Drought and invasive insects undermine Lebanon’s historic pine forests Environment and climate

For centuries, pine trees were once majestic and abundant in the heart of southern Lebanon, but in recent years they have begun to face major challenges from drought caused by climate change and invasive insects, as the forests that were the lifeblood of entire communities have become vulnerable to erosion.

Over the past years, the farmers of Bkassine Forest, one of the Lebanese villages in Jezzine District, have witnessed a decline in their pine production. They initially attributed this to seasonal weather fluctuations and climate change, but in 2015 scientists discovered an invasive insect that feeds on the cone-shaped fruits that produce the seeds of the precious Lebanese pine.

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Forest health expert at Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Dr. Nabil Nimr, says, “The matter is not limited to fruits. This insect attacks cones over a period of 3 years, and it not only reduces productivity, but eliminates it completely.”

He confirms that in some cases, up to 82% of the seed pods are left in the form of empty shells, and trees weakened by the effects of climate change are particularly at risk.

Nabil Nimr says that the insect, which bears the scientific name “Leptoglossus occidentalis,” originally originated in Central America, and it is likely that it arrived in Lebanon via ships and wooden cargo boats, and since then it has spread across the Mediterranean Sea to Turkey and other regions.

Bkassin Reserve is the largest productive pine forest in the Middle East. Although these trees are found in other areas of Lebanon, they are not as widespread and are not mostly for commercial purposes.

For decades, the Milad family lived at war over the bounty of the pine forest, but the situation has changed now. Harb told Reuters, “I inherited this business. I built my house from it and raised my family. But the trees began to die, and with them our way of life.”

A diminishing ecosystem

Most of Lebanon’s pine forests were planted hundreds of years ago. These ancient trees are still productive, but drought, erratic rainfall and rising temperatures caused by climate change have made them more vulnerable to pests and gradual erosion.

Nabil Nimr confirms, “A healthy tree is able to resist, but when it suffers from continuous thirst due to drought, it has no defense.”

The Bkassin forest was once home to about 100,000 productive pine trees, according to the United Nations Development Programme, but years of climate stress and pest infestations have led to a decline in their numbers, according to Nemr, who confirms that the replanting efforts were aimed at compensating for those losses, but there are no recent studies that provide accurate new numbers, according to his estimate.

In addition to the seed-bearing pod-eating insect, wood-eating beetles also damage pine trees. Dead trees litter the forest floor, attracting more pests and accelerating their deterioration.

Wealth is at risk

Decades of political and economic turmoil in Lebanon have also negatively affected the situation. After the brutal civil war that the country witnessed between 1975 and 1990, state-led forest management disappeared, and control over logging and tree removal decreased.

Since the economic collapse in 2019, illegal logging has increased, productivity has declined, and market prices have risen, and few Lebanese can afford them. A kilogram of pine nuts now sells for about $100, up from about $65 five years ago.

Despite the threat to the wealth of pine forests, pest control efforts have been slow, and spreading pesticides requires helicopters from the Lebanese army. Logistical delays mean that processing opportunities are often missed, the critical period in which insects lay their eggs.

The Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture announced a national spraying campaign last August. But Nabil Nimr warns that without a broader strategy that involves farmers themselves, this campaign will not be enough.

In Bkassine, farmers are learning how to identify pests, report outbreaks, and participate in forest management through training programs led by the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the United Nations Environment Programme.

In this context, Nimr says, “We have to manage the forest as a whole. This is not a garden, and it is not a farm, but rather a living ecosystem.”

Ahead of the COP-30 climate conference in Belem, Brazil this month, United Nations officials stressed the importance of protecting forests from pests and other risks, describing forests as “the strongest natural defense on the planet.” This is the role played by the Bakassine forest, which is threatened by pests.