The cedar tree is the national emblem of Lebanon and is the centre-piece of the Lebanese flag. Cedar trees used to cover 70% of Lebanon, however nowadays due to excess deforestation they are a protected species and cover only around 7% of the country. Most of them are found in two protected groves, with some trees over 1000 years old.
We went to visit the biggest of these, the Chouf Cedar Reserve, which covers around 5% of Lebanon’s total land, back in January, to see the beautiful cedar trees in the snow.
Wow, beautiful photos! (I am a WordPress photographer as well) Truly breathtaking colors. Great job!
Thank you! I’m not usually a very good photographer but I like how these came out.
Gorgeous shots! They have a short of mystic quality.
very cool. From where the trees where sent to build Solomon temple. Beautiful pics.
Beautiful pictures… it’s strange to see somewhere so far away that looks so familiar. It was the same thing in Iraq and Afghanistan for me.
Sounds amazing. I’ve been to Iraq but not in the snow. I would love to go to Afghanistan. One day…
It’s been ages since I read the “Epic of Gilgamesh.” Am I remembering correctly that there was a reference to Lebanon’s cedars in it? Drat—I have to look this up!
I’ve never read it. Probably should. Let me know what you find!
Hi, I always associate Lebanon with the desert. This is a different way to see it.
I used to think of desert when I thought of Lebanon too, but it’s actually amazingly green. Unlike Syria, which is practically all desert. No wonder they were annoyed when it became a seperate country!
How beautiful. I love the last shot, in particular. That would be stunning converted to black and white, too.
Thanks! Good idea – I’ll try converting it and see how it looks.
What beautiful photos. This post made me think of just recently deceased godfather – he was Lebanese and heavily involved with a group called the Cedar Club. I never really thought about what the cedar tree was or how iconic it was to him and his people until seeing your post but now I’m all misty eyed. Thanks for the evocative post :)
Nice pics, again! I am glad there has been an effort to protect these beautiful trees.
These places are magic!!!!! :)
Breathtaking place.love the picture of you in the tree you look like a forest fairy. Everitte and you are so adorable too. Glad that the country is protecting some of the trees. :)
I love trees! Your post reminded me of the sequoias I saw in California this summer…
That is a wonderful picture with you in the tree.
Thanks! I do love a good tree.
I can send you a picture of some garbage piles crawling with street cats next to a palm tree and that would be Cairo’s answer to these photos.
I wish I were somewhere they had delicious food.
Don’t they have delicious food in Cairo? They must do! Don’t worry, I had to go a long way from Beirut to find this kind of nature. Beirut has precisely one ‘public garden’ and it’s been closed to the public for the last 10 years!
Loved your post on eccentric ex-pats who choose to live in the Middle East. So true, it made me laugh.
Beautiful photography – I’ve never had success with landscape photographs, so I know how difficult it can be to get a great pic. Job well done.
Thank you!