Ecological Rehabilitation Activities in the Riparian Corridor between Ammiq and Anjar-Kfarzabad
As part of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) - Sustainable Land Management in the Qaraoun Catchment (SLMQ) project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, The Lebanon Reforestation Initiative (LRI) was tasked with developing guidelines for riparian habitat restoration with a case study for the area around Ghzayel river, between Anjar/Kfarzabad and Ammiq.
Rehabilitation of a riparian habitat is a long-term goal, and the current initiative focuses on implementing the needed assessments and identifying baseline activities for calculated rehabilitation of the riparian habitat between Anjar/Kfar Zabad and Ammiq.
Indeed, the activities piloted several practical approaches and test guidelines for restoration and management of riparian ecosystems that could be replicable under different site conditions. This initiative allowed for the improvement of rehabilitation practices in the selected riparian area through:
- Assessing riparian zone degradation through relevant scientifically sound assessments;
- Developing and implementing ecologically-sound rehabilitation plans with long-term ecological, economic and social benefits;
- Developing riparian rehabilitation guidelines and monitoring guidelines for post-rehabilitation impact assessment;
- Developing capacities of local authorities and communities on best practices for rehabilitation and maintenance of degraded riparian areas.
Moreover, through the continuous support of the U. S. Forest Service International Programs (USFS IP) to LRI, international experts are providing technical assistance to the project to assist in the rehabilitation process and the development of riparian rehabilitation guidelines.
