Welcome to ARFIY and thank you for visiting this site. We hope to raise awareness about reforestation which, as can be seen every day, is VITAL for life on eart.

PLANTING CAMPAIGN 2009
> IN SOME PICTURES

> END OF TEXT

GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 7.00 PM
In the residence of the president of the Association in Ecublens.


TRAVEL FROM PATRICK HUMBERT
October 3, to October 12, 2008 to Lebanon



In partnership with the cities of Geneva and Beirut following an invitation to participate in the Science Days held at the Beirut racecourse from 9 to 11 October.

Patrick Humbert and Sari, a student, held a stand during three days and offered visitors the opportunity to plant a deciduous oak acorn using a bag/pot and to take it home to grow a tree. The operation was hugely successful. Opposite our stand, a mini-exhibition helped raise awareness among the (often young) visitors regarding environmental issues and the importance of trees for the planet.

The official guests, including the Mayors of Geneva and Beirut, Lebanon’s Minister of Information, Lebanon’s Minister of Culture, and the Swiss Ambassador, also planted five umbrella pines at the racecourse during the opening ceremony.

ARFIY initiatives were appreciated by visitors and organisers alike.

> IN SOME PICTURES



> BEGINNING OF TEXT

GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2008
Wednesday September 3, 2008 at 7.00 PM
In the residence of the president of the Association in Ecublens.

TRAVEL FROM APRIL 17 TO 22, 2008 TO LEBANON
Check of the 2007 plantations and meetings.

REPORT ON THE 2007 PLANTING CAMPAIGN IN LEBANON
From November 6 to December 1, 2007

During the three and a half week stay in Lebanon, we were able to plant 4200 trees on three different sites:

- In Zahle, first of all. On the property of Rim with a surface of more than 40 km2, we planted 400 Holm oaks (height 20 cm) and 2000 Cedars of Lebanon (height 50 cm) on a surface of approximately three hectares. Following this operation, the owner had 2000 further Cedars of Lebanon planted.

- In Tannourine, 600 evergreen Holm oaks and deciduous oaks were planted on the site of the pit of Baala. Their protection against goats is ensured by logs of barbed wire.

- In Byblos finally, where more than 800 Pinus pinea (“umbrella pines”, height 120 cm) and 400 Holm oaks were planted on two hectares.

Thanks to the invaluable assistance of a dozen workmen and people engaged to work in logistics, the work could be carried out quickly. Mild weather enabled us to make progress in very good conditions.

The protection and the watering of the young trees on all three sites is ensured by the owners and supervised by ARFIY. We plan to carry out a similar operation during the year 2008. 

Moreover, at the nursery of Tannourine, I was able to plant more than 2000 Cedars, which had been sown in spring, in flower-pot bags with the assistance of a workman and the driver. To optimize the chances of take, we planted 3 or 4 seedlings per flower-pot bag. The monks of the Convent of Tannourine who are in charge of watering the seedlings. 

As for future projects, contacts were made with three municipalities to develop projects which will be defined later, more specifically during the next trip in April 2008. On this occasion, a ceremony will be held, and His Excellency the Ambassador of Switzerland to Lebanon will grant us the honour of personally planting a Cedar of Lebanon. Can there be a more beautiful symbol of hope for generations to come?

> NOV-DEC 2007 GALLERY

> BEGINNING OF TEXT
> END OF TEXT


DISCOVER THE PHOTOS GALLERIES
Photos taken in Lebanon by Patrick Humbert.
> GALLERY OCTOBER 2008
> NURSERY GALLERY
> PLANTATIONS PLACES GALLERY
> LEBANON APRIL TO MAY 2007 GALLERY
> LEBANON DEC. 2006 TO JAN. 2007 GALLERY


FIELD TRIP | FROM NOVEMBER 6th TILL DECEMBER 1st, 2007
First plantation campaign ( 4000 plants) in Lebanon.

Project manager in Lebanon
Patrick Humbert


CURRENT EVENTS
Don't misss «ANTILOPE DANSE FESTIVAL 2007, Ex-natura, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, information and reservations, ABC 032 967 90 43 or under www.abc-culture.ch.

FELD TRIP | MAY - JUNE 2007
Patrick Humbert in Lebanon from 29 May to 4 June 2007 to visit the future plantations (transplantation scheduled for autumn 2007). This trip is also an opportunity to continue networking in Lebanon.

Patrick Humbert
Tuesday 29 May 2007

I gathered hundreds of cones in December 2006 and January 2007. The harvest amounts to about 47,500 seeds. Following a long cleaning operation, these seeds now offer great germination potential.

Patrick Humbert
Thursday 8 February 2007


PHOENIX LIBANII PROJECT
COMES ALIVE
Thursday 14 December 2006

Patrick Humbert travels to Lebanon to set up the first nursery