TEHRAN – Iran’s natural heritage is an integral part of the country’s national identity but remains poorly defined, under-prioritized and constrained by institutional conflicts, a natural heritage expert said.

Reza Ali-Asl, an expert on the registration of natural heritage sites, said Iran’s natural monuments include protected areas, wildlife refuges, wetlands, old trees and special plant and animal species, but responsibility for them is divided between the Department of Environment (DoE) and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts.

“The DoE follows a conservation-oriented approach, while the Ministry of Cultural Heritage has an exploitation-based approach,” Ali-Asl said. “This difference means that many natural monuments located in protected areas cannot be registered at all.”

In an interview published on Saturday by Miras Aria, Ali-Asl criticized what he described as conceptual ambiguity, institutional conflict, lack of written resources, absence of fixed guidelines and structural neglect in the management of natural heritage.

He said natural heritage has yet to find a clear place in Iran’s tourism and policymaking frameworks, adding that even tourism professionals often struggle to define the concept.

“If you ask many tour guides who have completed eco-tourism courses to define natural heritage, they cannot,” he said, adding that the focus of Iran’s tourism industry has long been centered on historical and cultural monuments.

Ali-Asl said this focus has marginalized natural heritage despite Iran’s extensive geographical, climatic and ecological diversity. “Every region, with its ecosystems, landscapes, species or ancient trees, represents natural heritage,” he said.

He cited the registration of the ancient juniper tree known as “Ors Morad” in Kerman province as an example of the challenges involved, saying the process was only possible under exceptional circumstances due to the tree’s border location.

Ali-Asl underlined that natural heritage is not considered a budget priority by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, although nature plays a symbolic role in Iranian culture.

“Mount Damavand is a symbol of Iran, and Mount Sabalan represents power and vitality…. When the Zayandeh-Rood river flows, the people of Isfahan celebrate,” he said, adding that rivers in Khuzestan province have historically shaped civilization.

“These examples show that natural heritage is not merely physical; it is part of our identity,” he said.

He also pointed to traditional beliefs surrounding sacred trees in some regions as evidence of a deep-rooted cultural connection to nature, which he said has weakened in modern life.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ali-Asl described the registration process for natural monuments as lengthy and complex, involving multiple institutions including natural resources authorities, the DoE and regional water agencies.

“Sometimes a wetland of national importance requires approval from a district governor because parts of the surrounding land are leased to villagers,” he said, citing his experience with the registration of Marreh Wetland in Qom province.

“This shows that the legal framework for registering natural heritage has not yet matured,” he said.

He also raised concerns about the condition of ancient trees in urban areas, particularly in Tehran, where centuries-old plane trees are being damaged by construction and asphalt.

“Old trees are part of the historical memory of cities, yet many are being suffocated by development,” he said.

Ali-Asl criticized the lack of publicly accessible specialist resources and said existing research efforts remain fragmented and individual rather than part of a coordinated national strategy.

He also highlighted inconsistencies in guidelines for protecting and marking natural monuments, saying non-expert opinions are sometimes applied inappropriately.

“Every tree, habitat and animal has a story that can engage people,” he said. “A 3,000-year-old tree may have as much narrative value as a historical caravanserai.”

Ali-Asl said Iran has begun paying attention to natural heritage too late but warned that delays could prove costly.

“The situation is not critical, but we need a unified approach, clear guidelines and comprehensive resources,” he said. “Natural heritage is part of our identity, and if we fail to plan for it today, tomorrow may be too late.”

AM