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Fact Sheet – CEPF

Al Shouf Cedar Society

Project Title: Assessment of Cultural Practices in the High Mountain Eastern Mediterranean Landscape

[ Duration: 3 months ]
[ Financed by CEPF ]

Objectives and Activities

Problems addressed:

The lack of clarity about the relationship between traditional land -use practices, their biodiversity importance, the changes affecting these land uses and the underlying causes (‘drivers’) behind these changes.

It will show how any proposed land use would make a difference in terms of demonstration value, and the prospects for scaling-up and sustainability

Objectives:

The overall objective of the project is to promote traditional and cultural land use practices through their positive effect and impact on biodiversity

The specific objective and short-term impact of the project is the assessment of the effect of traditional land use practices on biodiversity in the High Mountain Eastern Mediterranean Landscape with the Shouf Biosphere Reserve as a representative of the targeted region.

Outputs:

1. Assessment of the traditional landscape uses in the Levantine mountains of Lebanon in general with the Shouf Biosphere Reserve as a representative of the region

  1. Development of a systematic evaluation of the benefits of traditional practices on biodiversity (applicable in other sites in the Eastern Mediterranean Landscape)
  2. Dissemination of the assessment

Activities:

1.1 Conduct a desk survey to collate information documented in the literature-available in English, Arabic and French about traditional cultural practices in the Levantine Mountains, emphasizing best practices. 

2.1 Carry out a gap analysis to assess where primary information needs to be collected and to shape the survey

3.1 Develop a clear assessment of the benefit of the land use practices highlighting the knowledge of the communities living in the survey area

3 1. Write a report in English and Arabic describing the process, and the best practices (up to 4), on traditional and non-traditional practices, including products or value chains, which include the integration of biodiversity-friendly land uses with a proven added value of increased benefits to local people adopting such practices 2. Introduce and share the results, first through a seminar with national and international partners, and then on ACS website and other media.