Research and lobbying in the "Cedar State".

In Lebanon, bird conservation is still in its infancy. Although there are a considerable number of associations and individuals involved in nature conservation and environmental protection, the issue has not yet reached the general population. Law enforcement and anti-poaching patrols are therefore only part of our work.

We invest a lot of resources into networking with all the relevant authorities in the country - from mayors and heads of police stations in the areas of operation, to religious groups and government representatives. We also maintain good contact with the relevant embassies of the countries from which the participants in our bird protection camps come from, as well as with the authorities responsible for international cooperation and development aid.

With the data we collected during our bird protection camps and through online research, we conduct public relations work - on the one hand in Lebanon itself, but also in the countries of origin of the birds, which are predominantly shot in the "Cedar State". In this way, countries like Poland or Slovenia, where white storks are traditionally highly valued, have campaigned for better controls on hunting and for an end to the stork massacres, thus increasing the pressure on the authorities in Lebanon.

Another component is the training of police staff and also of hunters. Our partner associations from the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) and Middle-Eastern Sustainable Hunting Centre (MESHC) organise seminars and training courses every year to raise awareness of the problem of migratory bird hunting, teach the basics of anti-poaching and present the concept of responsible hunting.