Situated on east coast of Mediterranean, centering 3 world continents; Asia, Africa and Europe, Lebanon has an exquisite mélange that makes it a unique country.

A diversion of landscape in such a small area (10,452km2).

A long mostly sandy coast (210km), that stretches in land to high green mountains (reaching 3088m), followed by Bekaa valley, then the east mountain chain.

Lebanon has full four seasons. Summer (June to September) is hot on the coast and cooler in the mountains. Spring and autumn are warm and pleasant. Winter (December to mid-March) is mostly rainy, with snow in the mountains.

The average of sunny days in Lebanon is 300 days a year.

Winter is mild. Annual rainfall ranges from 700 to 1200mm. 

Biodiversity
In a highly mountainous country (3090 m highest peak) with extreme variability in climatic conditions, soils, socio-economic status and a long coastal strip becoming urbanized, it is certain that natural and commercial vegetation are under over-exploitation.

The largest area in Lebanon is that covered by mountains, sparse grassland and desert areas ~ 31%.

Agricultural and annual crops area cover over one fifth of the country and it is reported that a high proportion of the population (30-50 %) is involved in agriculture or related activities.

Grazing areas having grassland and forbs add up to 15 % of the total area and barren rocks cover an area similar to forest land ~ 7%.

Fruit trees are famous, popular and satisfy local needs with some export potential. The total area covered by these trees is over 5% and includes vineyards, deciduous fruit trees, citrus and bananas. Olives continue to constitute a major old, durable crop and are most abundant in North and Mount Lebanon areas.

Vegetables are grown in winter and summer so they provide a continuous market supply. The Mount Lebanon area used for vegetable production is the largest, being close to city market facilities.

The soils of Lebanon are typically Mediterranean in character, exhibiting similarities related to climate, exposure, slope and vegetation.

The lithology has contributed to the diversification of soil resources that are mainly evolved from the parent material. Most of the soils are calcareous except for the sandy soils formed on the basal cretaceous strata.

 The most widely represented soils are the Terra-Rossa and the Rendzinas. On the steep landscapes of Mount and Anti- Lebanon ranges, where water erosion can be extreme, the fersiallitic soils often develop into Lithosols.

The soils of Lebanon are young and fragile and prone to erosion especially in the mountain and hilly lands that form 73 % of the country. Relief, rainfall intensity and runoff quantity contribute to the intensification of water erosion specially that Lebanon is witnessed by the stratification of alluvial outwash terraces of the coastal rivers.

Meteorological observations indicated that there are large seasonal variations where, between 80-90% of the annual rainfall falling between November and March and less than 5% falling between May and September.

In addition to the violent downpours that can result in serious flooding and erosion.

Mean annual rainfall on the coast, ranges between 700-1,000 mm, increasing along south-north direction.

Mount-Lebanon forms a barrier to the movement of rains and precipitation can reach more than 1,400 mm per year, most of which is received as snow.

Rainfall declines rapidly on the eastern facing slopes of the Mount Lebanon range and reaches only 600 mm on the foothills.

Precipitation in the Bekaa plain ranges from 800 mm in the south Bekaa to below 200 in the extreme north-east of the plain.

Precipitation on the Anti- Lebanon range is around 600 mm and peaks at over 1,000 mm in the Jabal Al-Sheikh.

The mean annual temperature on the coast varies between 19.5 oC and 21.5 oC and decreases

approximately 3 oC for each vertical 500 m, reaching 15 oC at 1,000 m and 9 oC at 2,000 m.

January is the coldest month with daily mean temperatures falling to -4 oC in the mountains and 7 oC at the coast, in Saida. The warmest months are July and August, when temperatures reach as high as 33 oC.

Mild day and night variability in temperature is experienced along the coast, around 6-8 oC and an extreme up to 24 oC is observed in the Bekaa with the changing season (Spring and Autumn).

The geomorphological regions overwhelmed by the high variability in soil, rainfall and temperature have resulted in a variable and inclusive biodiversity richness and relatively small ecosystems.

