Discover the living fossils of Golestan / a global identity with the only surviving dinosaur era
The prominent researcher of Golestan province, referring to the world registration of one of the most diverse biological monuments in the world as Hyrcanian forests in Iran, said: “All the world should work to protect and take care of this great biological capital.”
On July 5, 2019, at the 43rd meeting of the World Heritage Working Group of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) held in Baku, the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan, areas of Hyrcanian forests or northern forests, under the name of heritage Iran’s natural, with the approval of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has been inscribed on the World Heritage List.
These areas include Golestan National Park, Cloud Forest, Afratakhteh, Jahannama, Bodal Dodangeh and Chahardangeh, Alimestan Forest of Haraz in Amol, Vaz Kojoor Nowshahr Forest, Chaharbagh Chalous, Khoshk Daran Forest, Rudkhan Forest, Siah Rudbar Gilan and Lisar Protected Area , With a total area of 307 thousand hectares, which is located in five provinces of Golestan, Mazandaran, Gilan, Semnan and North Khorasan.
This vast forest, which once covered the whole of Europe, is now registered in the name of Iran. For the World Heritage List, criteria such as high biodiversity, a characteristic of a geological period and the existence of special landscapes have been set by UNESCO. Fortunately, Iran’s Hyrcanian forests have a number of these criteria, including high biodiversity, so Iranians were able to prove to UNESCO. Hyrcanian forests have the character and status of being registered as a world natural heritage.
Long history, high biodiversity, significant role in the life of the earth made the Republic of Azerbaijan for the first time think about the global registration of Hyrcanian forests because the Hyrcanian forests met the UNESCO criteria for world registration as a natural heritage. Therefore, in 2005, the Republic of Azerbaijan proceeded to the global registration of Hyrcanian forests in its country, but UNESCO, due to the establishment of most of these forests in Iran, did not accept this request and suggested that Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan jointly register Hyrcanian forests in UNESCO. After a few years, there was no success in the joint registration of Hyrcanian forests, until in 2019, equal to the solar year of 1398, Iran, due to the high value of Hyrcanian forests, decided to pursue its global registration.
Hyrcanian forests are the only surviving ice age
Hyrcanian forests are the only remnants of the Ice Age and the third geological period and are of great importance in terms of stability and antiquity; These forests with an area of two million and 100 thousand hectares in the form of a strip on the northern slopes of the Alborz mountain range and the southern shore of the Caspian Sea from Astara in Gilan province to Glidagh in Golestan province extend approximately 850 km and 20 to 70 km wide.
The vegetation of Hyrcanian forests starts from the sea level and extends to a maximum altitude of 2800 meters. The share of Mazandaran province in these divine gifts is 53%, Gilan 26% and Golestan 21%. Scientists consider these forests to be a symbol of the world’s living fossils, and the presence of ancient deciduous deciduous forests in this vegetation area, despite similar extinctions in other parts of the world, is one of the reasons for its global registration. The global registration of a work gives it an international identity, and with global and precise mechanisms, all members of the Convention are committed to taking care of it with global participation.
The name of these forests is taken from the old name of Gorgan, which was called Hyrkan in the past; A forested region on the southern shore of the Caspian Sea and north of the Alborz Mountains, whose richness and biodiversity, native, rare and unique species of plants and animals, and its amazing natural beauty dazzle every viewer. Hyrcanian forests are also known as living fossils or natural museums because many of the plant species found in these forests are now found as fossils in Europe. Scientific evidence shows that the history of these forests dates back to the third geological period (Jurassic) or the era of dinosaurs.
The importance of this long history becomes apparent when we know that at the same time of the Ice Age, except for the Hyrcanian forests, which had a milder climate due to their location between the Alborz Mountains and the Caspian Sea, all deciduous forests were destroyed except for a few. ; That is why the Hyrcanian forests are considered the mother of the young forests of Europe and North America.
34 Birds and animals live in the Hyrcanian forests
The most important plant species in Hyrcanian forests among the trees can be beech, hornbeam, oak, alder, bible, maple, linden, rainbow, elm, sparrow tongue, fig, larch and yew and among shrub species to wild plum , Pomegranate, boxwood, walnut, azalea, jelly, khash, grape blossom, medical black sage and wisdom, among the animal species can be leopard, boar, bear, wolf, maral, fox, jackal, otter, lynx, rabbit , Jungle, mink, ram, squirrel, shoka, whole, goat and among the celestial inhabitants of the most beautiful terrestrial forests of Hyrcanian paradise, ie birds can be toka, woodpecker, starling, red-breasted, cesca, risk wheel, pheasant, finch, quail , Hogs, vultures, partridges, mallards and sawdust, wood pigeons, eagles and owls.
