reza yari; Gholamali Heshmati; Hamed Rafiee
Volume 28, Issue 4 , November 2021, , Pages 745-758
Abstract
Assessment of the potential ecological and natural capacity of each area with proper planning can lead to sustainable and continuous utilization of natural areas. By increasing the population and psychological pressures resulting from the bustle of cities, ecotourism has become doubly ...
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Assessment of the potential ecological and natural capacity of each area with proper planning can lead to sustainable and continuous utilization of natural areas. By increasing the population and psychological pressures resulting from the bustle of cities, ecotourism has become doubly important as one of the ways to reduce the pressures on people. The development of ecotourism to conserve natural resources should be commensurate with the natural and social potential of the region. Due to the importance of conserving natural resources, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the ecotourism potential of Chaharbagh summer rangelands in Golestan province based on the FAO limiting method and using GIS. The factors assessed include two ecological categories (climate, altitude, slope, soil, water resources, distance to attraction places, value attractive vegetation) and infrastructure (distance to city, amenities, roads, and access routes). The results showed that the total area of the region is 25.36% (2249.29 ha) with medium potential and competence (S2), 28.65% (2542 ha) with low potential and competence (S3), and 45.98% (4079) hectare lacks ecotourism competence and potential (N). The results also showed that water resources, soil, slope percentage, vegetation attraction value, access routes, and distance to attractions are factors that reduce the potential and merit of tourism and altitude factors, distance to city and facilities, welfare as well as climate (temperature) are factors that increase the potential and merit of tourism. Chaharbagh rangelands have suitable facilities and potentials in terms of tourism, and observing the principles of tourism and preserving natural resources, in addition to creating employment and income for the residents of the region, can help the protection and sustainable development of the region.
Leila Mostafavi; Gholamali Heshmati; hamid mostafalou
Volume 23, Issue 4 , March 2017, , Pages 785-799
Abstract
Range suitability assessment for different objectives is along with management principles and guarantees sustainable development. A considerable area of Golestan Province plains is covered with halophytes, grazed by different livestock including sheep. A study was done to assess the suitability of saline ...
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Range suitability assessment for different objectives is along with management principles and guarantees sustainable development. A considerable area of Golestan Province plains is covered with halophytes, grazed by different livestock including sheep. A study was done to assess the suitability of saline winter rangelands with dominant species of Halocnemum strobilaceum and Aleuropus lagopoides for sheep grazing. The F.A.O method in GIS environment was used in this research for Gomishan Plain, Golestan province, Iran. In the method, three criteria of vegetation, water and soil erodibility were used as the sub-models and constituted the final model components. For vegetation sub-model, vegetation types, cover percentage, forage production, range condition and trend and range capacity were determined. Distance from water resources, water quantity and quality were determined for water sub-model. For the soil erodiblity sub-model evaluated by the EPM model, slope, rock and soil sensitivity to erosion were determined. The final model of range suitability for sheep grazing revealed that 38.69 and 61.31 percent of the region were classified as low suitability and no suitability, respectively. Among all factors determined in sub-models, the distance from water resource was the most limiting factor for sheep grazing and forage production was the most reducing factor of range suitability. Finally, utilization of rangelands in the region could be improved by reducing grazing intensity and implementing range restoration practices.
Najmeh Faryabi; Mansour Mesdaghi; Gholam ali Heshmati; Nemat alah Madadi Zadeh
Volume 19, Issue 3 , December 2012, , Pages 421-431
Abstract
Knowledge on floristic composition is one of the most important factors in management of rangeland utilization. Improper utilization of rangelands and lack of attention to the ecological potential of range habitats is the main reason for rangeland degradation. In this study, floristic composition and ...
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Knowledge on floristic composition is one of the most important factors in management of rangeland utilization. Improper utilization of rangelands and lack of attention to the ecological potential of range habitats is the main reason for rangeland degradation. In this study, floristic composition and canopy cover of the species of reference area (exclosure), key area (with mid grazing) and critical area (with over grazing) were considered and three areas were compared together. Ranking of the canopy cover percentage was performed through Van-der-Maarel
method and counting the number of the species was carried out using a systematic-random method. According to the obtained results, three relations were obtained as follows: Major biological forms: Therophyte> Hemicriptophyt> Chamophyte> Geophyte> Phanerophyte; Dominant growth form: Herb> shrub> grass> tree; Vegetation ranking based on canopy coverer: reference> key> critical area. In the critical area, due to over grazing and out of grazing season, canopy cover was strongly reduced and plant palatability decreased.