Cedars of Lebanon warming up.

Lebanon's most famous symbol, its stately cedar trees, is in danger from global climate change. Nazir Hani, scientific coordinator at the Al-Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve says that current climate changes foreshadow great danger for the nation's prized trees. That reserve is home to roughly 25% of Lebanon's cedar trees, some of which are estimated to be an incredible 2000 years old.

The threat comes largely from the melting of snow due to global warming. Cedars, which thrive at elevations of 4.000 to 5,900 feet above sea level, require snow and frost to spread their seeds and germinate. Without those cold stimulants, no new trees could sprout and the existing ones would die slowly as the temperature increased beyond their tolerance.

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Lebanon's cedar forests have been greatly diminished over the centuries by a number of causes. Most recently, a wood wasp has decimated cedars in the north. This wasp was not normally a threat, but warmer weather extends its life, allowing it to damage the trees beyond help.

The tree species has been officially moved to the "heavily threatened" status on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List.