Jabal el-Barouk

For some time now, there has been some talk about Ma@asir el Chouf on soc.culture.lebanon. The discussion has gone into unforeseen and interesting discussions about Lebanon's environment, Israel's record therein etc. In that context, Rania Masri and I have agreed to put at the disposal of our fellow lebanese a visual tribute to the beauty of that region and the (unfortunate) scars that it has suffered in the past 15-odd years. All pictures (24 in total) are by Rania Masri, who has spent an extended time in that region last summer (1994). The pictures have been scanned by me at AlphaCad Montreal.

Not all the pictures are from Ma@asir or Al-Arz. You will find a description of the pictures with Rania's comments at the end of this message.

Rania Masri can be reached at: rmasri@ncsu.edu I can be reached at: alphacad@applelink.apple.com

Alain Chammas Feb 8, 1995

The photographs are in jpeg format with the large ones between 40K and 120K and the small ones 2.5 K and 8K in size.

01:small/large In the background are some of the planned cedars. In the right corner is a Cedrus libani. (Taken in Ain Zhalta, Jabal el-Barouk)

02:small/large The view from a wonderful outdoor cafe in Bcharre.

03:small/large Beyrouth from the MEA in flight on the way home.

04:small/large A village in the mountains (I am sorry - but I cannot remember where I took this picture.

05:small/large Al-Biqua@ - A view from a house in Al-Mouraijat

06:small/large Taken from BeKnaya, the view is of: Jal-el-dib, antelias and Mina' Dbayeh.

07:small/large Cedrus libani; The Cedrus cones are very visible, look closely at the tree. (At Ain Zhalta, Jabal el-Barouk)

08:small/large Cedrus libani. (At Ain Zhalta, Jabal el-Barouk)

09:small/large Mashrou@ al Akhdar: Those cedars would have been larger if they hadn't been planted so close (AT Ain Zhalta, Jabal el-Barouk)

10:small/large Alongside the road: That darkened area and the shiny silvery objects are trash. What is dark is the burnt trash. This is the road to the forest. A fire can easily spread. (At Ain Zhalta, Jabal el-Barouk)

11:small/large The gate to the cedars of Ma@asir El-Chouf.

12:small/large Cedrus libani from Ma@asir El-Chouf.

13:small/large Picture taken from underneath a large cedar - in the foreground is an old, large cedrus liban. (Ffrom Ma@asir El-Chouf.)

14:small/large Stagheading; Arz el-Barouk. Notice the numerous crowns at the top of the cedar - that is un-natural, and a symptom of an infected, or diseased tree.

15:small/large Dieback - notice the defoliation at the crown of the tree. (From Arz el-Barouk)

16:small/large Similar to 15 (From Arz el-Barouk)

17:small/large The road in the foreground is one which the israelis used in 1982. The land of the road is terribly compacted. In the background are the cedars that were planted in "mashrou@ el akhdar. (Ain Zhalta, Jabal el-Barouk)

18:small/large Some remains from the israeli occupation from 1982 (Ain Zhalta, Jabal el-Barouk)

19:small/large Similar to 18 (Ain Zhalta, Jabal el-Barouk)

20:small/large Similar to 18 (Ain Zhalta, Jabal el-Barouk)

21:small/large Israeli sandbags - including THEIR own sand (i.e. they brought the sand with them.) (Ain Zhalta, Jabal el-Barouk)

22:small/large Found in the center of the cedar forest. (Ain Zhalta, Jabal el-Barouk)

23:small/large Effect of shrapnel on the cedars - not many cedars were physically affected as such. (Ain Zhalta, Jabal el-Barouk)

24:small/large Similar to 23 (Ain Zhalta, Jabal el-Barouk)