The Qadisha ValleyA historical, cultural, religious

and natural heritageFady ASMAR

Lebanon

UNESCO Office - BeirutUNESCO Office - Beirut

World Heritage Site since 1998World Heritage Site since 1998 Diversity of the landscapeDiversity of the landscape Integration of the architecture in the local relief, a heritage of Integration of the architecture in the local relief, a heritage of

the ancestral human activitiesthe ancestral human activities Agricultural terraces , human valorization of a difficult relief Agricultural terraces , human valorization of a difficult relief An important biological diversity An important biological diversity Geology and karstic specificity Geology and karstic specificity The Cedars of God ForestThe Cedars of God Forest Site for refuge and meditation: foundations of Christian Site for refuge and meditation: foundations of Christian

mysticismmysticism Cultural and natural added value: Cultural and natural added value:

– Traditional exploitation of land,Traditional exploitation of land,– Jurassik calcareous caves Jurassik calcareous caves – Biological diversityBiological diversity

A REMARKABLE SPIRITUAL, BIOLOGICAL AND A REMARKABLE SPIRITUAL, BIOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HERITAGENATURAL HERITAGE

THE QADISHA VALLEYTHE QADISHA VALLEY

Important religious Important religious patrimony, natural and patrimony, natural and builtbuilt

Steep cliffs and strong Steep cliffs and strong landscapes favoring a landscapes favoring a spiritual mode of livingspiritual mode of living

Sacred character Sacred character caused by the caused by the presence of hermitespresence of hermites

Richness of biodiversityRichness of biodiversity Terraced fields planted Terraced fields planted

with olives, vines, with olives, vines, fruits, vegetables and fruits, vegetables and cerealscereals

THE CEDARS FORESTTHE CEDARS FOREST

Above the Qadisha Above the Qadisha valleyvalley

Age old cedar treesAge old cedar trees Sacred character Sacred character

intensified by the intensified by the existence of legends existence of legends and traditionsand traditions– The Maronite Church The Maronite Church

used to excommuniate used to excommuniate those who dared to those who dared to attack the Cedars attack the Cedars

– The Transfiguration of The Transfiguration of Christ is said to have Christ is said to have occured on this holly occured on this holly land.land.

THE LEBANESE CEDARTHE LEBANESE CEDAR

Symbol of Lebanon, Symbol of Lebanon, rooted in the rooted in the beleives and beleives and traditionstraditions

Largely exploited for Largely exploited for the construction of the construction of temples, sacred temples, sacred monuments, fleets…monuments, fleets…

Locally used as a Locally used as a fuelwood and for fuelwood and for small handicrafts. small handicrafts.

THE QADISHA LANDSCAPETHE QADISHA LANDSCAPE

The traditional exploitation has shaped the The traditional exploitation has shaped the landscapelandscape

The space is organized around four components: The space is organized around four components: – hortus:hortus: home gardens, fruits and vegetables home gardens, fruits and vegetables– ager:ager: terraced fields of cereals terraced fields of cereals– silva: silva: the forest for the fuel, building material and the forest for the fuel, building material and

some grazing;some grazing;– saltus: saltus: intermediary space, grazed, planted and intermediary space, grazed, planted and

covered by trees. covered by trees. The development of agriculture on terraces The development of agriculture on terraces

allowed for an increase of the available space allowed for an increase of the available space and an improvement of the water holding and an improvement of the water holding capacity. capacity.

Growing of olive, vines, mulberries, fruit trees, Growing of olive, vines, mulberries, fruit trees, cereals fruits and vegetables. cereals fruits and vegetables.

Abandonment of Abandonment of villages and of villages and of agricultureagriculture

– Soil degradation Soil degradation caused by destruction caused by destruction of terraces.of terraces.

– Natural forest Natural forest vegetation recovering vegetation recovering abandonned lands.abandonned lands.

Which explains the Which explains the fact that most of the fact that most of the forests in the area forests in the area are young (except are young (except the Cedars of God the Cedars of God Forest)Forest)

THE AFFECTIVE THE AFFECTIVE DIMENSIONDIMENSION Linked to the symbol value of Linked to the symbol value of

the valley and to the concern the valley and to the concern of transmitting to future of transmitting to future generationsgenerations

Human settlements since early Human settlements since early days of humanitydays of humanity

Natural refuge and then Natural refuge and then hermitagehermitage

Development of agricultural Development of agricultural and grazing activities and grazing activities

Recently, abandonment of Recently, abandonment of agriculture, forestry and agriculture, forestry and herdingherding

Ecotourism not yet properly Ecotourism not yet properly implementedimplemented

A RISKY NATURAL DYNAMICA RISKY NATURAL DYNAMIC

Progressive disappearance of open spaces Progressive disappearance of open spaces leading to loss of biodiversity.leading to loss of biodiversity.

