A tree felled in Hardin, in the Batroun district. (Credit: NNA)
The Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture announced on Sunday that it had seized quantities of firewood from the illegal felling of centennial pine trees in the village of Hardin (Batroun district) after public outcry over these actions on the X platform. The ministry stated that fines had been imposed on those responsible and the case had been transferred to the relevant judicial authorities.
Upon learning of the illegal felling, a patrol was dispatched to the site by order of Agriculture Minister Nizar Hani to assess the damage. According to a statement, "a large number of centennial pines" were cut down over an area of nearly 4,000 square meters.
The ministry added that "the protection of forests and centennial trees is at the heart of its priorities, and this matter will be followed through to the end." It also encouraged citizens to report such ecological violations to the authorities.
Earlier this week, the environmental group Terre-Liban reported the illegal felling of forest trees in the village of Ghodress, Kesrouan, including some centennial trees. Roads were even cleared within the forest to transport the logs.
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