The Green Observatory

The Green Observatory

The Green Observatory is a specialized unit established by the Green Southerners Association to monitor, document, and follow up on violations against wildlife (both terrestrial and marine) on one hand, and to protect Lebanese forests, groves, and rivers on the other. It is considered one of the first observatories in Lebanon to take on this mission.

The observatory was officially launched on November 8, 2016, alongside a dedicated smartphone application that allowed activists and citizens to contribute to monitoring by documenting violations with details such as location, time, tools used, and photos of the incident. These reports would then be followed up through official and judicial channels. (The app was later discontinued due to technical reasons.)

Since its launch, the observatory has documented 82 cases of wildlife violations and animal deaths, most of which were reported to the relevant authorities. The association also held several meetings with the Ministry of Environment and environmental judges to follow up on these cases, successfully holding perpetrators accountable in many instances.

Prior to the observatory’s launch, several notable initiatives had already taken place, including:

September 11, 2015: Following a media campaign on social networks, the association succeeded in obtaining an unprecedented court ruling that handed over a striped hyena (caught in a trap in the town of Blaat, southern Lebanon) to the association. After treatment, the hyena, named “Bella”, was released back into the wild on October 31, 2015.
September 1, 2016: Activists rescued a sea turtle that had become entangled in nets set by hobbyists on the Naqoura coast. It was transported to the town of Aita al-Shaab, where the association worked for hours to ensure its safety before releasing it back into the sea that same night.
December 1, 2014: Activists intervened to return a sea turtle to the sea after it was caught in a fisherman's net on the Naqoura coast and was being offered for sale. A friendly settlement was reached with the fisherman, which included a financial donation in exchange for returning the turtle, with his commitment not to repeat the act, after he was educated on the importance of sea turtles and their vital role in ecological balance.