Journal of Scientific Research and Studies Vol. 3(9), pp. 179-190, September, 2016
ISSN 2375-8791
Copyright © 2016
Author(s) retain the copyright of this article
http://www.modernrespub.org/jsrs/index.htm
MRP
Full Length Research Paper
Developing Central Zagros Mountains conservation and
sustainable development program with an approach to
mainstreaming biodiversity
Ali Arvahi1*, Shirin Abolghasemi2, Ali Nazaridoust3, Pooneh Raisdana4, Masoomeh
Hosseininasab4 and Reza Derakhshandeh5
1
Department of Environment, Deputy National Project Manager of UNDP/ GEF Conservation of Biodiversity in Central
Zagros Mountain, Iran.
2
Department of Environment, National Project Manager of Conservation of Biodiversity in Central Zagros Mountain,
Iran.
3
Azad University of Parand, (Iran), Assistant Professor.
4
Department of Environment, Technical Expert- Management and Planning of Conservation of Biodiversity in Central
Zagros Mountain, Iran.
5
Department of Environment, Financial Expert of Conservation of Biodiversity in Central Zagros Mountain, Iran.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
Accepted 14 September, 2016
In recent decades, Zagros biodiversity have faced serious dangers due to the changes in population,
socio-economic systems, lack of proper management methods and the decrease in the traditional land
use, impacted by unsustainable and unbalanced development. If the current practices of using natural
resources and the environment do not change, many of the species will extinct soon. For years the
relevant organizations in the region have conducted the sustainable development studies and
activities; however, the outcomes did not have desired results in the environment, because these
activities were done separately and did not involve the local communities. Therefore, a need was felt to
design and develop the Conservation and Sustainable Development Program of Central Zagros
Mountains aimed at mingling conservation of biodiversity and development through the participation of
all the relevant stakeholders and its target in balancing and sustainable development management of
the region through mainstreaming biodiversity in different parts of the development and utilization of
th
resource. In the following, with coordination for multi sectoral ratification of the program in 6 IRNational development plan and also communicated by the Planning and Development Council of the
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Isfahan, Fars and Kohgilouyeh and Boyerahmad provinces, the operational
phase of program has begun. It is obvious that this approach is a new approach in Iran and this paper
will present the experiments of UNDP/GEF/DoE Conservation of Biodiversity in Central Zagros
Mountain Project.
Key words: Catchment management areas, mainstreaming biodiversity, central Zagros Mountains,
conservation, sustainable development.
INTRODUCTION
Iran has worthwhile mountainous with unique biodiversity
in the world, and the Middle East. Mountainous
ecosystem is one of the most important natural
ecosystems. Mountains have the most biodiversity, flora,
fauna and gene diversity in comparison with other
ecosystems, but their role and importance has not been
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J. Sci. Res. Stud.
Figure 1. CZM and Pilot Management Areas.
considered adequately in Iran Socio and Economic
National
Development
Plan
(Pazhoohesh
and
IranManesh, 2011).
Central Zagros is mostly mountainous with 830-4416 m
altitude above sea level. The average elevation is 2332 m
with 34% of 2100-2400 m and less than 1000 m for less
than 1% of the area. The Central Zagros is provided
settlement and livelihood for around 10% of the
population and the most important point for nomads
whose 50% of them are related to the Zagros. Moreover,
Central Zagros is the main resource for providing water
for central Iran plateau, Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. The
Central Zagros Mountain (CZM) with an area of
3.100.000 ha includes almost all of the Charmahal and
Bakhtiari province and vast area of the Kohgiluye and
Boyer-Ahmad province, a huge part of Marvdasht, Eghlid,
Abadeh, Sepidan and Mamassani in Fars province and
Semirom in Isfahan (Figure 1). The most part of the area
covered by forests and pastures varied topography and
climate that has resulted in specific ecologic conditions
and high biodiversity in small areas (Aghazamani, 2016).
