The severe and fast degradation in the green cover of Lebanon calls for an urgent sustainable forest management plan that includes extensive reforestation activities as part of a holistic conservation management plan at the national level. However, "it is questionable whether forests could be managed sustainably without the planting of seedlings grown in tree nurseries" (Colombo, 2001). Tree nurseries provide planting stock that helps ensure the rapid regeneration of desired tree species following disturbance (Colombo, 2001).

A scarcity in forest trees planting stock in Lebanon has been observed by all parties undertaking reforestation activities particularly after the end of the civil war when reforestation initiatives became extensive to restore what has been degraded during the long years of neglect.

However, any clear and accurate account on the quality and quality of forest tree seedlings that is available in both private and public tree nurseries was absent.

That is why a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the existing public and private tree nurseries available in the country was needed in order to understand the current situation in terms of forest trees planting stock in Lebanon.

The Association for Forests, Development and Conservation (AFDC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment (MoE) sensed the urgent need for such an assessment, therefore incorporating it as one of the activities of the Italian Cooperation funded project entitled: "Emergency Reforestation Intervention" project.