NatLib:About
What is Natura Libanotica?
Natura Libanotica is a peer-reviewed citizen-science project dedicated to documenting and promoting the rich biodiversity of Lebanon. Our primary goal is to create an open-access database of the fauna, flora, and funga of the country, including both extant species and their extinct or fossil counterparts. By bringing together experts and enthusiasts alike, we aim to raise awareness, support conservation efforts, and promote appreciation for the natural heritage of Lebanon.
Who is behind the project?
Natura Libanotica was launched and is being hosted by the Lebanese Association for Nature Conservation Awareness (LANCA). But that's not all! This project can't exist without the team of volunteers composed of people like you, who constantly contribute with their knowledge, experience, time and effort, to provide accurate content on the platform.
You could be a student, a farmer, a chef, a retired employee, or a researcher, with a vast knowledge in ecology or with just some inherited information about traditional uses of plants, yet in all cases you are welcome to contribute with as little or as much as you can! If each person writes a small paragraph, together we can write and illustrate the whole book of our natural heritage.
What is "citizen-science" or "crowdsourcing"?
Citizen-science, also known as crowdsourcing, involves engaging the general public in scientific research and data collection. It allows everyday people, regardless of their scientific background, to contribute valuable information to scientific projects. Well known such projects in the wildlife community include iNaturalist and eBird
In the case of Natura Libanotica, citizen-science means that anyone with an interest in nature can help by sharing photos of wildlife they encounter, valuable knowledge about uses of wild plants, and much more... This collaborative approach not only enriches our database but also generates a community of nature enthusiasts who work together and contribute to science.
By participating in this project, you become part of an innovative citizen-science initiative at the national level. Your contributions will help us build a more complete picture of the biodiversity of Lebanon, providing essential data that can be used for research, education, and conservation efforts.
What is "peer-review"?
Peer-review is a process used in the scientific community to ensure the accuracy and reliability of published information. In this process, experts in the field review and evaluate the work of their peers before it is published. This helps maintain high standards of quality and credibility in the scientific community.
At Natura Libanotica, all contributions are peer-reviewed by verified experts before being published online. This means that any information added to our database undergoes a thorough review to ensure its accuracy and reliability. We incorporated peer-review on our platform to provide a trustworthy and scientifically credible source for identification and research.
Why open-access?
We strongly believe that knowledge should be freely available to everyone. We chose to provide an open and free access to our database, to ensure that valuable information about the biodiversity of our country is accessible to researchers, educators, conservationists, and the general public without barriers.
Open-access promotes transparency, encourages collaboration, and accelerates scientific discoveries. It also supports informed decision-making and enforces a culture of shared knowledge and collective effort in conservation. By making Natura Libanotica an open-access project, we aim to create a more inclusive and engaged community dedicated to understanding and protecting the diverse ecosystems and rich biodiversity of Lebanon.