Bird watching capacity of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari wetlands in the development of sustainable tourism

The international wetlands of Chaghakhor and Gandaman, Ali Abad and Solqan and Chal Tar and Chal Dry wetlands are among the Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari wetlands, which spread in a chain form from the southern side of Borujen city along the Klar mountain to the west of the region and are a paradise for The life and wintering of migratory birds.

Choghakhor International Wetland with an area of ​​more than one thousand and 500 hectares and the prohibited hunting area around this wetland with one thousand hectares, the presence of more than 58 plant and aquatic species and moist and floating and submerged vegetation including willow, pegan, petamgeton, polygonium and the starling, the mother of many native and migratory birds, including herons, herons, gypsies, white storks, Kashim, Sanan sparrows, flamingos, cormorants, yellows, ekras, swans, salim, kakanis and aquatic animals such as carp, zebra fish and reptiles including turtles and quadrupeds including boars, wolves, foxes, jackals, and rabbits.

Gandaman International Wetland is the country’s birdwatching site with an area of ​​1,700 hectares and 2,219 meters above sea level. It is the highest wetland in the country, which is in the list of the top 10 birdwatching wetlands in Iran, and is also registered in the International Office of Water Bird Research in London. and the vegetation of this wetland is marginal and moisture-loving species such as willow trees, chickens, jagen, reeds, lui, blue alale, iris, marsh palm, bezwash, thousand reeds, blue barhang, blue lentil, three kolekhiz, sparganium And 15 indigenous species, including storks, changar, snares, and shekaris can be seen in this wetland.

This wetland is the main habitat of the migratory birds of the northern Sardsir regions, which migrate to this wetland at the end of autumn to spend the winter https://irna.ir/xjKYKS, which has been evident since November of last year.

Solqan, Aliabad, Chal Tar and Dry Chal are among the seasonal wetlands of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, and mostly in the fall and winter season, following the snowfall and rain, they provide water for migratory birds and the breeding of aquatic birds.

Chahamhal and Bakhtiari wetlands are one of the most important wintering places for migratory birds due to their geographical location, security, climate, favorable wetland condition and the restoration of Gandaman wetland. Being a water habitat of the province, the migration of birds to these wetlands and water habitats has increased.

Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari wetlands will be upgraded to a wildlife sanctuary

The Deputy of Natural Environment and Biodiversity of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari General Department of Environmental Protection said, referring to the high security factor in the province’s wetlands, the province’s wetlands are given to Argha Wildlife Sanctuary.

Mohsen Habibi added: Hunting is currently prohibited in wetlands and protected areas of the province, and in order to upgrade the status of wetlands in the province to a wildlife sanctuary, forms have been sent to the Supreme Council of Environment, and this plan will be reviewed in the first meeting of the Supreme Council of Environment.

According to him, the wildlife sanctuary is one of the four protection categories, with its approval, the wetlands of the province will be branded and more protection and protection of the wetlands will be done.

Good water conditions and high security in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari wetlands have increased the presence of migratory birds

Referring to the proper water condition in the province’s wetlands in the current crop year, he said: Right now, the water habitats and wetlands of the central plateau of the country and the central provinces of the country are in a bad water condition, and the migratory birds that migrate from the north of Siberia to Africa and to the south of the country They migrate, considering the rainfall situation in the province in a suitable proportion compared to other parts of the country and the suitable condition of the wetlands and aquatic habitats, they chose the wetlands of the province for wintering and temporary residence of their migration.

Habibi stated: In the new crop year, the rainfall in other parts of the country was not suitable, and in some places, due to non-compliance with the right to water or the poor condition of the wetlands, more birds settled in the wetlands of the province.

The deputy of the General Department of Environmental Protection of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari pointed out the high level of physical protection and the prohibition of hunting in the wetlands and said: This increases the security of birds and increases their longevity in the wetlands of the province, which makes the birds feel more secure and spend the winter in the wetlands of the province. do

He added: Since the beginning of the migration of birds to the wetlands of the province, no super acute bird flu has been observed or reported in the province this year.

Preparation and implementation of the operational plan for the development of sustainable tourism in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari wetlands

The Deputy of Natural Environment and Biodiversity of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Department of Environmental Protection announced the preparation and implementation of the operational plan for the development of sustainable tourism in the wetlands of the province and said: This plan is being pursued in line with the development of sustainable tourism next to the wetlands of the province. It will be operational.

Habibi stated: There is an active birdwatching site in Gandaman Wetland in line with the development of ecotourism and birdwatching.

Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari wetlands, a haven for migratory birds

A birdwatching and environment expert from Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari also pointed out that the water habitats and wetlands of the province are in a suitable and favorable condition and said: This issue increases the growth of plant species in the wetlands to feed the migratory birds and makes the wetlands a favorable habitat for It has transformed animal species and birds.

