CONTENTS Acronyms and abbreviations 4 1 Development Challenge 5 1.1 Background 5 1.2 Land degradation problems facing Lebanon 6 1.3 Baseline scenario 8 2 Strategy 11 2.1 Barriers, root causes and theory of change 11 2.2 Land degradation neutrality 13 2.3 LDN project response 15 2.4 Project alignment 16 2.5 Project site selection 17 3 Results and Partnerships 19 3.1 Expected results 19 3.2 Project benefits and beneficiaries 23 3.3 Incremental reasoning 24 3.4 Gender equality and the empowerment of women 24 3.5 Partnerships and stakeholder engagement 25 3.6 South-South and Triangular Cooperation 27 4 Feasibility 27 4.1 Cost efficiency and effectiveness 27 4.2 Risks to project success and mitigation measures 29 4.3 Social and environmental risks and safeguards 30 4.4 Innovation, sustainability and scaling up 31 5 Project Results Framework 33 6 Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Plan 36 7 Governance and Management Arrangements 40 8 Financial Planning and Management 44 9 Total Budget and Workplan 46 10 Legal Context 49 11 Risk management 49 12` Annexes 51 1 Multi-year Workplan 51 2 Monitoring Plan 52 3 Evaluation Plan 54 4 GEF Tracking Tools at baseline LD-PMAT 55 5a Theory of change showing project response to the Development Challenge and Results/Impacts achieved 56 5b Causal Chain Analysis of the problem of Land Degradation in Lebanon 57 5c Ecosystem Services in the mountain environments of Lebanon 58 6 UNDP Project Quality Assurance 59 7 UNDP Risk Log 66 8 Capacity Development Scorecard - Assessment of LDN Technical Capacity 68 9 Stakeholder Engagement 75 10 Social and Environmental Screening Template 77 11 Endorsement Letter by GEF OFP 84 12 Co-financing Letters 85 13 Draft Letter of Agreement UNDP / Government of Lebanon on Direct Project Services 89 14 Terms of Reference and Procurement Plan 92 15 Gender Analysis and Mainstreaming Plan 99 16 Persons and organisations consulted during project development 106 17 Exploration and assessments of potential project localities 108 18 Analysis of land cover / land use data for study areas of Akkar and Mount-Lebanon 128 19 Communication and Knowledge Management Strategy 149 20 SLM and SFM financing sources and mechanisms 155 3 | P a g e ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS AFDC Association for Forests, Development and Conservation CBD Convention on Biological Diversity CDR Council for Development and Reconstruction EU European Union FAO Food and Agriculture Organization (of the United Nations) FSP Full Sized Project GEF Global Environment Facility GEFSeC Global Environment Facility Secretariat IA Implementing Agency (of the GEF) IBA Important Bird Area IEO Independent Evaluation Office (of UNDP and of GEF) LDN Land Degradation Neutrality LD-PMAT Land Degradation – Portfolio Monitoring and Tracking Tool LMT Lebanon Mountain Trail LRI Lebanon Reforestation Initiative LUP Land Use Planning M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MoA Ministry of Agriculture MoE Ministry of Environment NAP National Action Plan (of the UNCCD) NBSAP National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan NGO Non-Governmental Organization NIM National Implementation Modality NFP National Focal Point (for the GEF) NPMPLT National Physical Master Plan for the Lebanese Territory OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development OMSWA Office of the Minister of State for Women’s Affairs PIF Project Identification Form PIR Project Implementation Report PMU Project Management Unit POPP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (of UNDP) PPG Project Preparation Grant (of GEF) STAP Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (of GEF) RAPTA Resilience, Adaptation Pathways Transformation Assessment (Framework) RTA Regional Technical Advisor (of UNDP) SDG Sustainable Development Goal SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment SLM Sustainable Land Management SPNL Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon TRAC Target from Resource Assignment from the Core (Funding) UNCCD United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNHCR United Nations High Commission for Refugees USAID United States Agency for International Development USD United States Dollar 4 | P a g e 1 DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGE 1.1 Background 1. Lebanon has a total land area of 10,452 km2, and lies entirely within the Mediterranean Basin Ecoregion. It is situated east of the Mediterranean Sea, has a coastline of 210 km and stretches 50 km inland. Inland from the coast is the Mount Lebanon mountain range which stretches some 240 km, is characterized by high precipitation and has an average altitude of around 2000 m1 with the highest peak, Qurnat al-Sawda rising to just over 3000 m. 2. Jurassic, Cretaceous and Tertiary Karstic limestone, Cretaceous and Quaternary sandstone, and Conglomerate make up most of Lebanon’s geology. Carbonated rock formations make up most of the two main mountain ranges. Soils in Lebanon are young and shallow and have a poor consistency, especially on sloping terrains. The most common soil types in Lebanon are the calcareous Terra-Rossa and Rendzinas, which are in the agricultural plains of the country. Other soil types include sandstone, basalts and similar older volcanic materials. Precipitation averages 840 mm/year – varying from 200 mm/year in the northern inland region to more than 1,500 mm/year on the peaks of Mount Lebanon. 