EbrahimiRastaghi (2011), despite of being a unique
ecosystem, Zagros Mountain importance has not been
considered in sustainable development and promoting
economic situation of the region; also indicators such as
public life quality has ignored, therefore the ecosystem
and biodiversity is being destructed and threatened by
two reasons: Changing land use in areas which has rich
biodiversity
and
unsustainable
harvesting
from
biodiversity. These items act alone or with each other and
sometimes will result in irreversible destruction and
reducing local community chance for livelihood and
protecting resources for future generations. Therefore,
the most important destruction consequences are as
follows:
(a) Natural resources deterioration and destruction.
(b) Reducing biodiversity.
(c) Decreasing environment quality.
(d) Landscape demolition and reducing environmental
health.
(e) Missing livelihood opportunities.
(f) Reducing social and economic development.
(g) Decreasing life quality.
According to this fact, the main reasons of Central Zagros
destruction
are
destructive
and
unsustainable
development activities, not considering nature protection
and lack of priority in adaptation and indigenous life
quality. As a result, main solutions for conserving Zagros
Mountain are identified and introduced as follows:
(a) Ensuring development activities, and that, projects are
green and sustainable.
(b) Ensuring that local community life quality is prioritized.
(c) Ensuring resources conservation, and that, natural
areas are considered in all developed plans.
According to the Zagros Mountain importance, special
ecologic characters and conditions, development
Ali et al.
stakeholders’ organizations studied about sustainable
development and respect to the related standards in
implementation, although it hasn’t been resulted in
desirable results in nature. This is because of
unorganized and point activities, without local community
participation, that hasn’t been resulted in significant
impact on Zagros Mountain biodiversity conservation and
ecologic
balance.
Therefore,
composing
a
comprehensive program for conservation and sustainable
development of Zagros Mountain is needed if a crosssectoral and applied structure and management system
was established to support biodiversity and promote local
community livelihood in national and provincial bodies
(Mehrabi, 2011).
In this regard, Department of Environment (DoE) with
cooperation with United Nation Development Program
(UNDP) and Global Environment Fund (GEF)
experimented “Biodiversity mainstreaming” approach in
Conservation and Sustainable Development Program of
Central Zagros Mountains (C+SD P of CZM) for
comprehensive management of Central Zagros Mountain
to be achieved resources conservation and sustainable
development targets with considering main stakeholders
roles
and
participation
in
Zagros
Mountain
comprehensive management (CBCZP, 2015).
With focus on biodiversity mainstreaming approach, the
C+SD P of CZM has been composed. The process longs
for 5 years that includes study and field operations.
Moreover, principles and concepts of biodiversity
mainstreaming approach as a new approach in biological
resources conservation are as follows (Ferdowsi, 2011):
(a) Mainstreaming means integration or settling
biodiversity conservation and sustainable use activities in
production strategies such as agriculture, fishery,
forestry, tourism, mining, etc.
(b) Mainstreaming means settlement of biodiversity
considerations in poverty reduction and national
programs of sustainable development programs.
(c) Ideally, biodiversity policies as sectoral policies should
be a tool for settling national biodiversity goals instead of
working independently as a significant sectoral policy.
(d) According to the mainstreaming, biodiversity
considerations will be settled and implemented in
economic sections, development models, policies and
programs, environment quality and status will be
improved and sustainable development will be achieved
in long term.
Therefore, the biodiversity mainstreaming approach is a
progressive conservation approach with logical economic
exploitation that strengthen participatory planning system,
bottom-up, to operate comprehensive management of
Zagros Mountain in higher level of ecosystems level and
mostly in Catchment Areas (CA) to achieve biological
resources conservation by sustainable development. This
th
approach has been approved in 6 global biodiversity
181
convention in June of 1996 (GEF, 2007). Dalal-Clayton
and Bass (2011) said biodiversity and poverty reduction
are intrinsically linked and demand an integrated
approach. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
has long emphasized the need for integrating, or
‘mainstreaming’, biodiversity into national and local
development and poverty reduction strategies, most
recently in its new Strategic Plan for Biodiversity (20112020).
Examples
of
nascent
and
successful
mainstreaming interventions are provided by Daily and
Ellison (2002), Pierce et al. (2002), Rosenzweig (2003),
and Nazaridoust et al. (2012).
