Flocks of migratory birds came to winter in northern Iran

TEHRAN – The first group of migratory birds landed in northern Mazandaran province to spend the winter, director for the provincial department of environment (DOE) has said.

Hamoun wetland restoration plan prepared

TEHRAN – Although rains have drenched Hamoun wetland after two decades of dryness, it is getting dried again due to high evaporation, hence a comprehensive plan for restoration of the wetland has been prepared, ISNA reported on Tuesday.

Bakhtegan wetland shrinking, flamingo chicks in danger

TEHRAN – Flamingo chicks being born in shallow waters of Bakhtegan wetland in Fars province are threatened to death due to the drying up wetland; while only the Ministry of Energy can help them survive granting Bakhtegan water right, IRNA reported on Sunday.

Studies on wetlands water right to complete in month

TEHRAN – The results of a survey on granting the water right of the wetlands will be announced by the next month, Ahmad Lahijanzadeh, deputy director of the Department (DOE) of Environment for marine environment affairs has said.

Shadegan wetland water level rises after heavy rain

TEHRAN – Shadegan wetland fully filled after heavy rainfall poured over the province of Khuzestan during spring, Ahmad Lahijanzadeh, head of marine environment affairs at the DOE has said.

Kani Barazan international wetland overflows after a decade

TEHRAN – Recent downpours made Kani Barazan international wetland full to bursting its banks which is unprecedented over the past ten years, Mahabad chief of department of environment (DOE) has stated.

Long-lost Mighan wetland displays water flow

TEHRAN – Mighan wetland, located in Arak county in central province of Markazi, has returned back to life due to the recent downpours, Mehr news agency reported on Tuesday.

Night herons spotted in western Iran

TEHRAN – Some 500 night herons have been spotted in Zarivar wetland located in the western province of Kordestan for the first time, an official with Marivan department of environment has stated.

Recent rainfall restores Jazmourian wetland by 30%

TEHRAN – Recent above normal rainfalls have led Jazmourian wetland to be filled with water by 30 percent, Vahid Poormardan, head of Sistan-Baluchestan province’s department of environment has said.

Recent rainfalls filled 70% of dams, restore drained wetlands: minister

TEHRAN — Recent heavy rainfalls in Iran has filled 70 percent of dams and resulted in restoration of drained wetlands across the country, Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian has said.

Northwestern Kani Barazan Wetland play host to 30,000 migratory birds

TEHRAN — Some 30,000 migratory birds have winged their ways to Kani Barazan Wetland, located in northwestern province of West Azarbaijan, Mahabad chief of department of environment has said.

Anzali wetland should become main obsession of university students: academic

TEHRAN – Environmentally concerned university students should join hands to find solutions for reviving Anzali wetland in northern Iran, Mehdi Kazemi Khaledi, director for the Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research has said.

Water drenches 18,000 ha of Hamoun-e Sabori wetland

TEHRAN – Hamoun-e Sabori wetland on the Iran-Afghanistan border has been saturated, as rainwater flowed over 18,000 hectares of the wetland, Mohammad Reza Alimoradi, head of marine affairs at the Sistan-Baluchestan provincial department of environment has announced.

Govt. pledges to increase water level at Lake Urmia 

TEHRAN — The Iranian government has pledged to take measures to increase water level at Lake Urmia by one meter within the next three years, deputy environment chief Masoud Tajrishi has said.

Lake Urmia water increased by 810 million cubic meters 

TEHRAN — The volume of water in Lake Urmia, northwestern Iran, has increased by 810 million cubic meters compared to the same date last year, director general of West Azarbaijan regional water company has said. 

Wetlands restoration requires a budget of $14b: DOE chief 

TEHRAN — In order to restore wetlands in the country a budget of 600 trillion rials (nearly $14 billion) is required, chief of the Department of Environment (DOE) Issa Kalantari said on Sunday.

Iran to mark World Wetlands Day in southern city of Bandar Khamir 

TEHRAN — Iran’s department of Environment will mark World Wetlands Day, February 2, in the southern city of Bandar Khamir, Hormozgan province, deputy environment chief of DOE natural environment and biodiversity directorate has said.

Viral 10-year challenge reveals effects on Iran’s environment

TEHRAN – Environmentalists took up the 10-year challenge on social media, posting photos of the lakes and wetlands drying up across the country, to raise awareness about the devastating impact of climate change on the environment, Mehr reported on Saturday.

Migratory birds wintering in Iran increased by 26.5%

TERHAN – The total population of migratory birds took flight to spend the cold season in the country increased by 26.5 percent last winter compared to a year earlier, head of aquatic animals and wildlife affairs at the Department of Environment (DOE) has said.

DOE’s next year budget seen to rise by 47%

TEHRAN – The Department of Environment (DOE) will receive a budget rise by 47 percent as proposed in the budget bill for the next calendar year (starting on March 21, 2019), an official with the DOE has said.

Iran seeking possible inclusion of Aq-Qeshlaq wetland on Ramsar List

TEHRAN – Iran is seeking to register Aq-Qeshlaq wetland in the northeastern North Khorasan province on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, the provincial department of environment chief has said.

Dried up wetlands major cause of SDSs in Tehran

TEHRAN – The drought-ridden wetlands around Tehran province are the major hotspots giving rise to sand and dust storms (SDSs) in the capital, deputy environment chief Masoud Tajrishi has said.

Iran to launch 100-day water and wetland scheme

TEHRAN – A 100-day environmental schemewith the theme of "water and wetlands" will be launched in Iran, an official at Department of Environment (DOE) said on Sunday.

Miankaleh peninsula faces serious risk of disappearing

TEHRAN — Miankaleh peninsula, one of the richest ecological havens in West Asia and perhaps in the whole world, is seriously threatened as unsustainable development and conversion continue to pose major threats to its wetlands.

Wetlands destruction the main threat to curlews

TEHRAN – Destruction of wetlands, especially in Asia, is the main threat to curlews’ lives, said director general for aquatic wildlife office of the Department of Environment.

18 wetlands totally drained in Iran: deputy environment chief

TEHRAN — Some 18 wetlands in Iran are completely dried up and some 24 are in critical condition, deputy chief of the Department of Environment, Masoud Tajrishi, has said.

On the degradation of Anzali wetland

TEHRAN – There are many reasons behind Anzali Wetland’s degradation in recent years among which one can refer to poor waste management policies and locals’ lack of knowledge regarding benefits of the wetland.

Cultivating sugar beet and rice hinders wetlands restoration programs

TEHRAN – Cultivating water intensive products including sugar beet and rice has been banned in some regions as they were not in line with plans for reviving wetlands, an official with wetland ecosystems division at Department of Environment has said.

Mazandaran, a heaven for migratory birds

Flocks of migratory geese are shown at a wetland habitat situated in Iran’s northern Mazandaran province, February 16, 2018.

By Mohammad Ali Haqshenas

Possible environmental damages of tilapia farming

The environmentalists’ concerns for tilapia farming is nothing new as the topic is being debated over the past few decades across the globe. However, the recent controversial decisions made regarding farming and importing tilapia in and to Iran has turned it into hot topic in Iran’s environmental circles.