Fuel wood collection, land clearing for urban and agricultural development, livestock grazing, and forest fires threatens the health and resilience of Lebanon's forests and ecosystems. As part of the 2015-2025 National Forest Policy, the Ministry of Agriculture launched the first National Forest Program in 2015. The plan proposes an approach to sustainable forest management that incorporates collaboration between forest-relevant public and private actors. The next step is integrating a national forest fire management strategy to address the growing challenge of forest fires exacerbated by climate change. 

PROGREEN’s knowledge program has strengthened forest fire risk assessment and prevention by supporting forest data collection, modeling, and information sharing. This includes conducting an institutional analysis to identify challenges and opportunities for enhancing coordination among stakeholders from local communities to private forest landowners. 

The activity in Lebanon closed in the Fiscal Year 2024 with the delivery of a final Forest Note, Supporting Sustainable Forest Management for Forest Fire Risk Reduction. The report includes recommendations across policy, institutions, and technical capacity for improving forest management in Lebanon. A second report, Institutional Capacity Needs Assessment and Action Plan to Improve Forest Fire Risk Management in the Context of Promoting Sustainable Forest Management, provides advice for improving the governance of forests through ownership strategies. PROGREEN also supported updating a Framework for a National Forest Fire Emergency Fund (NFFEF), which will leverage funds from the private sector, foundations, and the Lebanese diaspora. Lastly, the team supported three capacity-building events on forest fire prevention, including one on incentivizing private landowners to protect forests and trees on their properties.  

Additionally, as a direct result of the knowledge program, a $3.8 million grant from the Global Environment Facility was secured for a new project, "Community-based Wildfire Risk Management in Lebanon's Vulnerable Landscapes." The Ministry of Environment requested the project, which is projected to begin in September 2024.