TEHRAN - The Department of Environment has announced that it began satellite monitoring in the UNESCO-registered Hyrcanian forests in the northern province of Gilan.

The Hyrcanian forests cover the northern slope of the Alborz Mountains at the southern edge of the Caspian Sea, and contain very rich ecosystems due to the particular orographic and climatic situation (precipitation-rich, warm-temperate, high moisture from the Caspian Sea and the damming effect of the Alborz Mountains).

The 10-year Hyrcanian Forests Breathing Plan, which began in 2016 to combat the destruction of northern forests, has reached its final year, Hamid Zohrabi, an official with the Department of Environment, said.

In the meantime, the Department of Environment has begun investigating this issue by starting satellite monitoring of the Hyrcanian forests, he added.

"The purpose of satellite monitoring is to examine the process of changes in the northern forests and provide a detailed report on the quantitative and qualitative status of this world heritage based on scientific data,” IRIB quoted Zohrabi as saying.

“Using satellite images along with field visits, the Department of Environment can provide a clearer picture of the actual conditions of the forests."

The Department of Environment is responsible for monitoring activities that may lead to the destruction or disruption of the environmental balance. Accordingly, the Department emphasizes the need for a scientific study of the effects of implementing the Forests Breathing Plan and similar plans, he explained.

According to the Seventh Development Plan (2022-2026), national mega-projects must go through the "Strategic Environmental Assessment" process.

However, the necessary legal coordination regarding some new forest-related projects, including the re-harvesting of wood from broken and fallen trees, has not yet been carried out with the Department of Environment, he concluded.

The Department of Environment is scheduled to implement the first phase of the Hyrcanian forests sustainable management project in the current Iranian calendar year, which started on March 21.

The implementation of the project will contribute to ecological, social, and economic impacts as it restores the ecosystem and enhances local livelihood by providing job opportunities, ISNA quoted Kamran Pormoqaddam, an official with the DOE, as saying.

Covering more than two million hectares, the forests are divided into 104 sections. The first phase will focus on 28 areas, covering an area of 700,000 hectares, in three northern provinces. To supply the costs for the preservation and restoration of the forests, the DOE will utilize the forest parks, not the trees.

The second phase will be implemented in 64 areas during the first six months of the current Iranian year, with the rest to be completed by the end of the year.

Measures for preservation of biodiversity

On February 4, the DOE elaborated on achievements and measures taken by the administration to protect the biodiversity, ecosystem, and endangered species in the country.

The number of protected areas under the supervision of the DOE has increased from 327 to 330, accounting for 12 percent (19.8 million hectares) of the country’s land area, IRNA quoted Hamid-Reza Zohrabi, an official with the DOE, as saying.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, a total of 213 species are endangered.

The country has so far prepared plans for the preservation of 25 endangered species, such as the Persian cheetah, zebra, Asiatic black bear, yellow deer, lesser white-fronted geese, white-headed duck, Persian salamander, blind cave fish, and Luristanica Sorbus (a rare plant species that is native to Iran). The DOE is preparing thirteen more plans.

The population of prominent herbivorous mammals in the protected areas has increased from 227,000 to more than 240,000, and the number of managed invasive species has grown by 400 percent, covering five species, including crucian carp, nutria, raccoon, and rainbow trout.

Monitoring pests and diseases, and fire outbreaks in Zagros habitats is another measure taken by the DOE, which has led to the identification of the Hyrcanian boxwood pest, the awkward silkworm moth in Gilan province, and the wood-eating pest of Aras in Khorasan Razavi province.

Given the importance of protecting biodiversity and genetic resources, the DOE is planning to prepare a plan to combat plant pests and pathogens as the main threat to the country’s unique ecosystem.

To protect caves, the DOE has developed cave classification guidelines and plans for the conservation and sustainable use of the caves in the country. The number of caves with a conservation grade has increased from 7 to 41, indicating an increase of 490 percent.

There are also plans to raise individuals, local communities, and tourists’ awareness of the importance of preserving caves’ biodiversity and water resources. The DOE is planning to utilize the capacity of collaborative conservation to protect sensitive and important cave ecosystems.

Constant monitoring of caves, particularly tourist caves, preparing caves’ database, identifying and prioritizing caves in terms of protection, assessing the capacity of tourist caves, protecting the biological and physical diversity of caves, and protecting water resources are among the plans to be conducted collectively.

The DOE has also established a working group to monitor wildlife cybercrimes and combat illegal wildlife trade. Wildlife trafficking is the third most profitable crime, following drug and weapon trafficking.