METHODOLOGY
Petersen and Huntley (2005) said the desired outcomes
of mainstreaming, borrowing from the gray literature;
published mainly by the World Bank, Pierce et al. (2002)
identified the following list:
(a) The incorporation of biodiversity considerations into
policies governing sectoral activities.
(b) The simultaneous achievement of gains in biodiversity
and gains in an economic sector (the “win-win” scenario).
(c) The recognition of sectoral activity as being based on,
or dependent on, the sustainable use of biodiversity.
(d) Sectoral activities in certain situations result in overall
gains for biodiversity, exceeding biodiversity losses.
According to above outcomes, Conservation and
Sustainable Development Program of Central Zagros
Mountain has been developed by participation of all
governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders,
especially local communities. Table 1 shows the
implementation process of composing the program. To
compose C+SD P of CZM, several consultation and
discussion workshops were held in national, provincial
and management pilot areas levels, draft of each steps
have been sent to take stakeholders opinions and then
the new version of program has been prepared.
Simultaneously, lesson learned and results of evaluation
pilot program were compiled and used in designing C+SD
P of CZM that will be presented and discussed in current
manuscript.
Designing pilot program
To checking possibility of settling C+SD model and also
experimenting varied suggested methods, a smaller
model was designed and implemented as an experiment
in Pilot Management Areas (PMAs) and in continuation,
the pilot program of conservation and sustainability of
resources use in PMAs were implemented in 2010 to
remove, control and decrease the main challenges of the
C+SD P of CZM. Hence four PMAs in CZM provinces
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Table 1. Process of developing the C+SD P of CZM.
Year
2010
Action steps
- Designing pilot management areas
- Implementing pilot program
2014
- Completing and evaluation of pilot program
- Composing C+SD P of CZM and its management system (Long term and in large scale)
2015
- Facilitation for settling Central Zagros Mountain management system and implementing the program in large scale
- Hand over the responsibilities of project to permanent secretariat management of CZM
2016
- Capacity Development for CZM management system
- Exiting Zagros project
Table 2. Pilot Management Areas characters.
Row
Region
1
Boldaji-Naghan
2
West Dena
3
4
Kor-Kamfiroz
Dena-Vanak
Area (ha)
132197
Political area
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province-includes some parts of Borojen, Kiar and
small regions of Lordegan and Ardal
70147
Kohgiloye and Boyerahmad province-includes Pataveh and parts of Central
Dena in Dena and Boyerahmad
87551
103570
Fars province-includes parts of Kor, Kamfiroz in Marvdasht
Isfahan province-includes parts of Padena and central Semirom
have been designed and established according to below
principles and with the total area of 393465 ha (Figure 1)
as follows:
(a) Smaller areas in CZM landscape will be selected to
test and establish C+SD integrated management.
(b) Pilot Management Areas space shouldn’t be
separated from surrounded landscape and indicate CZM
natural landscape.
(c) Pilot Management Areas should be selected to
indicate combination of unprotected and protected areas
and communities such as nomads and beneficiaries to
test the most important impacts on Zagros Mountain
biodiversity such as making balance between
conservation and nomads’ livelihood.
(d) Pilot Management Areas should be determined based
on hydrologic sub-catchment and also county political
borders to have potential for scale up in the future (Table
2).
Implementation of pilot program
To facilitate, increase and encourage participation of all
Zagros Mountain key stakeholders for implementing pilot
program, a memorandum of understanding was signed
among previous head of DoE and provincial governors of
Isfahan, Fars, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari and Kohgiloye
and Boyerahmad in 2010; then implementation of pilot
conservation and sustainability of resources use program
were ratified by 4 provinces Planning and Development
Councils and designate to relevant governors. Results
and achievements of the pilot conservation and
sustainability of CZM resources use program during 3
years implementation are as follows:
(a) Baseline studies: identifying socio-economic
characters, biodiversity statues, conditions resources and
beneficiaries and other related studies are the first step in
management planning. Therefore, Zagros project has
studied the mentioned subjects in two CZM and
Management Areas levels.
