NNA - Head of the National Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Lebanon, Fadi Ghanem, warned of the "dangerous wave of random cutting of trees, which occurs in various regions, as well as the possibility of fires that may be provoked in most cases."

In an issued statement earlier today, Ghanem said: "With the significant rise in fuel prices, the collapsing value of the Lebanese pound and the salaries of employees and workers, a large part of the Lebanese began buying firewood in preparation for the coming winter, as more than 80% of the residents of mountainous and highland areas are suffering from difficult financial conditions, and are unable to afford the cost of diesel for heating in winter..."

He added: "Some take advantage of this situation, and deliberately cut down trees randomly, including perennial trees, and this constitutes a real crime against nature in Lebanon."

He considered that the absence of accountability allows for such actions, and cautioned against the risk of fires and the possibility of some people triggering these fires with the aim of benefiting from the firewood trade and cutting of trees.

Ghanem, thus, called on various municipalities, the Ministries of Environment and Agriculture, and the security forces to "strictly implement laws and prevent an environmental massacre in Lebanon," asking citizens "to resort to methods that are not harmful to the environment, such as processes of descaling, biomass cleaning