Skip to main content

Lebanese turn to logging in preparation for winter

Lebanon’s woodlands are at risk as the poor are cutting down trees as an alternative for fuel to heat their homes in the coming winter, and with such desperate measures experts fear the loss of precious and old trees.

Snow blankets the area of Mdeirej, in the mountains east of Beirut, Lebanon, Feb. 18, 2021.
Snow blankets the area of Mdeirej, in the mountains east of Beirut, Lebanon, Feb. 18, 2021. — -/AFP via Getty Images

BEIRUT — In the face of rising fuel prices and scarcity in Lebanon, residents have become increasingly dependent on cutting down trees from nearby forests and woodlands to stay warm, and while the increased logging is causing fears of deforestation, many in Lebanon say they are left with little choice.

Ziad al-Ayysami, a 32-year-old primary school math teacher, wakes up at dawn and wears his rugged ranger boots for a long day with his electric axe to cut down trees up in the mountains of Haramoun, in preparation for winter.

Subscribe for unlimited access

All news, events, memos, reports, and analysis, and access all 10 of our newsletters. Learn more

$14 monthly or $100 annually ($8.33/month)
OR

Continue reading this article for free

Access 1 free article per month when you sign up. Learn more.

By signing up, you agree to Al-Monitor’s Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Already have an account? Log in

Related Topics