11/02/2019
Guidebook for Professionals and Amateurs
This book, the first in a series of volumes on Eastern Mediterranean forests and biodiversity, presents 68 trees species from lebanon and neighboring countries.
This first edition aims to provide a consise account of trees native to Lebanon and neighboring countries based on the latest scientific research, field surveys, and personal communications with professionals in their respetive disciplines.
The book provides the reader with the necessary basic information to promote the use of native trees species in home gardens , pockrt parks and public gardens , in streetscapes and in reforestation projects.
Another aim of the book is to provide educators, students and amateurs with a single resource that compiles key information about trees native to lebanon and neighboring countries.
For eavh tree species, the autors provide a botanical description with photographs and information on the ecology, distribution in Middle Eastern countries, ethnobotanical uses, economic values, conservation status and actions ; birds'visitors, and propagation methods.
The treatment of some species was difficult because of the lack of research studies and the need to rely on out-of-date local Floras.
The work involved in the preparation of this book revealed a need to develop new descriptions for some species and the adoption of the latest classifications , nomenclature, and updated scientific and common names . The ecological profile was elaborated for some trees and for others information was limited to the mediteranean Basin.
Information on birds visitors provided relied mostly on field observations made by A Rochas, personal communication with ornithologists, and on literature reviews.
Ethnobotanical knowledge took into account not only the national and regional contexts but also research studies that reveal the potential biological properties.
The conservation status of some trees and the associated conservation measures were not reported at the global regional or national levels.
Therefore, these aspects were associated with the national status of the forests and the protection measures applied where native trees thrive.
The propagation information provided for each species in the book involved professional and advanced and sophisticated techniques. These are needed to ensure the production of local trees with high quality standards which would fit the needs of the landscape design and urban planning sectors.
Rapid appraisals with top agri-business representatives revealed that trees native to lebanon are currently imported from European countries and possess superior aesthetic values and higher resistance to pests.
The resilience of trees of European provenance is due to the application of sophisticated propagation techniques at the local levels.
The use of traditional techniques, however, trends to provide low-quality trees and poor performance when transplanted to the intended sites.
Although our knowledge of the flora and vegetation of Lebanon has improved in recent years, there are still many gaps in our knowledge and further research is needed.
Consequently, there is lack of information for several species discussed in this book.
This fact was a major drive not to limit the source of information to the eastern mediterranean context and to extrapolate information in certain trees, especially on ethnobotany and conversation status and actions .
ame of this book is to trigger the curiosity of researchers and encourage a revival of field studies on the various aspects discussed within these pages
Price 50 dollars.
