Nizar Hani, director of the Chouf Cedar Reserve. (Credit: Romy Abou Jaoudeh, from the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts)
“Ahla w sahla!” With a smiling face, Nizar Hani welcomed tourists and visitors to the Shouf Cedar Reserve. Then he sat on the ground in the shade of the cedars, refusing to be called mister or doctor. “Without a title, it’s much better!” he said. He softly touched the trunks of the ancient trees, as if to feel their heartbeat.
This defender of ancient greenery has dedicated 23 years of his career to the sustainable management of natural resources and promoting biodiversity. Under his leadership, the Shouf Reserve has benefited from innovative conservation and community development programs. These initiatives include reforestation, protection of local flora and fauna and raising awareness among local populations and visitors about the importance of biodiversity.
Born in Baadaran in 1978, Nizar Hani grew up immersed in the love of Shouf's majestic forests. The protector of Lebanon's cedars is considered an activist for conserving green spaces. Over the years, he has acquired several degrees: a bachelor's in biochemistry, a master's in food science and a doctorate in agricultural sciences. He has thus become a prominent figure in the field of conservation in Lebanon.
A hardworking individual
In 2000, Hani began his professional career. “At first, I was a scientific coordinator. I performed this job with a team for 10 years, and when I became the reserve director, the responsibility completely changed,” he explained. “We started with 10 employees. Today, the team consists of 70 permanent researchers and 250 volunteers who help each other in the progress of this natural environment. It’s more than just a job! It’s rather a way of life,” he said with sparkling eyes. This “moudir” (“director”), as referred to by Majed, the guide of the Maasser Cedar Forest, dedicates long hours to his work, demonstrating unwavering commitment to nature conservation and sustainable development. His days often start at dawn and extend well past sunset to fulfill all his responsibilities: supervising reforestation projects, coordinating educational programs to raise public awareness and collaborating with researchers and international partners. Hani is constantly in meetings or the field.
The director said that the unconditional support of his family has contributed to his success. “My wife played a crucial role in my success. She endured my long absences. At the start of my career, I worked 20 hours a day. Currently, I work about 18 hours,” he emphasized. The activist also believes that “planting a cedar named after a loved one is a tangible way to connect the individual to their roots.” “If I plant a cedar, it will bear the names of my children,” he added.
An ambitious environmentalist
Despite the challenges and issues arising from climate change, Hani hopes to “connect all of Lebanon’s natural reserves through a network to create ecological corridors to facilitate the migration of species and the restoration of degraded habitats between reserves.” However, he acknowledged that this initiative requires interinstitutional coordination, rigorous protection policies and the involvement of local communities. “The concept of reserves has changed worldwide; we no longer just protect a species but rather manage the landscape,” said Hani.
“A few years ago, 20 to 30 people hiked in our forests because the visitors’ goal was hunting. But that has changed today,” he rejoiced. He also stated that the number of reserve visitors increases each year. “We now welcome about 120,000 visitors annually. People have become aware of the importance of nature,” he said.
All the portraits will be exhibited starting March 14, at 3:30 p.m. (opening time in the presence of French Ambassador Hervé Magro), in the Ibrahim Najjar room of the exhibition gallery on the new ALBA campus in Dekwaneh.
As part of the project “Committed Feathers, Lebanese Youth Express Themselves!” by the Institut français, in partnership with Yomkom, ALBA and L’Orient-Le Jour, and with the support of ALAM and Change Lebanon, six of our journalists held a training on journalistic portrait writing techniques last spring for 84 young writers. Aged between 14 and 16 and coming from 28 schools in the regions of Beirut, Jounieh, Tripoli, Akkar, Zgharta, Koura, Minieh, Baalbeck, Qab Elias, Zahle, Rayak, Chouf, Baabda, Saida, Sour, and Nabatieh, these young people created the portrait of a local personality of their choice, standing out through civic initiatives. Among the 28 portraits written, L’Orient-Le Jour chose to publish three. This is Nizar Hani, director of the Shouf Cedar Reserve. This portrait was written before the large-scale Israeli military operation in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa on Monday, Sept. 23, 2023, and the subsequent large-scale war between Hezbollah and the Israeli state that lasted until Nov. 27, 2024. It was also selected by our teams before Nizar Hani was appointed Agriculture Minister in the Nawaf Salam government formed on Feb. 8, 2025.
This article was translated from L'Orient-Le Jour.