Forest & Forest
Management in IRAN
What is forest?
Forest is a vegetation cover where trees are its main elements.
They are divided into various types according to superficial and inner situation, and
dominated by especial ecological conditions in respect of flora, fauna, climatic and edaphic
factors.
The forest area of
Iran
Having forests with an area of nearly 12.4 mil ha (7.4% of the country
total area), it has various geographic conditions, producing different forests of various
tree and shrub species and production capacity in different edapho- climatic conditions.
Iran is divided into vegetational regions as follows.
1- Hyrcanian
(Caspian) region:
The region that covers an area with 1,925,125 ha, extends throughout
the south coast of Caspian Sea and northern part of the country. It has high production
capacity due to humid temperate climate and suitable soil. Hyrcanian forests extend for 800
km in length. Main tree and shrub species are:
| - Fagus Orientalis |
- Buxus hyrcana |
| - Carpinus betulus |
- Parrotia Persica |
| - Quercus castaneifolia |
- Pterocarya fraxinifolia |
| - Alnus subcordata |
- Zelkova carpinifolia |
| - Alnus glutinosa |
- Diospyros |
| - Fraxinus excelsior |
- Carpinus orientalis |
| - Tilia begonefolia |
- Carpinus schuschaensis |
2- Arasbaran region
The region with an area of 164,000 ha are situated in north - west
of Iran and east Azarbaijan province has cold and semi - humid climate. The region has an
important role in soil conservation, regulation of hydrology of surface and underground
water, wildlife protection, biological diversity and supplying fuelwood requirements.
Main tree and shrub species are:
| - Quercus |
- Vornus |
| - Carpinus betulus |
- Populus |
| - Fraxtinus excelsior |
- Corylus |
| - Ulmus |
- Taxus |
- Viburnum |
|
3- Irano -
Touranian region
The region covers an area of about 3,452,775 ha with dry and mainly
cold climate in winter. They are situated in Khorasan, Azarbaijan, Markazi and westem
Provinces. Regardig to topographical conditions and diversity of species, the region is
divided into plain and mountainous sub - regions.
In mountainous sub-region
the juniperus polycar species are developed .The sub- region has dry and cold climate,
temperate summer and the annual precipitation is about 4000 mm. The plain sub- region is
dominated by desert climate and hot summer. Its main species are:
| - Tamarix |
- Amygdalus |
| - Ulmus |
- Pistacia |
| - Geltis |
- Grataegus |
| - Salix |
|
4- Zagrosian
region:
The region extends throughout the zagros mountain in the west and
south - west of Iran, west Azarbaijan, Kordistan, Kermanshah, Lorestan, Fars, Charmahal
& Bakhtiyari, Yasouj and north of Khozistan.
Zagrosian region with an
area of about 4,749,000 ha has semi - arid climate and temperate winter. It also has high
importance in soil conservation, regulation of hydrology of surface and underground water
and exploitation of by - products. The large rivers such as Karun,Karkhe and Zayandehroud
originate from these forests. Main Zagrosian. region species are :
- Q.Persica,
Q.Branti, Q.lnfectoria, Q.Lusitanica |
-
Pistacia |
| - Amygdalus |
- Celtis |
| - Crataegus |
- Fraxinus excelsior |
5- Persian Gulf and
Omanian region
The region with an area of 2,130,000 ha extends throughout southern
parts of the country in Khosiztan, Boushehr, Hormozgan and Sistan- Baluchistan provinces.
They are dominated by sub-equatrial climate.The main species in the region are:
- Acacia |
- Prosopia |
| - Ziziphus |
- Avicennia |
| - Rhizophora |
- populus
euphatica |
- Prosois
stephaniana |
|
Socio- economic and
environmental role of forests in Iran
forests with products such as wood, fuelwood,fruit and various
services have a great importance in the economic, social and environmental conditions.
Since Iran is located in arid and semi - arid zone,
systematic exploitation and protection of its forests has an especial characteristic such
as:
- Wood production
- Employment
- Soil and water conservation
- Recreational role of forest
- wildlife protection
- Forage and man
- Source of genetic reserves
- regulation of climate
- Reducing excess atmospheric carbon dioxide
- Flooding loss
Action plans and
policies
Forest and Range Organization (FRO), an organization of Ministry
of Jihad - e - Sazandegi is in the charge rehabilitation, systematic expeloitation and
supervision of forests.
This responsibility is carried
out through compiled action plans and policies in accordance with social, national, regional
and institutional requirements.
Cooperative and private sectors cooperate in
fulfillment of these policies. Important action plans are:
- Planning and implementation of forest management plans.
- Forest exploitation
- Rehabilitation of deteriorated forests
- Construction of forest roads
- Afforestation
- Forest protection
- Creation of forest parks
- Planning and implementation of "settlement of the traditional livestock owners
outside the forest" and associating cottagers scattered family- units
-Establishing rehabilitation and exploitation cooperative societies of cottagers.
|
