“Breathing plan”: a savior to old trees, endangered forests

TEHRAN – A plan, called “breathing”, that banned any wood exploitation in endangered forests, has halted the cutting down of at least 550,000 cubic meters of forests annually or completely stopped the process.

‘Comprehensive protection’ essential need of Golestan forest

TEHRAN – About 3,500 hectares of unique forest reserves in northern Golestan province, as the most important habitats in the country, are facing the challenges of lack of funds, illegal logging, and inadequacy of related laws and regulations, which are expected to be resolved by protection plans.

Legal boundaries of UNESCO-designated Hyrcanian Forests declared

TEHRAN - Legal boundaries of the UNESCO-designated Hyrcanian Forests have recently been declared to the governor-general of Gilan province.

10 Iran travel destinations you must see

Annual budget for forest protection doubles

TEHRAN – Iran has increased the budget for forest protection by two folds in the national budget bill for the current [Iranian calendar] calendar year (started on March 20), head of the Forests, Rangelands, and Watershed Management Organization (FRWMO) has said.

Airborne imagery to study climate change in Hyrcanian forests

TEHRAN – The Forests, Range, and Watershed Management Organization has carried out aerial surveys on Hyrcanian forests using technological advances to identify the effects of climate change, ILNA reported on Sunday.

Half a million Hyrcanian saplings being planted in Mazandaran

TEHRAN – On the occasion of National Tree Planting Day, some half a million saplings endemic to Hyrcanian forests are being planted across the northern province of Mazandaran, IRNA reported on Friday.

Gondola lift threatens Hyrcanian forests UNESCO tag 

TEHRAN –Iran’s UNESCO-registered Hyrcanian forests (also known as Caspian forests), dating back some 50 million years, could lose its prestigious UNESCO status if the project of setting up gondola lifts is implemented as planned.

Online meeting held on protecting UNESCO-tagged Hyrcanian Forests

TEHRAN – A joint meeting of the Steering Council for Iran’s UNESCO-registered Hyrcanian Forest and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Council was held online on Tuesday.

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.

Coastal, forest tourism development plan being prepared

TEHRAN – The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts is preparing a comprehensive plan for developing tourism around coastal areas and forests in the country.

Iran celebrates Hyrcanian Forests becoming World Heritage

TEHRAN – Iran on Thursday held a ceremony to officially celebrate Hyrcanian Forests for being designated as a World Heritage site. Experts say that parts of the woodland date back some 50 million years.

Ecosystem management best way to protect forests: expert

TEHRAN – Ecosystem management is the best way to protect forests, land, water and biological resources, Ahmad Nouhegar, University of Tehran faculty member, has said.

New plan replaces banned exploitation of endangered Hyrcanian Forest

TEHRAN – A new plan on sustainable management of Hyrcanian Forest and natural resources has been prepared; through which exploitation of the endangered forest will re-continue in line with sustainability, deputy director for the Forests, Range, and Watershed Management Organization has announced.

4WD car rally called off in support of UNESCO-tagged forest

TEHRAN - The Touring & Automobile Club of the Islamic Republic of Iran (TACI) has canceled its plan for staging a rally of four-wheel-drive cars that opponents believe could inflict harm to environment of the Hyrcanian Forest, which has been recently designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage.

Hyrcanian forests to be equipped with technological support

TEHRAN – Hyrcanian forests will be equipped with modern technology devices such as camera traps, drones and fire-detection sensors, the deputy director of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization has said.

Precious Hyrcanian Forest loses 25,000 ha annually

TEHRAN – Some 25,000 hectares of Hyrcanian Forest in northern Iran undergo fragmentation mostly due to land use changes for agricultural and residential purposes, wood smuggling and overgrazing, an official with the national network for environmental and natural resources organizations has said.

Iran’s Hyrcanian Forest named UNESCO World Heritage site

UNESCO on Friday designated Iran’s vast Hyrcanian Forest as a World Heritage site, making it the second such Iranian natural site after Lut Desert, which was granted the tag in 2016.

Iran joins UNESCO World Heritage Committee session in Baku

TEHRAN – A delegation from Iran arrived in the Azerbaijani capital Baku late on Monday to attend the 43rd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.

UNESCO is to assess Iran’s Hyrcanian Forest for World Heritage

TEHRAN – On June 30, the 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee kicked off in Baku, Azerbaijan, to assess 36 nominees, including Iran’s Hyrcanian Forest, for possible inscription on the World Heritage list.

Iran loses 12,000 ha of forests annually

TEHRAN – Approximately 12,000 hectares of forests across the country is wiped out annually, an official with Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organization has said.

‘Further measures required to preserve forests’

TEHRAN – Iran's forest area is approximately 12 million hectares with 0.2 hectares per capita, which is one quarter of the world average, so attention to preserve the forest areas must be four times the global attention, faculty member of the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands has said.

Land use change a threat to Hyrcanian Forest

TEHRAN – Hyrcanian Forest in northern Iran has undergone a 15 percent fragmentation due to land use changes for agricultural and residential purposes since recent years, while it already has been suffering from pests and disease, an expert in the field of natural resources has said.

Single UNESCO dossier compiled for Masouleh, Hyrcanian Forest

TEHRAN – Following sustained efforts to earn UNESCO tags for Masouleh and Hyrcanian Forest, Iran tourism chief on Sunday said they are to be assessed as a single property.