Govt. earmarks $3.5m to extinguish wildfire in southwest

TEHRAN – The Planning and Budget Organization approved 150 billion rials (nearly $3.5 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) for the provision of equipment and flight services to extinguish a wildfire in southwestern provinces.

Caspian Sea water level sinks to lowest in 25 years

TEHRAN – The Caspian Sea water level has reached its lowest level since 1995, mainly because of a recent drop in the water level of the Volga River, which supplies most of the sea’s water, by about 22 percent.

Military to help battle locusts in Iran

TEHRAN - The Iranian agriculture ministry has called on the military to help fight locusts that have invaded the south of the country, threatening to destroy crops.

Hunting ban extended in northern forests for 5 years

TEHRAN – The ban on hunting in all areas and forest lands of the northern provinces of the country has been extended for another five years, head of Golestan province’s department of environment has said.

Allah-Abad wetland hosting 30 bird species once again

TEHRAN – Currently, 30 species of birds that migrate from Siberia to Africa landed in the Allah-Abad wetland in central Qazvin province, head of the provincial department of environment has stated.

Over $1b spent so far to revitalize Lake Urmia

TEHRAN – Since the beginning of the Lake Urmia Restoration Program in October 2013, a total of 4.6 trillion rials (more than $1 billion at the official rate of 42,000 rials) has been spent, Masoud Tajrishi, director of the planning office of the Lake Urmia Restoration Program, has announced.

Some $4.7m allotted to counter desert locust outbreak

TEHRAN – A total budget of 200 billion rials (nearly $4.7 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) has been allocated to fight desert locust swarms in southern parts of the country, head of Disaster Management Organization, has stated.

Gavkhuni wetland displays colorful return of flamingos

TEHRAN – Gavkhuni wetland in the central province of Isfahan, which was replenished last year, is hosting hundreds of flamingos for the second year after years of dryness, IRNA reported on Sunday.

World Earth Day: online seminar to convene global climate change experts

TEHRAN – The Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, affiliated to the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), will host international environment experts in an online seminar on April 21-23.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Lake Urmia in best condition over past decade

TEHRAN – About 10 years ago, Lake Urmia, northwestern Iran, began its gradual death. Photos of the country's largest saltwater lake were going viral those days, worrying every Iranian. But the lake is now experiencing its best condition over the past decade, turning back to the former glory.

ICOM calls for urgent relief funds to tackle impact of coronavirus

TEHRAN – The International Council of Museums (ICOM) has called on policy and decision-makers to urgently allocate relief funds to tackle the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on museums and their staff as an essential part of the identity of the peoples and nations.

Lake Urmia level rises by half a meter year on year

TEHRAN – Lake Urmia water level has increased by 50 centimeters compared to the same time last year, Farhad Sarkhosh, head of the Lake Urmia Restoration Program’s office in West Azarbaijan province, has announced.

By Jamshid Parchizadeh and Jerrold L. Belant

Mitigating potential flood-induced human-crocodile conflicts in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan Province

The Vulnerable mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) is native to southeastern Iran where about 350 individuals occur in the Bahukalat Protected Area in Sistan and Baluchestan Province.

Iran, UNDP sign MOU to revive Hamoun wetland

TEHRAN – The Department of Environment and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to carry out a joint project for the revival of Hamoun wetland, director of Iran’s wetlands protection project has announced.

Hundreds of natural resource projects to come on stream

TEHRAN – Some 863 natural resource conservation projects will be inaugurated during National Week of Natural Resources on March 6-13, Khosro Shahbazi, head of the Forests, Range, and Watershed Management Organization (FRWMO), has said.

Eskandar Firouz, father of Iran’s environment protection, dies at 93

TEHRAN – Eskandar Firouz, founder and first head of Department of Environment (DOE) in Iran, passed away at the age of 93.

Rainfall in Tehran hits 69-year record high

TEHRAN – Rainfall doused the capital city of Tehran over the past two days, reaching 55.5 millimeters, which was unprecedented in the past 69 years.

Rainfall increases Lake Urmia level

TEHRAN – Recent rainfall has increased the level of Lake Urmia to 1,271 meters, a step closer to its ecological level of 1,274 meters.

Urials, proposed by Iran, added to UN global wildlife agreement

TEHRAN – The Thirteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP13) has approved Iran’s proposal to include urials in the United Nation's list of endangered animals.

Wildfire extinguished in northern forests

TEHRAN – Wildfire, erupted in northern forests of Gilan province over the past 2 days, has been fully extinguished, commander of the protection unit of natural resources and watershed management organization of Gilan has stated.

Iran to cooperate with India, Pakistan and Oman to study tsunami off Makran coast

TEHRAN – Iran is conducting a research on tsunami off the southern Makran coast in collaboration with, India, Pakistan and Oman, aiming to identify high-risk areas, a faculty member of the National Institute of Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences has announced.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

End of the line for Iran's bird-watching paradise?

TEHRAN – Miankaleh international wetland has recently witnessed the death of over 13,000 migratory birds. Although veterinary organization announced that the birds have been killed due to the “botulinum toxin”, some environmentalists believe that water pollution and other factors that have not yet been investigated have caused unprecedented bird mortality in the area.

International environment exhibition to be held in Tehran

TEHRAN – The 19th International Exhibition on the Environment will be held in Tehran on March 4-7, IRNA news agency reported on Wednesday.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

World Wetlands Day: 25 Wetlands of International Importance in Iran

TEHRAN – Iran currently has 25 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites), covering a surface area of 1,488,624 hectares.

Some 6,000 migratory birds die mysteriously in Miankaleh peninsula

TEHRAN – Some 6,000 bodies of lifeless migratory birds have been found so far around Miankaleh peninsula, located in the extreme south-eastern part of the Caspian Sea, IRNA news agency reported on Monday.

Migratory birds wing their way to southern coasts of Iran

TEHRAN – About 90 species of aquatic birds annually migrate to southern Hormozgan province, which is one of the important wintering grounds for migratory birds.

Heavy rainfalls fill Jazmourian wetland by 80%

TEHRAN – Recent heavy rainfalls have led Jazmourian wetland to be filled by 80 percent, Marjan Shakeri, head of Kerman province’s department of environment has said.

Persian Gulf’s underwater museum: an environmental threat?

TEHRAN – An underwater museum has been suggested to be designed in the Persian Gulf to prevent coral reef habitats from extinction due to over-fishing and over-visiting, but the question is that do these museums cause threats to the marine environment?

Wild sheep breeding site set up in northwestern Iran

TEHRAN – A 10-hectare site has been launched in Maku Free Zone located in northwestern province of West Azarbaijan for breeding Armenian mouflon (the mountain sheep), ISNA reported on Sunday.

20% of Persian Gulf’s aquatic species to be extinct in 80 years: expert

TEHRAN – Studies show that as the current environmental issues continue, by the end of the century, about 20 percent of native species in the Persian Gulf will be extinct and 10 percent of new species that might be invasive will replace them, coordinator of the Regional Organization for the Protection of Marine Environment (ROPME) has stated.