(b) Public awareness raising: attracting stakeholders
attention accompanied by education toolkits, holding
training courses for developing ecofriendly livelihood and
sustainable use of tourism, ecotourism, sustainable
agriculture, pastoralism, aquaculture and forestry in Pilot
Management Areas for target groups such as
governmental and local stakeholders and beneficiaries,
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
(c) Management planning: After stakeholders and
threats analysis, main problems were identified and
sectoral use management plan was composed by
consultant and participatory workshops for each PMAs.
The achievements were led to determine implementation
priorities for resources conservation and sustainability of
Ali et al.
183
Table 3. Framework of pilot program evaluation.
Evaluating pilot program
Row
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Main subjects
CZM border and area
PMA border
Scale up program
Institutional arrangement at the local level
Institutional arrangement at the provincial level
Organizational connection among different
levels in Zagros management
Participatory and integrated management
sectoral use system and then implementing prioritized
actions.
(d) Establishing and activating PMA Local Planning
Committees: Local planning committee is a crosssectoral structure which is limited to a city with
membership
of
varied
mountain
management
stakeholders and beneficiaries and leading of county
governor. The mentioned committees acted after pilot
program ratification by Planning and Development
Council in four provinces of Central Zagros in 2010. Local
Planning Committees have prepared and implemented
annual work plan of conservation and resources
sustainable use.
(e) Establishing Mountain Biodiversity Resource
Centers: to public awareness raising, facilitate exchange
and publishing knowledge in four Zagros provinces for all
CZM stakeholders and beneficiaries.
(f) Implementing Green Grant Scheme (GGS): The aim
is supporting local beneficiary communities’ initiatives
and NGOs for biodiversity conservation and ecofriendly
livelihood. In this regard, GGS implementation process
was completed in PMAs that were led to different projects
with NGOs and local community participation. To
implement the project, budget was prepared by PMA
Local Planning Committees and Zagros Project joint.
(g) Implementing sustainable livelihood and
conservation of resources model activities: This
activity was considered to introduce successful cases for
local planners and evaluating the effectiveness to scale
up in throughout PMAs. Meanwhile, successful models of
biological
resources
and
sustainable
livelihood
conservation were identified and implemented in PMAs in
the next step.
Evaluating pilot program and identifying lesson
learned
The pilot program achievements and results were
evaluated to identify strengths and weakness points of
CZM integrated resources management model and
Evaluating tools effectiveness and supporting mechanisms of
management pilot areas
Row
Management tools
1
Baseline studies
2
Management Information System and Resource Center
3
Piloting conservation activities
4
Piloting sustainable/ alternative livelihood
5
Piloting GGS
6
Piloting social institutions participation
7
Piloting public awareness raising
modified and reviewed if it is necessary. Pilot program
evaluation was done by main stakeholders and
beneficiaries groups of CZM provinces and PMAs
participation (Table 3). Furthermore, pilot program lesson
learned were applied to prepare long term C+SD program
and designing CZM management system. Also, pilot
program evaluation lesson learned was led to
determining criteria for designing and selecting
Catchment Management Areas (CMA) in the CZM
(CBCZP, 2014).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
C+SD Program of CZM was developed in a participatory
process to get opinions in the local, provincial and
national levels. The main activities during this process
are as follows and the main findings will be presented
consequently:
(1) Collecting data and studying about hydrology, socioeconomic conditions, climate and biodiversity, land use
and ecological capability evaluation.
(2) Stakeholder analysis, institutional and organizational
arrangement studies and analyzing unsustainable
development and use threats.
(3) Planning and implementing effective programs to
inform, public awareness raising and capacity building of
target groups.
(4) Preparing CZM management tools.
(5) Strategic planning including development, ratification
and designation of the C+SD of CZM.
(6) Developing, ratifying, implementing and monitoring
CMAs C+SD Sub- programs, 5 years and annual work
plan of C+SD is implementing after the C+SD of CZM
ratification.
Strategies framework and action plan
The C+SD of CZM strategies framework is presented in
Table 4 and designed by identifying, analyzing
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Table 4. C+SD of CZM strategies framework (CBCZP, 2016).