Lebanon which is a small country is a favorite area for the study and conservation of various flora and fauna. For each geographical region which is characterized by its sociological features, there is a group of special plants and animals that reflect certain particular ecological conditions.

Ecologically, these regions are distributed according to the following levels:

a- Lower Mediterranean zone or Thermo Mediterranean (0-500 m altitude): It is characterized by the presence of endemic species such as Ceratonia, Pistacia, Pinus, and Myrthus.

b- Euremediterranean zone (500-1000 m altitude). The most abundant plant species are: Quercus, pinus, and Cupressus.

c- Supramediterranean zone (1000-1600 m altitude). The most prevailing plant species are

Quercus, Ostryae, Fraxinus, Cystisus, Halimium, and Pinus.

d- Mediterranean mountain zone (1500-1800 m altitude). At this high elevation, Cedrus, Abies, Juniperus, Quercus, and Berberis are most prominent and endemic species.

e- Oromediterranean zone (over 2000 m altitude). Junipers, Rhamnus, Berberis, Pirus, Prunus, Daphne, and Cotoneaster survive the harsh environment.

f- Pre-steppe Mediterranean zone (900-2400 m altitude). It is located at the east side of Mount-

Lebanon and north side of Anti-Lebanon in the Northern part of the country.

Degraded soils, drought and cold make it hard for phytosociological association to develop easily. The main species to be found are Quercus and Junipers.

Biodiversity in -Situ Conservation, Protected Areas: Lebanon

Reserves classed by law

The park of Palm Islands 121 1992

The nature reserve of Horsh Ehden 121 1992

The reserve of Arz-El-Chouf 127 1991

Areas whose protection has been decreed by ministerial orders

The fir forest of Qammouaa 558 1996

The nature reserve of Saissouk 1/166 1991

The protected zone of Arz Bcharre 434/443 1939

The Valley of Qannoubine 1939

The Batroun maritime reserve 129 1991

The reserve of Hbeline 1/152 1992

The reserve of Jabal Turbol

The reserve of Kfar Zabad 1/71 1992

The reserve in the region of Bass in Tyre 166 1933

The coastal reserve of Sour 1998

The reserve of Kherbet Silm 1/21 1992

Private initiatives to conserve

The park of Bentael 1980

The mixed forest of Baabda

Animal Encounter, Aley

Khallet Kazem

New areas that should be protected

The Quercus cerris forest in Fneidek

The cedar of Souaissi

Reserve of Assi

The plateau of Sir Dinnyeh

Reserve of Qornet El Saouda

The cedar groves of Tannourine & Hadath El Jobbe

Reserves of Ras El Chaqaa- Hannouch

Houjoula & Haqel

The high plateaux of Aqoura

The valley of Nahr Ibrahim

The valley of Nahr El Kalb

The Pigeon Rocks

Reserve of Yahfoufa

The marches of Aammiq

The region of Balou Ayha

Reserve of Jabal El Cheikh

The mixed forest of Dalhoun

The valley of Nahr El Dammour

The valley of Qasmieh

Conservation

Major legislative and implementation steps were taken by the government to conserve nature. The project on protected areas assists in management and legislation of the reserves of Palm Island , Horsh Ehden and Arz-El-Chouf.

The Protected Areas system for in-situ conservation of Biodiversity is becoming more extensive with better understanding of the Biodiversity value as shown in the following table (edited from Country Study on Biodiversity).

Implementation

Conservation of natural resources is a new venture to the Lebanese public institutions. There was formal awareness about environmental management and conservation long ago .The summary of activities in terms of legislation and biodiversity value to the decision makers, shows that in the past few years a sizable number of habitats was declared and legalized as protected areas.

The Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Environment are joining hands to encourage the political system to take decisions for the benefit of biodiversity conservation and richness in Lebanon. These have direct and indirect relationships with the status of biodiversity. Bilateral and international support are directly related to biodiversity issues and the first three protected areas shown in table, are temporarily managed and operated via international resources ( GEF / UNDP / IUCN ) . All other protected areas decreed by law and statutory orders receive formal support in either administrative, legal or financial forms.

The new areas listed in table, to be protected, are those mentioned by various scientists and summarized in the country study on biodiversity.