NNA - Caretaker Minister of Environment Dr. Nasser Yassin, on Monday announced that “on the occasion of Lebanon's National Day of Natural Reserves on March 10th, 2024, Lebanon's natural reserves will open their doors for free on Sunday, March 10th, 2024, welcoming nature enthusiasts, students, clubs, associations, citizens, and residents interested in spending a beautiful day getting acquainted with Lebanon's reserves and its natural richness.”

The following reserves are ready to welcome visitors at this time of the year: Arz el-Shouf, Tannourine Cedars Forest Nature Reserve, Horsh Ehden, Bentael, Shouf Biosphere Reserve, Tyre Coast Nature Reserve, Al-Yamouna, and Mount Moussa Biosphere Reserve.

The Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with the reserve committees, has compiled a list of activities and events that will be organized by various natural reserves in Lebanon to celebrate this national day. 

These events span throughout the week and include inviting students from schools and universities to visit the natural reserves. 

On this occasion, the Minister of Environment stated, "We are celebrating the National Day of Natural Reserves amid challenging circumstances facing our country, but it is essential to shed light on the importance of natural reserves, natural sites, as well as ecological corridors that connect them as essential components to ensure environmental and social communication between protected areas, leading to the improvement of environmental, social, and livelihood conditions in Lebanon. Protected areas and ecological corridors contribute to ensuring a healthy environment, abundant water, fertile soil, and rich biodiversity that serve local environmental and economic development and help combat climate change."

==========R.H.