30-year Vision of CZM:
Zagros Mountains, the unique area that benefits from sustainable and balanced development, in a way that all stakeholders cooperate in
its management based on considering the carrying capacity, nature tolerance, life cycle and water also they will benefit from mountain
endowment fairly, dynamic and sustainable and the structure of Zagros Mountains' ecosystem will be preserved for the future
generations.
Main Goal:
Sustainable development and conservation of natural and biodiversity resources in CZM
Strategic goals:
2.
3.
4.
5.
1.
Conservation
of
the Restoration
and Managing and controlling Sustainable
Conservation
and
environment
and rehabilitation ecosystems the impacts of the development in the rehabilitation
of
the
biodiversity values
in degraded areas
unsustainable activities process of resource cultural values and vision
and uses
use
of the CZM
Executive goals:
1- Conservation of
7- Developing
10-Establishment and 14- Conservation and
4- Conservation,
current biodiversity and
sustainable agriculture
improvement of
restoration of the values
restoration,
ecosystems health
for controlling or reducing regional planning and and native culture and
reconstruction of
the threats in agricultural
developing
Eco-friendly traditions
rangelands' ecosystems
activities
management tools of
in CZM
CZM
11- Adjusting policies, 15- Conservation,
8- Sustainable
2- Awareness raising and 5- Conservation,
restoration,
development of
laws, regulations and
restoration and
participation of decisionpolicy advocacy to
rehabilitation of the CZM
aquaculture and
makers, civil society
reconstruction of
woodlands' ecosystems
sustainable use of
conserve the CZM
landscapes and vision
organizations and
fisheries resources
people, for the
in CZM
biodiversity conservation
values
3- Promoting the
6- Conservation of the
9- Sustainable tourism
12- Developing
strategic
development through the
conservation and wildlife
quantitative and
restoration in the region,
qualitative characteristics control or reducing the
environmental
assessment
threats of tourism
development of the
of water resources in
qualitative and
water ecosystems (rivers
activities
quantitative wildlife
and wetlands)
management plans
13- Improving and
strengthening the
Major Green
Initiatives
Main actions and quantitative and qualitative goals
conditions, problems and predicted solutions in PMAs
based on field surveys, basic studies and CZM
stakeholders and beneficiaries opinions and in adaption
with Sustainable Development Goals (Javaherian et al.,
2016). In continuation, achievements were analyzed and
integrated to propose the outcome as a strategic program
for conservation of biological resources and sustainable
development in CZM.
Designing CZM Management System
Individuals, groups or institutions are affected by the
C+SD of CZM, or affect activities and challenges.
Therefore, the aim of designing Zagros Mountain
management system is introducing stakeholders’ role and
achieving facilitator, smart, small and non-intensive
structure to obtain goals and much more C+SD of CZM
better implementation. In this regard, considered
characters to choose inter-sectoral structure in Zagros
Mountain management are as follows:
(1) Possibility of getting participation and settling
comprehensive and integrated management system to
provide essential condition for integrating biodiversity
conservation in the C+SD of CZM.
(2) Having knowledge about development goals and
ability to do sustainable development missions and
getting supports of programs and budgets.
(3) Most Zagros Mountain management key stakeholders
Ali et al.
185
National Management Committee of
Zagros Mountains
(Under National Committee of
Sustainable Development)
National Executive Secretariat
Director General of Water
Development Affairs, Agriculture and
Environment (Management and
Planning Organization)
Provincial Planning and Development Council
(Land use WG as a CZM Provincial MC)
ZMRC
Catchment Management
Area MC
Chair
County Governors
(Periodic/Fixed-Term)
Provincial Executive
Secretariat
Deputy of Planning and
Budget coordination
(Province Management
Offices)
NRo
DoE
Rep.
Rural/Fishery/Housing
Foundation/Universities
/Education
Water
Affair
Tourism
Organizati
on
County
Governors
MoAJ
Nomads
Organization
Ministry of
mine,
industry and
NGOs
(2 reps.)
