Based on a documented complaint submitted by sustainable hunters to the Anti-Poaching Unit (APU), the APU’s electronic tracking and investigation team prepared a detailed report for the Internal Security Forces (ISF) Operations Command, concerning a man identified as A.M., known publicly as “The Fierce Falcon.” The individual was found to be illegally hunting migratory and endangered bird species, conducting night hunting, and boasting about his acts on his TikTok account. Following the APU’s report and evidence submission, the Dinnieh Police Detachment of the Regional Gendarmerie Unit moved swiftly to arrest the suspect, confiscate his unlicensed hunting rifle, and file an official legal report, in coordination with the North Lebanon Public Prosecutor.

In a major coordinated operation, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL), through its Anti-Poaching Unit (APU) jointly operated with MESHC and in partnership with the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS), dismantled one of the largest illegal bird trapping sites ever recorded in Lebanon. The operation took place in Aabdeh, a coastal town in northern Lebanon, with the active participation of officers from the Lebanese Internal Security Forces. Across several lime orchards and agricultural plots, the joint team discovered and dismantled 55 mist-nets with a staggering total length of…

Al-Labweh, Northern Beqaa – As part of ongoing efforts to protect wildlife and enforce environmental law, the Anti-Poaching Unit, in coordination with Dr. Abbas Al-Dairani, Director of the Agricultural Department in Baalbek-Hermel Governorate, the "Shaat Forest and Hunting Center," and a patrol from the Internal Security Forces – Al-Labweh Station, conducted a field mission to remove violations related to the illegal trade of wild birds at two sites in the Al-Labweh area. The operation was carried out in response to a documented complaint submitted by an environmental activist. Violations were identified, and legal action was taken against the offenders in accordance with the law.

 The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) has officially launched the geospatial map of Hima Al-Abadiyeh, marking a new milestone in its efforts to advance community-based conservation supported by modern geographic and environmental data. Prepared by SPNL’s GIS and Remote Sensing Division, the map defines the official boundaries of the Hima and its municipal land parcels (Nos. 1721, 1731, 2233, 2248, and 2278), encompassing a total area of 1 km². The mapped area lies within the public lands of the Municipality of Al-Abadiyeh…

The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) expresses grave concern over the renewed destruction and violence unfolding at the Amchit coastal site overlooking the Monk Seal Cave, a rare natural refuge for the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) — one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world. Despite the Ministry of Environment’s formal suspension order on plot No. 345 and its request to prepare a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) under Decree 8633/2012, construction and excavation activities have unlawfully resumed. This defiance not only violates environmental law but also threatens one of the last known monk seal habitats in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Hima approach was spotlighted at the Mediterranean Stakeholder Forum on Environment and Climate Action, held in Cairo. The event was co-organised by the Water and Environment Support-Biodiversity and Climate Action (WES-BCA) in the Neighbourhood South region project and hosted by RAED. Raghida Haddad, Editor-in-Chief of SPNL’s Al Hima magazine, presented the revival of the traditional Arab system of community-led conservation known as Hima. She emphasized how this centuries-old practice demonstrates the power of traditional knowledge in fostering modern climate resilience. "Journalists have a unique role in telling hopeful, and impactful stories of Hima not merely as conservation projects, but as vibrant, living spaces where culture, nature, people, and sustainable policies intersect," Haddad said.

Assad Serhal: “A renewed mandate for unity, science, and hope for nature and people.” Beirut, 16 October 2025 — The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL), BirdLife’s national partner, extends its heartfelt congratulations to Razan Al Mubarak on her re-election as President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) at the 2025 World Conservation Congress held in Abu Dhabi. In a statement, Assad Serhal, SPNL’s Director General and member of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, said: “Razan Al Mubarak’s renewed presidency is a powerful signal of trust and continuity within the IUCN family.

During the IUCN World Conservation Congress held in Abu Dhabi, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) delegation met with Tim Badman, Head of the World Heritage Programme at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In a dedicated discussion with Raghida Haddad, Editor of Al Hima magazine, Mr. Badman elaborated on the requirements and procedures for the designation of IUCN/UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage Sites. He outlined the criteria for nomination, the evaluation mechanisms, and the collaborative process between IUCN, UNESCO, and national authorities to ensure the protection and sustainable management of sites of Outstanding Universal Value.

