Three species of Golestan forests are under threat

Golestan forests and all kinds of species in this area, which are millions of years old, are being threatened with agricultural lands and the spread of pests and diseases due to improper harvesting in the past. Indigenous communities need it.

According to IRNA, forests are a useful natural habitat that, according to the United Nations definition, has more than 33 types of non-tradable services, including oxygen production, carbon sequestration, climate change and increasing global warming capacity, which reduces the temperature difference between day and night. And help prevent soil erosion and are the most important water reserves in the mountains.

According to experts, forests have a high capacity for water storage, so that the annual water storage performance of scattered forests is 300 cubic meters and dense and qualitative forests of 2500 cubic meters per hectare. The country is able to store 3.6 billion cubic meters of water annually.

In the 1930s, when there were 18 million hectares of forest in the country, the total habitat of Hyrcanian forests was 3.5 million hectares, but today, Hyrcanian forests have been reduced to about 1.6 to 1.85 million hectares, meaning that half of these forests have been destroyed. In total, there are now only 12 million hectares of forest in the country, which means that 6 million hectares of forest have been destroyed during the last 6 decades.

The northern forests, which are located on the northern slopes of the Alborz Mountains and have one of the unique vegetation of the country, are known in the world as Hyrcanian forests.

These forests are distributed from the coastal lands of the Caspian Sea to the upper altitudes (about 2800 meters above sea level) and due to the combination of diverse species and plant structures they create, create very valuable ecological, economic and social functions in these areas.

According to Alireza Ali Arab, a professor at Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, 15% of the most dense and diverse forests in Iran are located in these areas, which cover a small amount of about 1.85 million hectares of the country’s forests.

He added: The location of most of these forests in the sloping slopes of mountainous areas and also their relatively short distance from arid and semi-arid regions in central Iran and desert and semi-arid regions north of Golestan, North Khorasan and Turkmenistan, on the one hand, the importance of these forests. Increases the protection of water and soil of the country and on the other hand emphasizes the sensitivity and fragility of these ecosystems.

Introduction of tree species and shrubs identified in Golestan forests

According to Arab, in general, Golestan forests can be classified into two parts: Hyrcanian, Iranian and Turanian. In Iran and Turani region) the diversity of vegetation in the forests of the province is very high.

The professor of Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources added: Hyrcanian forests, which are the main forest cover of Golestan, are located on the northern slopes of Alborz from Bandar-e-Gaz and Kordkoy cities to Golestan National Park. From west to east, as well as large changes in the shape of the earth, there is a significant change in the composition and structure of forests in these areas.

He continued: “For example, beech trees, which occupy 17.6% of the surface and about 30% of the wood volume of Hyrcanian forests at altitudes of 700 to 1500 meters above sea level due to the need for high humidity, from the valley of pilgrimage in the south.” Gorgan city gradually disappears in the eastern forests of these areas and then gives way to hornbeam and oak trees.

Arab added: “Also, these two species are replaced in similar habitat conditions in steep areas and Mediterranean areas with trees of the same species, including birch and white mahogany.”

He said: 80 wood species have been reported in Hyrkani region, of which 65 tree species have high conservation value and some of them such as Injili, Shamshad Khazari, Sefidpelt and Lilaki are endemic and exclusive species of these areas.

The university professor added: “In addition, the presence of valuable habitats of juniper, cypress, yew and zarbin coniferous trees in the forests of Golestan province, which are located in a combination of tree species and shrubs, has doubled the conservation values ​​of these forests.”

He stated: “Also, the Iranian and Turanian parts include parts of the northeastern heights of the province, and in these forests, valuable species such as pistachios, black currants and dahlias go by car in the heights, and a large area covered by hand-planted forests with different species of pine.” And cypress and in the plains of these areas, different species of shrubs and short trees resistant to salinity, including turmeric are naturally distributed.

Endangered yew, boxwood and mulberry tree species

Another faculty member of Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources told IRNA: “The species of yew, boxwood and sagebrush in the northern forests are under threat for various reasons.”

Seyyed Mohammad Vaez Mousavi stated: “Irregular harvesting in the past, conversion of forests into agricultural lands and the spread of pests and diseases are among the reasons for population decline and endangerment of some tree species in northern forests, including yew, boxwood and Hyrkani.” Malj pointed out.

He added: “Protecting the remaining populations of this endangered species requires the serious will of the responsible institutions, education and culture, especially in relation to indigenous and local communities, taking effective measures to strengthen the economy and livelihood of forest dwellers and allocate sufficient funds.” It is the side of the government.

According to him, the forests of the north of the country, which are called Hyrcanian forests in some sources, are classified as temperate broad-leaved forests and are extremely important in terms of age because a significant part of them (especially in lowland and lowland areas). It dates back to the third geological period and is believed to be millions of years old.

The professor of natural resources continued: “These forests are located on the northern slopes of the Alborz Mountains and have good rainfall due to their location in special geographical and climatic conditions.”

Some plant species of the northern forests are specific

Preacher Mousavi added: The northern forests are very rich in plant and animal species and some of its plant species are specific and can not be seen anywhere else on earth.

