I had the chance to plan a trip with my family to visit the Barouk Cedars Reserve in Maaser El Shouf and it was a very interesting day on all aspects .

Consulting google maps to get there was a snap and the time to reach the reserve was spot on .Upon reaching the gate of the reserve , we were greeted by a road barrier with a small kiosk next to it which implied that you have to park and go to that kiosk to get information on how to proceed .It was early morning and basically there were very few cars parked. I went to the kiosk and the people manning it were very courteous , friendly and explained how to go around and even suggested that we can have a guide at a fee which can be determined by the customer .

 

The trip from the entry gate to the top where you can park and start your walking tour is around 15 minutes . The landscape and the views are breathtaking. It is a mountain top which is packed with the symbolic cedar tree which you can find on the Lebanese flag .

 

Going around the track is pretty straight forward , you have security personnel everywhere( Rangers) and they are very helpful and answer your questions with a smile. After such a breath taking trip , the first thing that comes to your mind is how you can get hold of a baby cedar tree in case you would want to put it in a pot and try to grow it knowing that it is not an easy task .I approached one of the friendly rangers and shared with them my thoughts .This is where I got shocked .

 

Apparently , you cannot get one from them , but , you can plant one in your name at a dedicated area on the site (makes some sense) which you can visit anytime for free . What did not make sense was the price tag . The price of a Lebanese cedar tree which is a couple of months  is in US dollars , and to be more precise it’s $150 ?!@#!#

The official minimum salary as per the Lebanese government is $450 .So if you are a Lebanese , who is not blessed by a salary that is more than the minimum wage , then we have a message for you : To hell with you and your Lebanese identity , if you want to plant a cedar tree at the Maaser El Shouf Barouk Cedars Reserve because you have to pay 33% of you monthly salary !! If you want to feel that you belong and have a cedar tree in your name then ,  this is a privilege only for people who can afford it .

Lebanon has always been a country where the working class is a discounted majority. These brilliant people who struggle to keep Lebanon moving are unable to plant a cedar tree in his/her name in case they cannot afford to shed $150 per pop . This is reserved for the wealthy people especially if every family member wants to have a cedar tree in his/her name . So a family of 5 persons have to pay $750 for this patriotic exercise .

The cedar tree is on the Lebanese flag , and it should be accessible to every Lebanese who would like to plant one in his/her name, so that people can  feel that they belong to the land of the cedars.

Link to the Reserve Website : http://shoufcedar.org/