Sustainable management of Kiyan forest reserve-Iran: An analysis of hierarchal process

Document Type : Scientific and Research

Authors

1 Academic Staff, Payame Nour University, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Ilam University, Iran.

Abstract

Management of natural ecosystems, like forests, has several objectives such as wood production, sustainability of ecological systems, preserving aestheti,c and cultural or psychological satisfaction. This management is especially essential in dry regions with sensitive biodiversity, like Iran. The aim of this research is to elaborate a management scheme for developing a sustainable tourism plan for the Kiyan Forest Reserve, using an Analytical Hierarchy Process. At this point, four management alternatives were evaluated from socioeconomic, management (monitoring by governmental or private sector), environment and recreational perspectives. Each part was given a weight based on the opinions of specialists and local experts and tourist (by means of Questionnaire) using the "Expert Choice 11" Software. The results showed that the importance of these criteria is descending in the following order: socioeconomic, management (monitoring), environment, and finally promotion of the regional conservation and biological actions. Also, contribution of each part to the management plan was 47.8% for the environment and 46.2% for the promoting plan of the regional management. In this study, environment criterion is selected as the most important criterion and upgrading region protection is introduced as the best plan. Consideration towards the application of Analytical Hierarchy Process in tourism sustainable development and based on the former findings concludes that protection level in this area must be upgraded to national natural zone.

Keywords

References

1. Amirnejad, H.; Khalilian, S.; Assareh, M.H.; Ahmadian, M. (2006). Analysis estimating the existence value of north forests of Iran by using a contingent valuation method. Ecological Economics. 58:665–675.
2. Asgharpour, M.J. (2008). Multi-criteria decision making, Tehran University Press, 400 pp.
3. Barzeh kar, G.H. (2005). Parks and Recreational Forests (positioning and planning). Agriculture and Natural Resources Engineering Organization of Iran, 231 pp.
4. Ecotourism rule of Islamic Republic of Iran (2005). Passed by board of ministers, Tehran.
5. Garcia, S.M.; Zerbi, A.; Aliaume, C.; Do Chi, T.; Lasserre, G. (2003). The Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries, Issues, terminology, Principle. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper, Rome, 443.
6. Ghodsipour, H. (2010a). Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Tehran Polytechnic press, 236 pp.
7. Ghodsipour, H. (2010b). Issues in multi-criteria decision making: multi-objective planning (weighting methods). Tehran Polytechnic press. 210 pp.
8. Jokar Sarhangi, E.; Jabari, H. (2015). Application of Fuzzy analytical hierarchy process in urban centers priority with ecological consideration (case study West Azerbaijan province), 25 (4): 237-250.
9. Khezeli, H. (2000). An overview of the environmental condition of Nahavand city. Cultural, Social and Economical Journal. Alimoradian Institute, 3.
10. Kiyani, V. (2011). Evaluation of Kiyan spring ecological capability for tourism use. Proceedings of the National conference of Nahavand Development Plan, Payam Nour University of Nahavand. 8 pp.
11. Kiyani, V. (2013). Land Use Planning of Kiyan Spring. Shahre Ma Publication, Nahavand, Iran. 103 pp.
12. Kiyani, V.; Khalil Nezhad, M. (2009). Introduction of Kiyan Forest Reserve and its ecotourism potential. Environment of mountain journal, 15: 18-21.
13. Kiyani, V.; Kiyani, E. (2010). Introduction to the ecosystem management with a native - applied approach (case study: Kiyan forest reserve). JangalvaMarta’ a quarterly published newsletter. 86 & 87:43-47.
14. Mahdavi, A.; Fallah Shamsi, S.R.; Nazari, R. (2012). Forests and rangelands wildfire risk zoning using GIS and AHP techniques, Caspian J. Env. Sci., 10: 43-52.
15. Makhdoum, M.F. (2008). Management of protected areas and conservation of biodiversity in Iran. International Journal of Environmental Studies. 65(4): 563–585.
16. Mohammadi Samani, K.; Najafi, A.; Hosseiny, S.A.; Lotfalian, M. (2010). Planning road network in mountain forests using GIS and Analytic Hierarchical Process (AHP). Caspian J. Env. Sci., 8: 151-162.
17. Monavari, S.M.; Farshchi, P.; Ohadi, S. (2010). Evaluation of strategic factors in environmental management of nature-based tourism in coastal areas: the case of Gorgan Bay, Iran. Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment, 8(1): 353-357.
18. Mossadegh, A. (2004). World’s Forest ecosystems. University of Tehran Press. First edition. 245 pp.
19. Nikmardan, A. (2007). Software Introduction (a summary of the materials and some applied projects solution). Amirkabir University Jihad Daneshgahi Publication. Tehran, 170 pp.
20. Ozhan, M.; JalilIan, H.; Rostamizad, Gh. (2008). AHP an approach to the integrated watersheds management. Proceedings of the Third Conference on Water Resources Management.
21. Piran, H.; Maleknia, A..; Akbari, H.; Soosanoo, J.; Karami, O. (2013). Site selection for local forest park using analytic hierarchy process and geographic information system (case study: Badreh County). International Research Journal of Applied and Basic Sciences, 6 (7): 930-935.
22. Rezvani, A.A. (2001). Ecotourism's role in protecting the environment. Journal of Environmental Studies, 31.
23. Safi Khani, K. (2001). Survey of flora at three protected areas of Lashkardar, khangormaz and Kiyan in Hamadan province. MA thesis, University of Isfahan.
24. Safi Khani, K.; Rahiminezhad, M.R.; Kalvandy, R. (2007). Presentation of flora and life-forms of plant species in Kiyan region (Hamadan province). Pajouhesh & Sazandgi Journal, 74:138-154.
Natural Environment Change
Volume 2, Issue 1
January 2016
Pages 79-87

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics