Cedar iris, iris cedreti dinsmore, is an endemic plant of the Bsharry cedar region in Lebanon. It is in danger of extinction. Today, one man is trying to save it.
Cedar iris, iris Cedreti Dinsmore, is endemic to the Cedar region (Al Arz) above Bsharry in Lebanon. It grows here at an altitude of 1900 meters and flowers in May. It is on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Cedrar, a large-scale tourist resort project, now threatens over 50% of its current natural habitat. Dr. Youssef Tawk is committed to protecting nature and saving the Cedar of Lebanon and the Cedar Iris. He has planted tens of thousands of cedars and saved thousands of irises from this project.
Tarek Charara
Text and images © 2018 Tarek Charara/Kaleidos images.
All rights reserved.
Saving the iris
Al Arz, Lebanon. Doctor Youssef Tawk is passionate about protecting the environment and saving the lebanese cedar and th iris cedreti. He has already planted tens of thousands of cedar trees and saved thousands of irises. Every plant of iris cedreti has to be extracted from the soil with its rhizome to be transplanted at a later time. Dr. Youssef Tawk is helped by his family and by volunteers, like the scouts, from Bsharry.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. The Iris cedreti Dinsmore in its natural habitat. This specific Iris is endemic to the Cedar region (Al Arz) above Bsharry in Lebanon. It grows here at an altitude 1,900 meters and blooms in Mai. It is listed by the IUCN as critically endangered.
Saving the iris
Al Arz, Lebanon. Doctor Youssef Tawk is passionate about protecting the environment and saving the lebanese cedar and th iris cedreti. He has already planted tens of thousands of cedar trees and saved thousands of irises. Every plant of iris cedreti has to be extracted from the soil with its rhizome to be transplanted at a later time. Dr. Youssef Tawk is helped by his family and by volunteers, like the scouts, from Bsharry.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. To save the Iris cedreti Dinsmore it has to transit via flower pots before being transplanted to an adequate habitat.
Dr. Youssef Tawk
Al Arz, Lebanon. Doctor Youssef Tawk is passionate about protecting the environment and saving the lebanese cedar and th iris cedreti. He has already planted tens of thousands of cedar trees and saved thousands of irises.
Hundreds of little cedars
Al Arz, Lebanon. At Doctor Youssef Tawk’s house. Hundreds of cedar seedlings are waiting to be planted.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. The Iris cedreti Dinsmore in its natural habitat. This specific Iris is endemic to the Cedar region (Al Arz) above Bsharry in Lebanon. It grows here at an altitude 1,900 meters and blooms in Mai. It is listed by the IUCN as critically endangered.
Dr. Youssef Tawk
Al Arz, Lebanon. Doctor Youssef Tawk is passionate about protecting the environment and saving the lebanese cedar and th iris cedreti. He has already planted tens of thousands of cedar trees and saved thousands of irises.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. The Iris cedreti Dinsmore in its natural habitat. This specific Iris is endemic to the Cedar region (Al Arz) above Bsharry in Lebanon. It grows here at an altitude 1,900 meters and blooms in Mai. It is listed by the IUCN as critically endangered.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. The Iris cedreti Dinsmore in its natural habitat. This specific Iris is endemic to the Cedar region (Al Arz) above Bsharry in Lebanon. It grows here at an altitude 1,900 meters and blooms in Mai. It is listed by the IUCN as critically endangered.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. The Iris cedreti Dinsmore in its natural habitat. This specific Iris is endemic to the Cedar region (Al Arz) above Bsharry in Lebanon. It grows here at an altitude 1,900 meters and blooms in Mai. It is listed by the IUCN as critically endangered.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. The Iris cedreti Dinsmore in its natural habitat. This specific Iris is endemic to the Cedar region (Al Arz) above Bsharry in Lebanon. It grows here at an altitude 1,900 meters and blooms in Mai. It is listed by the IUCN as critically endangered.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. To save the Iris cedreti Dinsmore it has to transit via flower pots before being transplanted to an adequate habitat.
Saving the iris
Al Arz, Lebanon. Doctor Youssef Tawk is passionate about protecting the environment and saving the lebanese cedar and th iris cedreti. He has already planted tens of thousands of cedar trees and saved thousands of irises. Every plant of iris cedreti has to be extracted from the soil with its rhizome to be transplanted at a later time. Dr. Youssef Tawk is helped by his family and by volunteers, like the scouts, from Bsharry.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. The Iris cedreti Dinsmore in its natural habitat. This specific Iris is endemic to the Cedar region (Al Arz) above Bsharry in Lebanon. It grows here at an altitude 1,900 meters and blooms in Mai. It is listed by the IUCN as critically endangered.