Under the Al Murunah and Al Murunah+ projects, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) reaffirmed its commitment to empowering local communities through targeted awareness and capacity-building sessions focused on sustainability and resilience. On 10 and 11 October 2025, the SPNL team conducted a series of interactive training sessions introducing participants to the core background, achievements, and upcoming steps of the Al Murunah project. A central theme of the sessions was the application of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) as practical and sustainable responses to Lebanon’s growing climate and water challenges…

Today at the IUCN World Conservation Congress, Manoswini Sarkar sat down with Assad Serhal, Director General of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) — BirdLife Partner in Lebanon 🇱🇧 — to discuss the power of community-based conservation and the growing success of the Hima Revival across the Middle East. 🕊️ In this inspiring exchange, Serhal shared SPNL’s vision of reconnecting people with nature through the ancient Hima approach, where local communities serve as the true custodians of the land. “The Hima belongs to everyone — it’s a living heritage of coexistence and respect for nature,” he said.

The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL), in collaboration with the Municipality of Baysour and Baysour Hiking Group, organized a hiking activity in the Baysour Hima – Tallah Trail. The event brought together graduate students and professors from the Olayan School of Business (OSB) at the American University of Beirut (AUB), as part of their annual field activity entitled:“Hike for Olayan School of Business Graduate Students.” The activity aimed to introduce master’s students to the concept of the Hima, a community-based and sustainable environmental approach that connects local communities with nature conservation, while also enhancing environmental awareness and social responsibility among future business leaders.

Abu Dhabi, October 14, 2025 — The traditional Hima approach took center stage at the IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC), held in Abu Dhabi, where it was celebrated as a powerful, community-led model for sustainable resource management, conflict resolution, and biodiversity conservation. Practiced in t he Arab world for over 1,500 years and revitalized since 2004, Hima has evolved far beyond a historical practice. It now stands as a living, effective system of environmental governance, rooted in culture and led by communities. The first day featured a session titled "Linking Culture to Nature Using the Hima Approach,"

Interviewed by Raghida Haddad, Editor-in-Chief of Al Hima Magazine. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak is a global leader in conservation and climate action, serving as President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and spearheading efforts to integrate nature into global climate strategies. She was the founding director of the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, one of the world’s largest philanthropic organizations supporting direct species conservation, funding over 3,000 projects in nearly every country. As Managing Director of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), Al Mubarak has been a driving force in shaping the United Arab Emirates’ sustainability agenda, championing environmental policies, species conservation, and climate action across West Asia and globally.

As part of its mission to foster environmental awareness among younger generations, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL), in collaboration with Bayssour Municipality, welcomed a large group of students from WellSpring Learning Community to Hima Bayssour – Darb El Talleh for a unique educational and environmental field visit. The visit aimed to introduce students to the Hima concept—a traditional community-based approach to the conservation of natural resources—and its vital role in protecting biodiversity and promoting sustainable land use. Through their guided journey along the…

As part of Reef Initiative’s activities and in coordination with the Environmental Committee in Anjar and ABCL, a special event was held on October 11, 2025, to mark World Migratory Bird Day. The gathering combined environmental education, community engagement, and open dialogue. The event opened with a storytelling session led by Chadi Saad, a birdwatcher and the director of the migratory bird observation site in Hima Hammana, affiliated with the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL). During the session, Saad presented insights into bird migration patterns, species commonly seen in Lebanon, and the ecological importance of migratory routes.

At a time when global multilateralism is struggling to drive the transformative change required for the conservation of nature, the need for rigorous legal guidance has never been greater. The recent advisory opinion on climate change by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) confirmed states’ legal obligations to protect the climate system and their liability for harm caused by their actions and omissions. The advisory opinion also affirmed science as the most reliable foundation for decision-making, a fact that elevates the work of experts gathered at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress 2025. 

