World Wildlife Day 2026: Medicinal and Aromatic Plants — A Natural Treasure for Health, Heritage, and Livelihoods

Ghadi News

Beirut — On March 3 each year, the world celebrates World Wildlife Day, an international occasion dedicated to highlighting the importance of biodiversity and its vital role in sustaining human life and healthy ecosystems. In this context, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) and the GHADI Association, both members of the IUCN Members Network, joined the global celebration by shedding light on the critical role of medicinal and aromatic plants in supporting human health, preserving cultural heritage, and strengthening sustainable livelihoods within local communities.

Medicinal and aromatic plants have long been among nature’s most valuable resources. For centuries, civilizations around the world have relied on them for traditional medicine and healthcare. According to international estimates, between 70% and 95% of people in developing countries depend on traditional medicine to meet their primary healthcare needs, making the conservation of these plant resources a vital health, cultural, and economic priority.

Lebanon’s Rich Botanical Heritage

In Lebanon, the Hima approach, revived and developed by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL), represents a pioneering model of community-based natural resource management. Today, the Hima network includes 44 declared Himas across the country, protecting a rich botanical diversity of more than 1,000 plant species, including dozens of species endemic to Lebanon. Notably, nearly half of these species are classified as medicinal plants.

Through this community-driven conservation model, SPNL works closely with municipalities and local communities to:

• Protect biodiversity

• Preserve traditional ecological knowledge related to medicinal plants

• Support local economies and sustainable livelihoods

• Promote responsible and sustainable natural resource management

Conservation efforts extend beyond traditional protected areas to include Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs), as well as nature parks and geoparks. These initiatives help strengthen ecological connectivity and safeguard valuable plant species and habitats.

Growing Environmental Challenges

Despite their importance, many medicinal and aromatic plants face increasing threats due to habitat loss, overharvesting, illegal trade, and the growing impacts of climate change. These pressures highlight the urgent need to strengthen national and international conservation efforts to ensure the long-term sustainability of these natural resources.

Protecting medicinal plants also contributes directly to achieving the global 30×30 target, which calls for the protection of 30% of the planet’s land and oceans by 2030, a key objective of global biodiversity conservation efforts.

Fadi Ghanem: Environmental Media as a Partner in Nature Conservation

In this context, Fadi Ghanem, President of the GHADI Association and Coordinator of the IUCN Members Network in Lebanon, emphasized that environmental media has become a fundamental pillar in supporting scientific and environmental action.

He highlighted the role played by GHADI News, a specialized environmental media platform dedicated to disseminating environmental knowledge and showcasing local and regional initiatives related to nature conservation and sustainable development.

Ghanem also announced the upcoming launch of a new specialized environmental media platform, “HimaEcoMedia,” alongside the environmental podcast “The Earthbound 30×30.” The podcast will explore biodiversity conservation, sustainability, and the Hima approach as a community-based conservation model deeply rooted in Arab cultural heritage.

He explained that the platform and podcast will represent a significant addition to environmental media in Lebanon and the region, producing high-quality scientific and documentary content aimed at strengthening environmental awareness and bringing environmental issues closer to the public.

Ghanem further announced that the official launch of HimaEcoMedia and the podcast “The Earthbound 30×30,” along with their visual identity and logo, will take place on the fifteenth of this month, marking a new step toward advancing specialized environmental media in the country.

He concluded by congratulating the members of the IUCN Members Network for their continued efforts in strengthening collaborative environmental action and developing initiatives that contribute to biodiversity conservation at both regional and international levels.

Assaad Serhal: Protecting Medicinal Plants Means Protecting Cultural Heritage

For his part, Assaad Serhal, Director General of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL), stressed that celebrating World Wildlife Day is an opportunity to renew commitment to safeguarding the natural resources that form the foundation of life and cultural identity.

He noted that medicinal and aromatic plants are not merely biological resources; they represent a living cultural and knowledge heritage that communities have accumulated through centuries of interaction with nature.

Serhal emphasized that Lebanon, despite its relatively small geographical area, is considered one of the botanically rich countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The country hosts hundreds of plant species with medicinal and aromatic value that have long been used in traditional medicine and natural healing practices, while also supporting rural livelihoods.

“Protecting these plants,” Serhal said, “means protecting the traditional knowledge passed down through generations, while also preserving the ecological balance upon which human health and sustainable natural resources depend.”

He added that the Hima model, which SPNL has revived and expanded across Lebanon and the region, represents a globally recognized approach to community-based conservation. The model integrates biodiversity protection with community empowerment and the promotion of green economies.

Serhal also stressed that addressing growing environmental challenges—particularly climate change, habitat loss, and the unsustainable exploitation of plant resources—requires stronger collaboration between environmental organizations, scientific institutions, and media platforms.

In this regard, he welcomed the new environmental media initiatives emerging within the IUCN Members Network, particularly HimaEcoMedia and the “The Earthbound 30×30” podcast, describing them as an important step toward developing specialized environmental journalism capable of communicating scientific knowledge, raising public awareness, and connecting local environmental issues with global environmental agendas.

He concluded by emphasizing that the coming years require a genuine alliance between science, society, and media, as protecting nature is no longer simply an environmental choice but a fundamental necessity for ensuring human well-being and the sustainability of the planet for future generations.

Together, we protect nature to safeguard health, heritage, and livelihoods for generations to come.