Dr. Youssef Tawk
Al Arz, Lebanon. Doctor Youssef Tawk is passionate about protecting the environment and saving the lebanese cedar and th iris cedreti. He has already planted tens of thousands of cedar trees and saved thousands of irises.
Saving the iris
Al Arz, Lebanon. Doctor Youssef Tawk is passionate about protecting the environment and saving the lebanese cedar and th iris cedreti. He has already planted tens of thousands of cedar trees and saved thousands of irises. Every plant of iris cedreti has to be extracted from the soil with its rhizome to be transplanted at a later time. Dr. Youssef Tawk is helped by his family and by volunteers, like the scouts, from Bsharry.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. The Iris cedreti Dinsmore in its natural habitat. This specific Iris is endemic to the Cedar region (Al Arz) above Bsharry in Lebanon. It grows here at an altitude 1,900 meters and blooms in Mai. It is listed by the IUCN as critically endangered.
Dr. Youssef Tawk
Al Arz, Lebanon. Doctor Youssef Tawk is passionate about protecting the environment and saving the lebanese cedar and th iris cedreti. He has already planted tens of thousands of cedar trees and saved thousands of irises. Every plant of iris cedreti has to be extracted from the soil with its rhizome to be transplanted at a later time. Dr. Youssef Tawk is helped by his family and by volunteers, like the scouts, from Bsharry.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. To save the Iris cedreti Dinsmore it has to transit via flower pots before being transplanted to an adequate habitat.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. The Iris cedreti Dinsmore in its natural habitat. This specific Iris is endemic to the Cedar region (Al Arz) above Bsharry in Lebanon. It grows here at an altitude 1,900 meters and blooms in Mai. It is listed by the IUCN as critically endangered.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. The Iris cedreti Dinsmore in its natural habitat. This specific Iris is endemic to the Cedar region (Al Arz) above Bsharry in Lebanon. It grows here at an altitude 1,900 meters and blooms in Mai. It is listed by the IUCN as critically endangered.
Saving the iris
Al Arz, Lebanon. Doctor Youssef Tawk is passionate about protecting the environment and saving the lebanese cedar and th iris cedreti. He has already planted tens of thousands of cedar trees and saved thousands of irises. Every plant of iris cedreti has to be extracted from the soil with its rhizome to be transplanted at a later time. Dr. Youssef Tawk is helped by his family and by volunteers, like the scouts, from Bsharry.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. The Iris cedreti Dinsmore in its natural habitat. This specific Iris is endemic to the Cedar region (Al Arz) above Bsharry in Lebanon. It grows here at an altitude 1,900 meters and blooms in Mai. It is listed by the IUCN as critically endangered.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. To save the Iris cedreti Dinsmore it has to transit via flower pots before being transplanted to an adequate habitat.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. The Iris cedreti Dinsmore in its natural habitat. This specific Iris is endemic to the Cedar region (Al Arz) above Bsharry in Lebanon. It grows here at an altitude 1,900 meters and blooms in Mai. It is listed by the IUCN as critically endangered.
The natural habitat of the Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Liban.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. To save the Iris cedreti Dinsmore it has to transit via flower pots before being transplanted to an adequate habitat.
Saving the iris
Al Arz, Lebanon. Doctor Youssef Tawk is passionate about protecting the environment and saving the lebanese cedar and th iris cedreti. He has already planted tens of thousands of cedar trees and saved thousands of irises. Every plant of iris cedreti has to be extracted from the soil with its rhizome to be transplanted at a later time. Dr. Youssef Tawk is helped by his family and by volunteers, like the scouts, from Bsharry.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. To save the Iris cedreti Dinsmore it has to transit via flower pots before being transplanted to an adequate habitat.
Dr. Youssef Tawk
Al Arz, Lebanon. Doctor Youssef Tawk is passionate about protecting the environment and saving the lebanese cedar and th iris cedreti. He has already planted tens of thousands of cedar trees and saved thousands of irises.
The cedar iris · Iris cedreti
Al Arz, Lebanon. The Iris cedreti Dinsmore in its natural habitat. This specific Iris is endemic to the Cedar region (Al Arz) above Bsharry in Lebanon. It grows here at an altitude 1,900 meters and blooms in Mai. It is listed by the IUCN as critically endangered.