The inclusion of a work in the World Heritage List causes, in addition to preserving and preserving and introducing its values to the world as the main goal, a kind of advertising for the destination, which also increases the tourist activities in the area. Global registration today is a very reputable brand in attracting tourists and the prosperity of the tourism industry in the world. Definitely one of the main reasons for choosing a tourist destination by tourists is the UNESCO World Heritage List, followed by the influx of millions of tourists, job creation, earning money and thus creating a smooth path to create more social welfare. Is. As tourists flock to visit a World Heritage Site, the destination infrastructure will improve in terms of accommodation, hospitality, health, communications, roads and land or air transportation, and local businesses large and small related to services. Tourism should be formed in such a way that it will increase employment.
The inclusion of Hyrcanian forests in the UNESCO World Heritage List, which is the second natural heritage of the country after Lut Plain, is a sign of its uniqueness. This event is a document that proves that we can see such forests in few places in the world, and for this reason, it is very valuable and happy for us. First of all, there is room for special joy and gratitude when the local authorities were able to cut off the hands of wood smugglers and supporters of the exploitation of the Hyrcanian forests after many years. Of course, from now on, our country must be responsible in how to manage and protect this world natural heritage and deal seriously with any kind of violation in the introduced areas.
In fact, increasing protection and management measures is one of the requirements and consequences of global registration. With the addition of Iran’s second natural monument to the UNESCO list, like all other titles, member countries are committed to preserving it with global participation, and Iran can benefit from international funding, scientific advice, research and development, and even a separate budget line from government assistance. Also use. Also, the protection of these areas during the war is a safe place supported by UNESCO, and we can use this event to effectively promote the country’s tourism industry and global prestige for our country.
Three Important Benefits of Global Hyrcanian Forest Registration
Given all the positive points, we must also see on the coin that the serious empathy of all participants, along with the allocation of sufficient domestic and international resources to upgrade infrastructure and clarify the vision of local communities, education, community livelihoods and Raising their environmental culture to achieve the first goal of UNESCO, which is to increase the conservation and restoration of these areas. The works are extraordinary examples of cultural diversity and natural richness.
In summary, the important benefits of accepting a treaty and registering a work with UNESCO can be summarized in three general categories, the first being access to finance. One of the important benefits of the treaty, especially for developing countries, is the access to the World Heritage Fund, which provides annual credit to member countries for the identification, protection and introduction of World Heritage Sites, and in addition, such sites can receive international assistance. Use a variety to preserve world heritage. Improving the livelihoods of local communities is another achievement. The inclusion of Hyrcanian forests in the UNESCO World Heritage List can make a great contribution to the worthy introduction of Iranian nature, culture and civilization in the world and attract tourists and economic prosperity of local and regional communities. Scientific and technical exchange is another result of the global registration of Hyrcanian forests.
But with these explanations, I make some suggestions:
1- Every year, on July 5, on the occasion of the World Registration Day of these forests as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a homogeneous celebration and ceremony will be held in accordance with the cleanliness of nature in this forest in Golestan province in order to preserve and protect these forests. To be emphasized.
2- A number of signs about the introduction of Al-Nagdereh Forest Park should be installed at the entrance of the park and in different areas of the park in Persian and English so that tourists are aware of the age and importance of this park and the diversity of its species and are diligent in maintaining it. In short, there will be a basis for public friendship with forests and more efforts by local officials and managers to protect forests. The theme of the park sign is as follows: Welcome to the living fossil world of the 50-million-year-old Hyrcanian Forest Museum.
3- The entry of motor vehicles, including private and government vehicles and motorcycles, into the Al-Nagdereh Forest Park should be prohibited under any title, and the responsible officials and those in charge of maintaining the park should also visit the forest either by bicycle or on foot.
4. The global registration of a part of Hyrcanian forests with an area of 307,000 hectares as a natural heritage in UNESCO can be a good opportunity to preserve and restore forests, introduce these forests to the world, discover potentials and objectify the talents of forest areas and ultimately develop tourism. . Global registration also creates employment for indigenous peoples and increases incomes in local and national sectors, creates direct economic benefits as well as complementary incomes for local communities, strengthens the participation of local communities in the decision-making process of determining the type and amount of activities, introduces and recognizes capabilities The northern provinces become tourist destinations.
Prohibit lighting fires and removing forest soil
5. Al-Nagdereh Forest Park is a natural ecosystem and of course its maintenance management should be in accordance with the laws of nature and is different from the management of urban parks. This is a point that municipalities and urban management should pay special attention to.
6- Creating and lighting any fire in Al-Nagdereh Forest Park as well as other parts of Hyrcanian forests should be completely banned and violators should be dealt with legally. Because when a fire is lit in a forest land, the temperature of the forest soil reaches 400 degrees Celsius, at which temperature all living and tiny organisms of the soil are destroyed and no plant or tree will grow in that land for many years.
7. If a tree is destroyed in the forest, we can use it again, but if the field soil is destroyed, that area will be out of reach forever. Our first duty is to preserve the soil and we are not allowed to harvest from the forest soil. Harvesting and removing soil is prohibited in any situation, and the Forest Organization and the General Directorate of Natural Resources of Golestan Province should address this issue.
Researcher: Dr. Mohammad Ismail Asadi, researcher and environmentalist