CBOs
(2 reps.)
Figure 2. CZM Management System.
have membership.
(4) It is according to decentralization approach based on
th
article 178 in 5 IR- National Development Plan, and
avoids new and parallel structures.
According to the above characters and based on
stakeholders analysis results and pilot program
evaluation, CZM management system was designed in
national, provincial and local (CMAs) levels. The first
organizational structure is the highest level that has main
guidance, decision making and institutional role in CZM.
Thus, to achieve the goal, CZM national management
committee was determined with deputy of civil and urban
and rural development affairs in Ministry of Interior as
chairman and membership of all CZM key stakeholders
as the best top management structure in national level.
Also, Zagros Mountain national executive secretariat was
settled in Department of Environment (DoE) with head of
sustainable development office as secretary.
The second management structure is Zagros Mountain
provincial management committee that is located in
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Isfahan, Kohgiloye and
Boyerahmad and Fars provinces. In this regard, ten
professional working groups are formed and activated
under Provincial Planning and Development Council,
which the most related and adapt one as a CZM
Provincial Management Committee has been identified
by choosing Land use planning, Environment and
Sustainable Development Working Group. In fact, this
committee play effective role in setting in place of CMA
integrated
resources
management
mechanism,
ratification and allocation required budget, facilitating
implementation of CMAs annual C+SD work plans. This
committee has cross-sectoral nature in addition to
technical and professional role that consists of Zagros
Mountain key stakeholders representative. Furthermore,
provincial executive secretariat of Zagros Mountain
management will be settled in management and planning
organizations of provinces with coordination deputy of
planning and budget as secretary to strengthen
comprehensive planning according to sustainable
development framework.
Finally, third management level was predicted in local
ones. CMA management committee was introduced as a
cross-sectoral and cross-county (catchment) structure to
manage CZM in local level. This committee consists of
governors and representatives of related key
organizations in each main county, located in the CMA,
and its head is determined by the provincial governor; it
can be whether one of the governors periodic with
coordination deputy of planning and budget in
management and planning organization as secretary
(Figure 2). In this level, all implementation and local
management details of Zagros Mountain were organized,
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J. Sci. Res. Stud.
Table 5. The summary of CMAs characteristics in CZM.
S/N
Name of CMA
Area
(Hectares)
Province
Main districts located in
CMAs
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Kor
Abadeh- eghlid
Lordegan
Vanak- khersan
Boyerahmad
Dena
Broojen
Koohrang
Bazoft
Beheshtabad
469075.57
276605.54
276266.03
533651.38
221595.24
205398.97
139632.40
127790.11
420581.27
396471.68
Fars
Fars
Charmahal- Bakhtiari
Isfahan
Kohgiloyeh- Boyerahmad
Kohgiloyeh- Boyerahmad
Charmahal- Bakhtiari
Charmahal- Bakhtiari
Charmahal- Bakhtiari
Charmahal- Bakhtiari
Eghlid, Marvdasht, Sepidan
Eghlid, Abadeh
Lordegan
Semirom
Boyerahmad
Boyerahmad, Dena
Boroojen
Koohrang
Ardal, Koohrang, Kiar
Shahrekord, Broojen, kiar
followed up and implemented. Role of local communities
and NGOs are much more important, and all
governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders who
communicate with Zagros Mountain management in local
level will be present.
Designing integrated resource management units in
CZM landscape
According to the results of pilot program evaluation,
lesson learned about designing PMAs was reviewed and
permanent integrated resources management units was
defined and designed as “Catchment Management
Areas” in CZM landscape that can operate the main
follow functions:
(1) Legal supports are provided to introduce and
recognize CMAs in national and provincial levels.
(2) They are guided and managed by CMAs
management committees (Consist of governors,
executive institutions, local NGOs and local communities’
representatives).
(3) Tools and instructions are provided for CMAs
planning and management.
(4) CMAs C+SD Sub- programs should be prepared and
then CMAs management committee prepares and
implement annual C+SD work plan.
(5) Provincial executive secretariat is facilitating the
allocation of required budget timely for implementing
CMA C+SD annual work plan.
