Protected Areas

Tannourine Cedar Forest

The Tannourine Cedars Forest Nature Reserve is one of the largest and densest cedar forests in Lebanon and was created under Law No.9 on February 25, 1999. The reserve is managed by the Tannourine Cedars Forest Nature Reserve Committee under the supervision of the Ministry of Environment.

The area has stunning mountainous landscape, with old cedar trees. The forest has protected the area from excessive tourist activity. Visitors come to the reserve for hiking and discovering rock-cut or naturally occurring grottos on their hike, as well as noticing rare flowers particular to this high altitude terrain, like the mountain tulip or Lebanese prickly thrift.

Most popular species of the reserve:

TREES
CEDAR OF LEBANON (Cedrus libani)
PRICKLY JUNIPER OR SHARP CEDAR (Juniperus oxycedrus)

PLANTS
LEBANON PRICKLY-THRIFT (Acantholimon libanoticum)
MOUNTAIN TULIP (Tulipa montana)

BUTTERFLIES & MOTHS
CARDINAL BUTTERFLY (Pandoriana pandora)
BURNET MOTH (Zygaena olivieri)

MAMMALS
Many mammals live in the reserve including the hedgehog, common field mouse, wolf, wild cat, porcupine, stripped hyena, cape hare, badger, weasel and squirrel. The most abundant mammals are foxes and wild boar.

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