to Lebanon, Massimo Maroti, launched last Wednesday a new project entitled: ‘Better Management of Wildlife in the Sanctuary and Development Regions for the Shuf Biosphere Reserve’. Mashnuk revealed that in Lebanon there are currently 15 natural reserves and 3 bio-reserves, in addition to several other natural attractions, stressing that the protection of natural reserves is now a national responsibility. “The Environment Ministry is currently working on increasing up to 30 the number of sanctuaries, and is collaborating to this effect with relevant committees and working teams to achieve a better management that guarantees protection of the reserves and at the same time benefits the neighbouring local communities,” Mashnuk said. Maroti, for his part, called for the development of a closer link between eco-tourism and the economy and as mean towards the promotion of knowledge and for the protection of the cultural heritage. The above project which received a funding of EURO 500 thousand from the Italian Embassy and the Italian Development Cooperation Office, aims at achieving a number of goals namely: Develop a work plan for monitoring wildlife in the designated areas, explore the feasibility of reintroducing the wild mountain goat (ibex) to the reserve, provide advanced and state of the art equipment; build the capacities of staff and partners; set up an engineering unit to organize and supervise construction works in the development area; support local municipalities; introduce eco-friendly agricultural practices that safeguard wildlife and water resources, and finally enhance the capacities of farmers, and agricultural cooperatives at all levels. (Al Mustaqbal, December 3, 2015)