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) hosted a landmark session titled “Hima for Peace: Community-Based Stewardship and Vertical Finance for Ecosystem Resilience in Regions” at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi. The event brought together ministers, environmental leaders, and international experts to explore how the ancient Hima tradition can be a model for sustainable development, biodiversity conservation, and peacebuilding in a rapidly changing world. The session featured H.E. Ayman Suleiman, Minister of Environment of Jordan; H.E. Nizar Hani, Lebanon’s Minister of Agriculture; H.E. Hany El Shaer…

The conservation of nature requires engaging diverse voices and stakeholders—from those on the frontlines of nature’s decline, such as Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women, and youth, to those with the capacity to contribute financial resources and technological capabilities. On Friday, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress continued to platform these voices across its Forums, Exhibitions, and Summits. By embracing a widening circle of stakeholders, the Congress reinforces the urgency of collective action. Discussions on the second day provided a space for conservation sessions featuring the youth, for business and industry to recognize their dependence on healthy ecosystems, and for knowledge co-sharing through dialogues, trainings, debates, and speaker pitches.

The world’s leading voices in environmental conservation converged in Abu Dhabi today, as the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 officially opened its doors to more than 10,000 attendees from around the globe. With the theme "Powering Transformative Conservation", the Congress sets the stage for bold, nature-centered solutions in a time of climate urgency and ecological upheaval. Held once every four years by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Congress serves as a crucible of ideas, strategy, and collaboration, uniting government officials, Indigenous leaders, scientists, youth activists, business executives, and conservationists under one roof.

The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) brought Lebanon’s ancestral conservation wisdom to the global stage at the IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC) 2025, presenting the Hima for Peace model as a transformative approach to biodiversity protection, climate resilience, and community-led governance across West Asia and beyond. A Global Gathering for Nature and People Held every four years, the IUCN World Conservation Congress is one of the world’s most influential environmental gatherings — uniting governments, scientists, youth, and civil society to chart the path for conservation action in the years ahead.

In a landmark moment for global biodiversity, the World Bank and BirdLife International have launched the African–Eurasian Flyway Initiative (AEFI) — an unprecedented effort to protect one of the world’s greatest natural wonders: the annual migration of billions of birds linking Africa, Europe, and Asia. The announcement, described by SPNL’s Director General Assad Serhal as “a historic initiative for our majestic creatures, for the health of planet Earth, and for all life,” was met with great enthusiasm across the global BirdLife family, including Lebanon’s Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL)

Under the BioConnect project, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) organized a full-day workshop with the fishermen of Mansouri, located along Lebanon’s southern coast. The event was held on Saturday, 4 October 2025, at SPNL’s Kayfoun Center (Head Office) and brought together 21 local fishermen. The workshop was facilitated by marine experts from the American University of Beirut (AUB) — Dr. Michael Barich and Dr. Nancy Sayyar — who led discussions and hands-on sessions focusing on the current status of the Mansouri coast…

In a remarkable initiative that reflects the spirit of partnership and community responsibility, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) has equipped Hima Kefraya with 300 barrels for waste collection and sorting, thanks to a generous donation from Save the Children. The initiative aims to enhance solid-waste management within the Hima and surrounding village areas, encouraging residents — both young and old — to adopt sustainable environmental practices that protect nature and preserve the beauty of their community.  For a Cleaner Hima and a More Conscious Community…

Nestled in the green heart of Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, the village of Saghbine has become home to the country’s 39th Hima, a community-managed conservation area established under the EU-funded Bio-Connect Project. This milestone, proudly announced by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) through its Homat Al Hima International Center (HHIC), reaffirms Lebanon’s leadership in reviving traditional models of coexistence between people and nature. A Legacy Revived The Hima model, a centuries-old system of communal land stewardship rooted in Arab culture, has been successfully revived and modernized by SPNL to address today’s environmental challenges.

On a warm September morning at Aammiq Wetland—the largest remaining freshwater marsh in Lebanon—wildlife photographer and SPNL Birdwatcher Chadi Saad caught a fleeting trio in perfect light: Gull-billed Tern, White-winged Tern, and Whiskered Tern. The images distill what Aammiq does best in early autumn: turn migration into a living classroom. A meeting place on the flyway Cradled in the West Bekaa, Aammiq sits on one of the world’s great migration corridors, where reedbeds, open pools, and flooded meadows offer exactly what traveling terns need: calm water, insect hatches, and room to rest.