TEHRAN – Three international wetlands of northern Golestan province, which were drying due to drought in previous years, are being restored thanks to recent rainfall, the head of the provincial Department of Environment has said.

Alagol, Ajigol, and Almagol wetlands are located close to each other near the border of Iran and Turkmenistan. Ajigol and Almagol wetlands were totally dried up, and only about five hectares area of Alagol wetland was filled with water, IRNA quoted Mojtaba Hosseini as saying.

Among the three wetlands, Alagol is the biggest one; the area of the wetland is about 2,500 hectares, followed by Ajigol wetland (320 hectares), and Almagol wetland (207 hectares), he added.

After years of drought and low rainfall, precipitation increased over the past few months, particularly in the first month of spring. On April 6, over 100 mm of rain was recorded in different parts in the north of the country.

Flooding caused by heavy rains filled Atrak watershed, which is the main water reservoir for the three wetlands, Hosseini noted.

Interestingly, the received rainfall has noticeably increased the amount of water flow in rivers and streams running through protected areas like Jahan-nama, hyrcania, and Golestan national park, he added.

The restoration of aquatic ecosystems will contribute to improving habitat diversity and supporting wildlife population such as different bird species, as well as animals such as ewes, goats, gazelles, red deer, and roe deer, in the upcoming breeding season. 

According to the recent census conducted in winter, there are over 13,000 rams, ewes, goats, and gazelles, as well as 134,000 aquatic and waterside birds live in Golestan habitats.

Wetland conservation projects

The Department of Environment (DOE) is reviving four wetlands, namely Bamdej in southwestern Khuzestan province, Gomishan in northern Golestan province, Arjan in southern Fars province, and Quri Gol in northwestern East Azarbaijan province.

The project to restore Bamdej wetland kicked off about two years ago with the help of the private sector, investing 1.3 trillion rials (around 8 million dollars), with 2 trillion rial (about 12 million dollars) more which is needed to complete the project, ISNA quoted Ahmadreza Lahijanzadeh, the deputy head of the Department of Environment for Marine and Wetlands affairs, as saying.

Stretching for over 4,000 hectares, the wetland is home to over 134 plant species from 49 plant families, such as lutea, carex brunnea, reed, and syperus, 22 mammal species, 12 fish species, 15 species of amphibians and reptiles, and 148 native and migratory birds.

Gomishan wetland is expected to be revived by June. The wetland was registered on the Ramsar Convention in 2003. It is known as one of the main habitats for the birds. About 20 species of fish, 24 species of reptiles, over 100 water and water-side birds, and more than 30 species of mammals, like Foca Caspinus, live in the wetland.

Quri Gol wetland has a high potential, spanning around 160 to 200 hectares; once restored, it will turn into one of the main tourism spots. The wetland hosts over 92 bird species, which are all migratory birds, except redhead coot, 14 species of reptiles, 4 species of amphibians, and one species of fish.

The Arjan restoration project is in the beginning phase; it covers 2000 hectares. The water of the wetland depends on the amount of rainfall.  The wetland is one of the main habitats for migratory birds like cranes, flamingos, wild ducks, and geese. Wetland’s plant species include reeds, astragalus (milk-vetch), and sagebrush. Also, mammals like boar, jackal, and fox live in the wetland.

Iran’s geography is distinct, teeming with diverse landscapes. In Iran, 141 wetlands with ecological value, with an area of over 3 million hectares, have been identified, 27 of which were listed in the International Ramsar Convention.

The DOE has announced the beginning of a new phase of the wetlands conservation project (2025 –2028) to strengthen sustainable livelihoods and alleviate pressure on the wetlands ecosystem.

Backed by successful experiences in Lake Urmia, the basins in Gilan, Fars, Parishan, and those in East and West Azerbaijan provinces, the project has provided the basis for promoting wetland protection and improving sustainable resource utilization, IRIB quoted Fereshteh Jadori, an official with DOE, as saying on November 25.