The Urban Forest
Lebanon is situated on the Rift Valley/Red Sea flyway, the second most important route for bird migration in the world, with over 1.5 million birds using this corridor yearly. Every northern hemisphere autumn, birds leave Europe for Africa to spend the winter season in warmer climates. Come spring, they travel the reverse route, returning to their breeding grounds for the long European summer days. Some arrive in Lebanon in the spring to breed - they are referred to as migrant breeders. This pattern has contributed to an astonishingly diverse bird life, especially as many birds have adapted to Beirut’s dense urban fabric, sheltering in the natural areas that remain but also in unusual derelict places. This commissioned project for Portal 9, a cultural magazine, was conducted with urban planner and architect Sarah Lilly Yassine. Based on quantitative data on bird sightings, interviews with ornithologists, and secondary research on bird classifications and taxonomy, it is a study of bird sanctuaries in Lebanon and the adaption over the years of the different species to the urban fabric of Beirut. The final poster formed the cover of the magazine.
