The canton of Jbeil-Byblos is limited by the Adonis
River on its southern border, by Madfoun Valley
to the North, and by the shore of the Mediterranean
on the western side. Annaya, Qartaba and Afca nestle
on its upper slopes rising towards the eastern border
along the crest of the Lebanon range. It is a region
scored by deep ravines, one of which to the north
of the city of Byblos shelters seven or eight hamlets
called the Corners and is of great historical interest
and attraction for tourists. There are remains dating
from the Phoenicians and from the Crusaders as well
as many interesting churches, cellars and caves.
The term corner comes up very frequently in place
names such as the Greek Orthodox Corner, the Shehwan
Corner, the Red Corner, the Black Peak Corner, and
so on.
The site called Bentaël is the top of a ridge
squeezed between valleys like many others in Lebanon,
between the localities of Eddeh and Hboub and ranging
from 1,300 to 2,700 feet above sea level. One sees
a stretch that is strongly marked, winding and deep,
on the slopes and heights of which lie the several
scattered pretty villages known as the Corners.
The landscape has kept its somewhat wild character
and has been baptized the Bentaël Valley. The
name may perhaps be derived from the Aramaic term
for Jackal Cubs or for Jackal Land, or more logically
from a Phoenician expression meaning Daughter of
God for the superb crops grown there.
Bentaël is thirty miles from Beirut and about
three miles from the village of Eddeh, through which
one must pass in order to reach it. Its part of
the valley stretches over several steep slopes up
a very deep area dominated by some ancient houses
and some new ones which enliven the region and add
picturesque charm. A thick mantle of forest extends
from the valley up to the hilltops, with oaks, pines,
carob trees and cypresses, making a scene of abundant
verdure.
Most of the inhabitants are there during both summer
and winter, for communication outside is easy and
use of all the different kinds of services and infrastructure
presents no problem, there being telephone lines,
electric power supplies, schools, medical facilities
and shopping centers. As well as following various
professions and trades, the people generally cultivate
their plots of land.
The people of Bentaël have made the decision
to devote a large area of their heritage to form
a nature reserve, being helped in this by the Ministry
of the Environment. As their project came to fruition
the fauna and flora began to flourish. Birds such
as partridges, grouse, blackbirds and nightingales
were released in the area, together with animals
such as tortoises, gazelles, wild boar, hares, porcupines,
squirrels, and jackals, and various kinds of butterflies,
moths and insects of interest or ecological importance.
Every kind of hunting or shooting is forbidden in
the reserve and also the lighting of cooking fires
for picnics. Cleanliness and general maintenance
are the object of special attention, and water flows
in the canals.
Many visiting nature-lovers and amorous couples
are always to be found here. There are all sorts
of activities such as hikes and rallies to suit
the taste of everybody, taking groups from Bentaël
to Annaya, Kafra and elsewhere. There are guided
visits and walks, bird-watching, star-gazing, photography
trips, educational outings, exploring, and presentations
with documentaries. There are formative games and
competitions of every kind, sports poetry recitations
and chess matches.
This reserve, which may be visited all the year
round, was founded in 1981 to protect the region
from ugly urban sprawl, and has legal status through
the law of February 1999.
The nature reserve strictly so-called is well over
half a mile (one kilometer) long and between 350
and 550 yards wide, forming a stretch of nearly
three hundred acres, fifty of which include Mediterranean
pine, woods, caves, rocks and cliffs.
Within the reserve there is the twelfth-century
chapel of Saint John and not far from the village
is the church of Saint Theodore, the oldest in Lebanon,
decorated with wall paintings dating back to the
ninth century. There is also a carved stone revealing
Phoenician sacrifice and dating from 1,500 years
before Christ.
There are many projects being studied by the FFEM
(Fond français environnement mondial) in
order to strengthen the network of Lebanese nature
reserves thanks to the supply of financial, technical
and administrative resources and support for the
execution of plans for the management of natural
resources and their long-term use and for promoting
greater diversity of eco-systems.
With increasing concern for the protection of plant
and animal species and of the countryside in general,
and for the integrity and diversity of the different
types of woodland, the little nature reserve of
Bentaël has taken on more and more importance
for the whole region. So now when they say “Bentaël”,
people are thinking of the reserve rather than of
the villages and the region of “the Corners”. By
all means visit the nature reserve when you go to
Bentaël and follow the romantic winding way
up to Annaya, but do not forget to visit the church
of Saint Theodore, patron saint of the region.
Joseph Matar - Translation from the French:
Kenneth Mortimer
- Bentael
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