3. Land use activities in the Mount Lebanon range include irrigated and non-irrigated arboriculture (olive trees, apple, almonds) and vineyards. Extensive grasslands allow for the development of livestock, particularly goats. Forests in Lebanon cover 139,376 ha while Other Wooded Lands (OWLs) cover 108,378 ha, 13% and 10% of the surface area of the country, respectively2. The highest concentrations of forests in the country are found in Mount Lebanon (37%) and North Lebanon (30%), such that oak forests occupy the largest surface areas, estimated at 52%3. Figure 1: Governorates and Districts of Lebanon 4. Lebanon makes up only 0.007% of the world land surface area but it is home to 1.11% of world plant species and 2.63% of reptile, bird and mammal species. Lebanon’s floral diversity is one of the highest in the Mediterranean, a region which is considered to be among the most biologically diverse in the world. About 12% of plant species in Lebanon are endemic. Lebanon is also home to nine nature reserves, three biosphere 1 Yighni, Y. et al (2013). Soil Resources of Mediterranean and Caucasus Countries 2 Ibid. 3 UNDP / MOE (2011), State and Trends of the Lebanese Environment 5 | P a g e reserves, one UNESCO World Heritage Site and 15 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) recognized by Birdlife International4. The Lebanon NBSAP5 provides a comprehensive and detailed overview of protected areas in Lebanon. At the species level, 9,119 species have been documented - 4,633 flora and 4,486 fauna. Of these species, 96 are considered rare or threatened. Eleven tree species are on the IUCN red list at low risk levels while Arbutus, Ceratonia, Pistacia, Pinus, Quercus and Laurus are among the surviving remnants of ancient forests6. 5. Lebanon is administratively divided into 6 governorates and 25 districts as shown in the map in Figure 1. Of particular interest to this project, with its focus on mountain lands, are the districts of Akkar and Jbeil, in North Lebanon and Mount Lebanon Governorates, respectively. 6. A feature of the Mount Lebanon range is the Lebanon Mountain Trail (LMT) which starts in Akkar, runs across Jbeil and terminates in Marjaayoun in the south having traversed 470 km passing through more than 75 towns and villages at altitudes ranging from 570 to 2,011 m above sea level. The LMT showcases the natural beauty and cultural wealth of Lebanon's mountains and demonstrates the determination of the people of Lebanon to conserve this unique heritage. The trail brings communities closer together and expands economic opportunities in rural areas through environmentally and socially responsible tourism. Every year, more than 25,000 visitors walk on the LMT, including Lebanese and foreign hikers, providing an economic lifeline to the rural communities along the trail. 1.2 Land degradation problems facing Lebanon 7. Current land management practices in Lebanon are not sustainable as they continue to erode the country’s natural resource base (soil, water, green cover, and landscape). While traditional practices such as terracing, controlled grazing and forest management have helped protect the land, modern practices have significantly altered the natural and social make-up of the land including perceptions of natural resources. Population growth, the continued loss of arable land and biodiversity, concerns about food security and the expanding infrastructure due to population growth and urban sprawl are major factors impacting land resources and the natural environment and leading to land degradation. 8. Land degradation in Lebanon is of particular concern in mountain lands and high country. This is due in part to natural factors typical of mountain rocky lands with shallow soils and bare rocks where accelerated soil erosion and landslides are a characteristic of the topography. A soil assessment showed that over 90% of the central Lebanese mountain areas have moderate to high erosion rates7. However, this is exacerbated by human induced pressures including overgrazing, deforestation by both permitted and illegal logging, conversion of forest land for pasture, agricultural malpractices including overuse of fertilizers, quarrying and urban settlement. 9. According to some estimates, there has been little change in overall forest cover at the national level over the past ten years. This is because reforestation measures have balanced out illegal logging, forest fires, urbanization, infrastructure development, human intervention, and overgrazing. However, and especially at the local level, there has been degradation and fragmentation of forests and although annual reforestation is estimated at 0.83% leading to a small net gain at the national level annually8, high density forests have decreased by 0.4% annually and at the local level there are forest losses9.