Eco-tourism Campaign

21 March 2010

HISTORY:

Eco-tourism started in 1997, with the annual trips to Arsal, the last agro-pastoral village in North East Lebanon. The trips were to strengthen the relationship with the local community and the Association for Rural Development in Arsal (ARDA), a key environmental and developmental NGO and a partner in the Reforestation Network, to introduce Green Liners and friends to Arsal, with its unique natural and cultural heritage, and provide ARDA with an income generating activity.

For the past couple of years, the country witnessed a spread in “eco-tourism activities and providers” raising the need to organize this sector, coordinate between the providers and perhaps introduce some sort of certification to differentiate between the provided services.

In 2000, Green Line's executive committee decided to develop an eco-tourism project. For this, programs were initiated with municipalities (Taraya, Mtein, Deir Mimas), youth groups (Bourj Al Moulouk) and NGO's (ARDA –Association Rural Development for Arsal, Byblos Ecologia). The program was a combination of agro-tourism, (Bee keeping, olive oil production, cherry and apricot processing), and eco- tourism (Horsh Ehden, Barouk cedars, Kammou'a, Kannoubine and Nahr Ibrahim Valleys.