Jbeil and Akkar High Mountains Master Plan

Mountains are a significant part of the Lebanese national territory, being the dominant topographical feature and a strategic freshwater reservoir. As the pressure for urbanization moves from the saturated coastal areas into other parts of the country, the mountainous regions are more and more in the process of absorbing development. This trend of irresponsible and uncontrolled development in the mountains inevitably leads to limiting or diverting storm water recharge, increased groundwater pollution, and the destruction of landscape and biodiversity at large.

ORG Permanent Modernity was commissioned to develop master plans and local development action plans for the High Mountains (+1,500m and above) and two pilot districts Jbeil and Akkar (+800m and above), as well as detailed urban plans for the villages within the two pilot study areas.

The project mission is:
1. Elaborate a framework for environmental protection and valorization
2. Establish a comprehensive multi-sectoral vision
3. Promote sustainable land use within rural communities
4. Diversify economic growth in rural areas through cross-sectoral programs and projects

The displayed materials correspond to the Akkar district.

ORG, together with ELARD who oversaw the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA report), evaluated three scenarios for future development, all of which minimize negative impacts and maximize positive ones on the environment and population of the target areas. The best-ranked scenario encouraging sustainable land use management was used as a basis for the elaboration of the vision for the master plan.

The proposed master plan for the Akkar study area addresses the need for development for these rural communities while protecting and valorizing natural resources and ecologically rich areas and establishing zoning regulations that encourage sustainable land use management of the mountainous lands. Below is the summary map of the master plan, as well as the resulting zoning plan for the Akkar district above 800m.

ORG also developed local development action plans, translating the territorial visions into projects for implementation. Lastly, ORG produced village profiles and detailed urban plans for the villages within the district's study area.

The Land Degradation Neutrality of mountain landscapes in Lebanon (LDN) project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in partnership with the Ministry of Environment in Lebanon, seeks land degradation neutrality in mountain lands by rehabilitating degraded land and preventing further degradation. The project targets several levels of intent, national, regional, and local levels to significantly strengthen land use planning in Lebanon and especially the target regions. The project will work to mainstream considerations of land degradation neutrality into the Land Use Planning (LUP) process to achieve sustainable land and forest management.