Forest nurseries in Lebanon for native species production

During recent years there has been increasing interest in restoring the forest landscapes of Lebanon. A number of initiatives supporting different reforestation activities are being developed in the country. Most initiatives, however, have been focusing on no more than three tree species, partly because of the lack of technical references for native species production. The vision behind this publication is to provide a handbook that covers all the technical aspects of forest landscape restoration (FLR), from seed collection, through seedling production in the nursery, to planting out in the field. This will hopefully help in the process of planning and design, which is essential for supporting the restoration of forest landscapes. The handbook discusses: the procedure for seed collection, processing and storage; the principles of nursery management; the principles of planting and sowing in the field. The publication also includes nearly 30 protocols for propagating native plants that are important for restoration purposes, including trees and shrubs. Together they should provide a solid foundation for Lebanon’s foresters and others interested in producing native plants. The selection of species described here is not exhaustive, but they have been chosen for their ability to support ecological restoration and provide goods and services in the long term. In time this list will need to be expanded to include other species and practices of interest.