Ruhollah Asgari added: In the current cropping season, the condition of the wetlands in the province is good, and with the increase in rainfall, the wetlands are at optimum levels, and this will increase the presence of migratory birds from all over the world.

He emphasized on increasing the protection and protection of native and migratory birds in the wetlands of the province by the people and local communities and said: protection and protection of these species increases the safe environment for the presence and persistence of birds.

This holder of the title of “wetland hero” asked the people to inform the environment if they see illegal hunting or violations regarding keeping birds alive or observe diseases so that the violators can be dealt with.

Every year, rare species of birds spend the winter in the wetlands of the province

He pointed out that the most species of birds in the wetlands of the province belong to the merganser family, mallards, mallards, crested ducks, black-crested ducks, prominent species such as common gypsies, common gypsy roosters, gray and golden stilts, and terns spend the winter, he said. : Rare species are also observed in these wetlands every year.

This environmental activist of the province pointed to the implementation of wetland ecosystem management program in the province and said: This program has been carried out in the prominent wetlands of the country and all communities will benefit from the full capacity of the wetland to preserve this ecosystem and wise exploitation along with sustainable development. be.

Gandaman wetland will become Iran’s birdwatching paradise

Director General of Environmental Protection Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari also pointed to the actions taken in the direction of the restoration and management of the province’s wetlands and said: Gandaman International Wetland will become the country’s bird-watching paradise as a bird-watching site.

Saeed Yusefpour added: Since the beginning of the arrival of migratory birds in the province, more than 180 thousand birds have entered wetlands and water habitats, which has increased compared to the same period in previous years.

According to him, 44 species of birds have been observed and identified in the province, and the most prominent species identified in the year is the white-fronted goose, which is highly endangered, and the province has a special protection program for the small white-fronted goose in the wetland. Gadaman is in progress.

Yusefpour stated: In these habitats, crested duck, gypsy rooster, black-crested duck, gray tern, gray tern and gray goose and other birds have been observed.

Director General of Environmental Protection Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari pointed out that the water condition of this wetland is suitable for wintering of migratory birds and said: During the rains of the current crop year, the water of the Gandaman wetland has been drained and it is predicted that with the increase of rains, the water overflow from the Gandaman dam will be done.

According to him, the volume of water available in Mokhran of Chaghakhor lagoon is 15.5 million cubic meters and the environmental water right of this lagoon is 18 mm cubic.

Wetland management and restoration plan in Gadaman Wetland is the only wetland that was successfully implemented

Director General of Environmental Protection Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari said: The implementation of the wetland management plan as well as the wetland restoration plan was implemented in Gandaman and Chaghakhor wetlands, and the implementation of this plan in Gandaman Wetland is the only wetland in the country in the form of five phases.

He stated: Currently, the wetlands of the province are prohibited as hunting areas, and in order to protect and protect these wetlands, the plant and animal species of the wetlands, 2 buildings and environmental checkpoints have been activated in Gandaman and Chaghakhor, and environmental guards are stationed in these checkpoints around the clock. And they follow it online.

Yusufpour added: The main reason for the increase in the presence of water and waterside birds in the wetlands and aquatic habitats of the province is due to the suitable condition of the wetlands and aquatic habitats of the province, the presence of micro-aquatic and small aquatic species and suitable vegetation around the wetland, the absence of pollution in the wetland and the high security of these habitats. as the most important factors to increase the presence of water birds in the province.

Emphasizing that in the last 2 decades, the Gandaman wetland was one of the centers of dust production in the province, he said: due to the drying of the wetland, the phenomenon of wetland fire also occurred in this place, and it took 40 to 50 days to control this fire. He said that since 1990, the wetland restoration program was started and implemented in the form of five phases.

The director general of environmental protection of the province stated: in order to revive the Gadaman wetland, dredging the entrance of agricultural waste water, interacting with farmers, constructing small water dams, digging, excavating and embanking, coordinating with natural resources and water management in line with the implementation of water management and pasture projects and creating drainage in Next to agricultural lands, the irrigation status of agricultural lands was changed from traditional to modern irrigation, springs and aqueducts were dredged, and earth dams were constructed.

According to IRNA, there are eight protected areas in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, including a national natural monument, a national park, a wildlife sanctuary and five protected areas with an area of ​​155,844 hectares and 2 prohibited sugar areas with an area of ​​51,724 hectares for wildlife habitat. There are wild animals that cover a total of 63.11% of the area of ​​this province and it is a pristine area for wildlife, which includes Shida, Helen, Qaysari, Sabzkoh and National Park and Tang Sayad protected area. The forbidden hunting area of ​​God of Afrid is a national natural monument of Laleh Tavgoun.

So far, 299 species of birds, 46 species of mammals have been identified in the province, of which 16 species have conservation value on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 49 species of reptiles, four species of amphibians and 32 species of fish have been identified.

Borujen city is located 60 kilometers from the center of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari.