Discovering the Beauty of the Shouf Biosphere Reserve (Ain Zhalta) Alone: A Solo Hiking Journey

Discovering the Beauty of the Shouf Biosphere Reserve LEBANON IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK
Alone hiking the summit of Qornet Al Sibe 1880m in Ain Zhalta to get the chance to see this amazing view of the Bekaa Valley where you can see Ammik Wetland - Mount Hermon and Lake Qaraoun.

"This video is in Arabic/هذا الفيديو باللغة العربية"

Ain Zhalta/Bmohray Cedar Trails.
Trail length: 500 m to 15 km
Difficulty Level: all levels
The Ain Zhalta/Bmohray forest covers 240 hectares of the Shouf Biosphere Reserve and exhibits a fantastic level of natural regeneration. This trail is well known for bird watching and includes a hill lake. Between Ain Zhalta and Barouk, you can enjoy a 6-hour hike amongst cedar trees and a fascinating panoramic view from the top of the mountain

About Al-Shouf Cedar Reserve
The largest of Lebanon nature reserves, Al-Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve stretches from Dahr Al-Baidar in the north to Niha Mountain in the south. blanketed with oak forests on its northeastern slopes and juniper and oak forests on its southeastern slopes the reserve's most famous attractions are its three magnificent cedar forests of Maasser Al-Shouf , Barouk, and Ain Zhalta – Bmohary . These Cedar forests account for a quarter of the remaining cedar forest in Lebanon, and some trees are estimated to be 2,000 years old. The size of the reserve makes it a good location for the conservation of medium size mammals such as the wolf and the Lebanese jungle cat, as well as various species of mountain and plants.
The Al-Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve is a popular destination for hiking and trekking, with trails matching all levels of fitness. Bird watching, mountain biking, and snowshoeing are also popular. From the summit of the rugged mountains, visitors will have a panoramic view of the countryside, eastward to the Beqaa Valley and Qaraoun Lake, and westward toward the Mediterranean.

National Standing
Government legislation, Law No. 532 of 24 July 1996 declared “The communal lands of Niha, Jbeih, Mreste, Khraibe, Maasser, Barouk, Bmohreh, Ain Dara, Ain Zhalta villages, in addition to the Government owned lands on the eastern side of Barouk Mountain” a Nature Reserve.
The Al-Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve is under the authority of the Lebanese Ministry of Environment (MOE), which manages it through the Appointed Protected Area Committee (APAC) includes among its members the Al-Shouf Cedar Society (ACS), the Mayors of the larger villages, and independent environment experts. APAC liaises with the reserve?s Management Team, which deals with the Reserve's day-to-day management and planning.
In addition to the Ministry of Environment, the following government agencies have roles and responsibilities that impact the environment and the Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve:

The Ministry of Public Works is responsible for the Kefraya-Maasser Shouf road which passes through the SBR
The Department of Antiquities has jurisdiction over the antiquities and ancient ruins in the SBR
The Ministry of Information and the Maasser Municipality have authority over the T.V. transmitters in the SBR
The Barouk Water Office has authority over water rights, especially the Barouk water, in the Shouf area.
The SBR needs the cooperation of all government and non-government sectors in order to fulfill its goal of conserving the natural and cultural heritage of the region, while also enhancing the well-being and income of the inhabitants of the villages surrounding the SBR. This can only be accomplished through the application of laws and regulations across and between the various jurisdictions within the SBR.
International Standing
In July 2005, UNESCO declared the Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve a “Biosphere Reserve” called the Shouf Biosphere Reserve (SBR) with an area of approximately 50,000 hectare – or 5% of the total area of Lebanon. The SBR includes the:

Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve (established in 1996) and located in the Shouf mountains of central Lebanon,
Ammiq Wetland, east of the Shouf in the Beqaa Valley. Ammiq is a Ramsar site and one of the last remaining wetlands in the Middle East, and
Twenty-four (24) villages surrounding the biosphere from the eastern and western sides of the Barouk and Niha mountains.

For more info about the reserve and trails check the link
http://shoufcedar.org/index.html

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00:00 Introduction
01:23 The forest
11:09 The Summit