A main vocation of the ecotourism activities of the Friends of Nature is to support local communities with alternative income from nature-based activities, in order to

  1. engage them in the chain of beneficiaries and supporters of ecotourism,
  2. make them local advocates for preservation of natural assets and resources,
  3. support their livelihood in the countryside to forbid their migration to the cities after better livelihood opportunities, in order to maintain the mountains of Lebanon alive with their original communities.

HOW DO WE SUPPORT?

A-  WE EMPLOY LOCAL GUIDES

B- OUR TOURING VISITORS PURCHASE LOCAL PRODUCE TO DRIVE LOCAL ECONOMIC CYCLE

A- LOCAL GUIDES

Charbel – goat shepherd in Adonis valley & high mountains – one of our local guides
Fady – an apple farmer and a local guide
Naim – a retired public schoolteacher – one of our local guides
Milad – head of Deir Dourit municipality

B- LOCAL PRODUCE

“IM TONI” village breakfast at family business
Drinking milk and yogurt directly from shepherd tent
Savoring and purchasing fresh fruits locally
Violette – village lady making a living
and Helping local economic establishment – local tavern