Views: 156

The Land Stewardship Scheme of Menorca generates interest in distant places. Recently there has been an exchange with Lebanon in an area that also has a declared Reserve of the Biosphere, which applies similar programmes with those of Menorca in order to invigorate agricultural management and environmental conservation.

Al-Shouf Cedar Society (ACS) is a non-profit organization that manages the land in the Reserve of the Biosphere of Shouf famous for its spectacular millennial cedars. The economic crisis and the conflicts surrounding the country led to land being abandoned, which now represents new opportunities.

Al-Shouf has a very interesting management of biomass from pruned branches and farm manure, which has involved different land agencies in the area, so waste becomes a resource. It also works to preserve its territorial mosaic providing functional and environmental values, as is the case with Menorca.

On a Lebanese initiative, a delegation came to Menorca last October to learn about our Land Stewardship Scheme at first hand to gain a better understanding of some of the strategies and activities that we carry out. Amongst other things, they were particularly interested in the monitoring of bio indicators on farms and the work carried out by volunteers.

Recently, a Menorcan delegation, with technicians from the Reserve of the Biosphere Agency and members of GOB visited Lebanon and it was possible to go to different conservation projects and see the recovery and beneficial exploitation of some of the areas. Explanations were given to the Lebanese on the alliance between farmers, owners and conservationists that is being promoted in Menorca.

The visit to Lebanon included an interview with the Spanish Ambassador who was very satisfied with the collaboration already established and offered his help in any way he could. The Deputy Chief of Mission attended the signing of an agreement for encouraging the sharing of successful experiences between the two places.

The Al-Shouf organisation and GOB are part of the Alliance for Nature and Mediterranean Culture that aims to work internationally in the search for solutions for providing healthy food, for the management of land sustainability and the recovery of biodiversity.

We hope that this new collaboration can bear fruit in joint projects and that, little by little, we can see the impact we make on each side of the Mediterranean.

Watch the video here commemorating the 45 years of GOB in Menorca.