Landscape degradation caused by the Landscape degradation caused by the covering of abandonned agricultural fields covering of abandonned agricultural fields with busheswith bushes

Loss of cultural character and historical value Loss of cultural character and historical value because of lack of maintenance of the because of lack of maintenance of the landscape landscape

Progressive enrichment but ultimately loss of Progressive enrichment but ultimately loss of biodiversity and increase of erosionbiodiversity and increase of erosion

THE MEDITERRANNEAN THE MEDITERRANNEAN GARDENGARDEN

The concept of the The concept of the hortushortus, , agerager, , silvasilva and and saltussaltus allows for the allows for the conservation of the conservation of the Mediterranean Mediterranean landscape and the landscape and the heritage values heritage values

An organized and An organized and responsible tourism responsible tourism would give an added would give an added value to the site by value to the site by increasing the functional increasing the functional mosaic.mosaic.

PROSPECTIVE SCENARIOS PROSPECTIVE SCENARIOS

A NEGATIVE SCENARIOA NEGATIVE SCENARIO

External actors invading the siteExternal actors invading the site A weak integration of the ecotourism and A weak integration of the ecotourism and

sustainable development dimension.sustainable development dimension. Progressive loss of identity of the territory, Progressive loss of identity of the territory,

abandonment and loss of interest of tourists: abandonment and loss of interest of tourists: high urban pressure, uncontrolled high urban pressure, uncontrolled exploitation, lack of authanticity and quality. exploitation, lack of authanticity and quality.

A POSITIVE SCENARIOA POSITIVE SCENARIO

Proper management of Proper management of exploitation exploitation

Traditional rural activities Traditional rural activities Multi-functional forestry Multi-functional forestry Reduced conflicts of useReduced conflicts of use Developped local valuesDevelopped local values Responsible tourismResponsible tourism Creation of new jobsCreation of new jobs Respect of the Spirit of the Respect of the Spirit of the

Valley: « haut lieu » of Valley: « haut lieu » of prayers, meditation and prayers, meditation and pilgrimages.pilgrimages.

This scenario supposes a joint This scenario supposes a joint management of the land with management of the land with all the concerned all the concerned stakeholders. stakeholders.

RECOMMANDATIONSRECOMMANDATIONS

Preserve the cultural and heritage landscape Preserve the cultural and heritage landscape – Find an equilibrium between the Find an equilibrium between the hortus, ager, silva hortus, ager, silva andand saltus, saltus, through through

traditional agriculture as a tool for the maintenance of the space. traditional agriculture as a tool for the maintenance of the space. – Preserve, promote and valorise the elements of the rural, historical, Preserve, promote and valorise the elements of the rural, historical,

cultural and religious heritage. cultural and religious heritage. – Adopt a landscape approach for the management of the ecosystems.Adopt a landscape approach for the management of the ecosystems.– Identify landscapes and species to be protected. Identify landscapes and species to be protected.

RECOMMANDATIONSRECOMMANDATIONS

Awareness raising and Awareness raising and eductaion of involved eductaion of involved actors and stakeholdersactors and stakeholders– Conflict resolution Conflict resolution – Promote education at Promote education at

school levelschool level– Involve tour operators Involve tour operators

and concerned actors in and concerned actors in the integrated and the integrated and sustainable sustainable management of the management of the land, taking into land, taking into consideration the consideration the different values of the different values of the area. area.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

Religious and biodiversity heritageReligious and biodiversity heritageThe conservation of the local biodiversity is an important The conservation of the local biodiversity is an important commitment for the perenity of the collective memory of commitment for the perenity of the collective memory of the religious community and the local people.the religious community and the local people.

Biodiversity, agriculture and exploitation of land Biodiversity, agriculture and exploitation of land The biodiversity of the valley includes authentique natural The biodiversity of the valley includes authentique natural landscapes and typical landscapes shaped by human landscapes and typical landscapes shaped by human activity. This diversity is threatened by the activity. This diversity is threatened by the mismanagement of the tourist sector and the uncontrolled mismanagement of the tourist sector and the uncontrolled urbanisation. urbanisation.

The tourist: a main actor for the conservation of the The tourist: a main actor for the conservation of the QadishaQadisha  

Altough tourism is a recent activity, compared to Altough tourism is a recent activity, compared to agriculture and hermitages, the responsible tourism could agriculture and hermitages, the responsible tourism could become the main activity for the protection of the become the main activity for the protection of the biodiversity and of the cultural values of the site. biodiversity and of the cultural values of the site.

A GUIDED TOURA GUIDED TOUR

A GUIDED TOURA GUIDED TOUR