TEHRAN – The Department of Environment (DOE) has underlined the need to benefit from advanced technologies, like camera traps for smart monitoring of wildlife, to effectively preserve valuable wildlife species.

According to Hamid Zohrabi, an official with the DOE, habitat loss is the main challenge facing the country’s biodiversity. “Habitat fragmentation, climate change, drought, overexploitation of natural resources, illegal hunting, and introduction of invasive species have posed serious threats to the life and breeding of wildlife species,” the official highlighted.

Preserving and enhancing the quality of key habitats, ensuring the security of protected areas, and managing water resources are the primary goals of the DOE conservation programs, Zohrabi added.

Moreover, the participation of local communities and non-governmental organizations plays a fundamental role in achieving conservation goals. Sustainable conservation of biodiversity is impossible without local community participation, he noted.

The development of environmentally sustainable livelihoods and the use of indigenous knowledge are among the most important strategies to reduce conflicts and increase the effectiveness of conservation plans.

Elaborating on species restoration, Zohrabi said numerous measures have been taken to lower conflicts between humans and wildlife, and increase the population of endangered species like the Asiatic cheetah, the black bear, great bustards, and other prominent species.

Preserving biodiversity; actions and necessities

Biodiversity is not only the natural asset of a nation, but also the foundation of its biological, economic, and cultural security.

Iran, as one of the world’s important biodiversity hotspots, makes a valuable contribution to humanity’s natural heritage.

Therefore, the country’s approach is to move towards smart governance in the field of biodiversity; governance based on science, continuous monitoring, and intersectoral partnership, Shina Ansari, the head of the DOE, said in May.

More than 19 million hectares of the Iranian territory are dedicated to national parks, national monuments, protected areas, and wildlife refuges. Strengthening the management of these regions is one of the main priorities of the Department of Environment.

Developing management plans, utilizing modern monitoring technologies, strengthening protection infrastructure, and training environmentalists are some of the measures being pursued to increase the effectiveness of protection.

This year’s International Day for Biological Diversity slogan, “Local Action for Global Impact,” has a clear and strategic message: the future of the Earth begins here; from our decisions in cities and villages, in forests and wetlands, and in the way we interact with nature. Every responsible local action can be an effective link in the global sustainability chain.

In this regard, the national authority for the Convention on Biological Diversity, given the compatibility of the goals and obligations of this convention with the inherent duties of the DOE, was transferred to the department after effective follow-up and approval by the government. This action is an important step for policy coherence and strengthening the DOE’s governance role in the field of biodiversity.

Also, the “Comprehensive Program for the Protection of Biodiversity of the Country” was developed by order of President Masoud Pezeshkian and presented as one of the most important agendas of the Supreme Council for the Environment.

This program, in line with the global biodiversity framework and the commitments of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Convention on Biological Diversity, includes 97 specific measures to confront threats, and its implementation will be pursued in cooperation with all executive agencies, because the protection of biodiversity is a national, cross-sectoral, and intergenerational responsibility.

Some 40 percent of the world’s plant and animal biodiversity is located in wetlands, and given the importance of obtaining deeds for wetlands in the name of the Department of Environment on behalf of the government, a deed for 1.3 million hectares of wetlands has been issued.

Regarding species restoration, numerous measures have been taken, increasing the population of Iranian yellow deer and maral, and continuing protection programs for the Asiatic cheetah, the eland, the brown bear, and other prominent species, showing that wherever science, will, and participation come together, nature regains its ability to regenerate.

However, the challenges in this area are still very serious. Unfortunately, our habitats continue to face increasing pressures. The fires in the Zagros and Hyrcanian forests in recent years, partly caused by unprecedented drought, rising temperatures, and decreasing forest soil moisture, are a serious warning sign for the resilience of ecosystems.

In addition, the process of tree dieback due to climate change and human pressures, including encroachment on forest privacy and unsustainable development, is a double threat to this valuable heritage.

As a result of complex regional conditions and threats from war and aggression, some natural habitats have also been damaged and destroyed. In response to this situation, continuous monitoring of air, water, and soil pollution in at-risk areas, using specialized teams and available equipment, has been put on the agenda to accurately assess the extent of the destruction and its restoration requirements.

Biodiversity conservation is not just a government task. Experience has shown that no program will achieve its desired results without the participation of people, local communities, academics, and non-governmental organizations.

MT/MG