He pointed out: The forests of northern Iran are very rich in terms of plant species compared to similar forests, and although it covers a relatively small area of ​​Iran, but has more than a third of the total plant species of Iran.

The faculty member of Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources added: “Currently, there are important and valuable tree species and shrubs in the northern forests, some of which, such as” Evangelical, nightshade, lilac, tall oak and Hyrcanian boxwood “are old.” It is abundant and is considered as a plant element left over from the third geological period.

Evangelical tree of the northern forests, living fossil

Preacher Mousavi stated: For example, the evangelical tree species can be called living fossils because its fossilized remains can be found deep in the soil in some parts of Europe, while in the northern forests it is still alive and other important tree species in this region can be found. He referred to “beech, hornbeam, maple, linden, wild cherry, sparrow tongue, alder, rainbow, sagebrush” and also coniferous species such as “yew, cypress and cypress” are seen as scattered spots.

He continued: “Hyrcanian forests in Golestan province face many problems and challenges, among which there can be credit and budget problems in the responsible agencies, climate change, fires, illegal harvesting of wood and other forest products, the spread of pests and diseases.” He mentioned vegetation, irresponsible tourism, the increase in deforestation in the villages along the forest, and some unprincipled tourism or industrial projects in or near these forests.

The university professor said that the mentioned challenges are mainly complex, multi-layered and sometimes intertwined, adding: “Addressing these challenges requires national will and mutual cooperation between the people and government organizations, as well as strengthening the environmental culture of the people and Their knowledge of the importance of Hyrcanian forests through education in schools, universities and formal and informal media is one of the most important measures that can play an effective role in protecting this divine gift.

Preacher Mousavi continued: solving the budget problems of the responsible organizations, especially the General Departments of Natural Resources in the north, in order to provide the necessary facilities and equipment for monitoring and protection of Hyrcanian forests, as well as helping the livelihood of its staff, especially those in physical protection. Forests are involved Another important measure that can be effective in protecting forests is that foresters who have difficulty in their livelihoods can not be expected to perform their duties to the best of their ability.

He said: “Despite all the problems, these people are trying their best to protect the Hyrcanian forests, and in this way they do not hesitate to sacrifice their lives, and the foresters who were martyred in the past years on duty are witnessing this claim.” .

The university professor added: “Also, strengthening the livelihood of local communities, especially the villages along the forest, is an important issue that can play an effective role in reducing encroachments on the Hyrcanian forests.”

In an interview with IRNA, the Deputy Minister of Forest Affairs of the General Department of Natural Resources and Watershed Management of Golestan stated: The vegetation of the forests of the province is over 80 species of trees and 50 species of deciduous shrubs and is part of Hyrcanian and Caspian forests up to Glidaghi region. It extends from the functions of Maraveh Tappeh city.

Davood Moghaddasi added: “The prevalence of pests and diseases in important trees such as boxwood and hornbeam, bible and oak and oak, which is often due to droughts in recent years.”
Delay and incomplete implementation of the Hyrcanian Sustainable Forests Management Plan, questioning large and successful projects such as organizing and removing livestock from the forest by some officials that have encouraged some ranchers to return to the forest, the existence of many fallen trees and uprooting in the forest. While there is a risk of fire in the fall, it destroys the national capital and removes a large part of the province’s forests from planning, management and productivity, which leads to economic prosperity and job creation in forested areas under such headings as global protection, protection and effect. Natural example, the forests of Zarrin Gol watershed in Aliabad Katoul, the whole Tuskestan watershed and Garmabasht of Gorgan are among the challenges of the forests of the province.

He mentioned by-products, wood production, tourism and ecotourism as the capacities of Golestan forests and said: the optimal use of these capacities requires the support of the people and officials.

According to IRNA, in recent years, pests of oak germinating butterflies, awkward silkworm moths, leaf-eating moths of the geometric family, oak charcoal rot disease, brown moth, alder leaf-eating brown beetle, blue-leafed moth, white-leaved alder, white-leaved alder, white-leaved Wood-eating moths, white-rooted worms, orange wick disease, bark-eating and wood-eating beetles have attacked the trees of Golestan forests.

Director General of Natural Resources of Golestan said: “In these years, due to climate change and the growth of pests and diseases, we are witnessing an increase, withering and wilting and early fall of a large number of trees in large forest areas, including coniferous, broadleaf and broadleaf trees, which weakens this situation.” Gradually the trees become dry, invading, and develop secondary factors such as bark-eaters and wood-eaters.

Abdolrahim Lotfi added: In 452 thousand hectares of forest areas of Golestan, disease detection and control programs against forest diseases and pests are being implemented and the centers of disease in these areas have been identified and the fight against them continues with physical and biological measures.

He said: Counting the spread of the disease in the forests of Golestan.

Golestan forest areas with a length of 260 km from the gorge in eastern Mazandaran and continue to the Glidagh region of Maraveh Tappeh at the eastern end of Golestan and from this level about 65.7% of commercial forests, 15.79% of degraded forests and 18.44% It is a protected forest.