(6) Preparing annual report of CMAs management
committee and annual monitoring report of CMAs and
presenting to ZM provincial management committees.
On this basis, ten Catchment Management Areas in CZM
conservation landscape was designed by considering
below principles. Table 5 and Figure 3 define the
characteristics of the 10 catchment areas in CZM as
follows:
Subsidiary districts
in CMAs
Abadeh
Shahreza
Dena and Sepidan
Kohgiluyeh
Ardal
Broojen and Lordegan
Farsan and Ardal
(1) All of the CZM conservation landscape, at the first
step, is divided into catchment areas. Then CMAs should
be designed and selected in a way that it doesn’t exceed
catchment basin and it should be tried that there would
be no common area between two provinces unless in
exceptional cases that it is about a small part of sub
basin.
(2) At the second step, each catchment basin was
divided into a logical number of Catchment Management
Areas. Each CMA in CZM should be large enough to
manage the majority of the conservation and
development control issues in catchment areas and in
addition to that, the sum of the number of the catchment
management areas in CZM conservation landscape
should be small enough, that the establishment of
management system in it would be possible.
(3) The area of each CMA may include political
boundaries in some districts. Therefore, it is required that
the management system should be designed and
implemented in a way that requires coordination, and
cooperation between districts should be provided. In
order to do that, districts located in each catchment
management areas, is divided into two main districts
(with vast area) and subsidiary (with smaller area) and
the way of their cooperation in catchment management
areas will be defined on this basis.
Land use planning based on ecological capability
evaluation
Ecological land use plan would be one of the main tools
which is applicable and too effective for achieving the
long-term vision and goals of CZM C+SD Program. In this
regard, and by implementing management planning
process in CZM, ecological zoning of land-uses were
done in two levels for CZM and 10 CMAs (Figure 4;
Bahmanpour, 2015).
Regarding to this fact that applying land-use planning
won’t provide C+SD P of CZM lonely, due to the fact that
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187
Figure 3. CMAs in CZM landscape.
Figure 4 . Map of CZM ecological land Use plan.
development and use activities might be defined
according to ecologic capability of the area without
considering
ecologic
criteria
in
design
and
implementation. Therefore,
development activities
impacts could be controlled and managed by composing
and implementing sustainable use guidelines and
instructions to make gradually development activities
sustainable. In this regard, “Sustainable Aquaculture”,
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Table 6. Indicators of CZM Monitoring Plan.
Socio-economic resources
Indicators
Public awareness and capacity
building
Soil and water resources indicators
Environmental resources indicators
The adaptation rate of dominant cultivation
compliance with cropping pattern
Wild life species
Tourism
Immigration rate
Nomads condition
The adaptation rate of land use with land use plans
Water use efficiency in agriculture
Underground water resources balance and its uses
Vegetation
Aquatic diversity and It’s usage status
Weather and climate
Industries and mines
The pattern of surface and underground water
resources consumption
Surface and underground water quality
Employment rate
Sedimentation rate
Consumed Input rate in agriculture
“Sustainable exploitation of forest”, “Sustainable use of
water resources”, “Sustainable exploitation of rangeland”,
“Environmental Impact Assessment”, “Sustainable
Agriculture”, “Sustainable Tourism” and “Waste and
wastewater management in rural communities” guidelines
and instructions is prepared and applied in planning and
implementation of development/exploitation activities
process.
CZM monitoring plan
Composing and preparing monitoring plan is to regulative
check and evaluate current statues regarding to update
information and establish CZM resource center with aim
of presenting accurate information to all stakeholders,
strengthening process of CZM managers and institution
experts decision making. Therefore, CZM Monitoring
Plan and Protocols were composed and recognized in
participatory and consultant workshops with all
stakeholders’ contribution (Table 6). In the next step,
CZM Monitoring Plan will be localized in each CMA
based on ecologic conditions, biodiversity values,
unsustainable use and CMAs problems and challenges,
and therefore, these plans won’t be similar in different
CMAs. It is necessary to mention that CMAs
management committees prepare CMAs annual
monitoring report with facilitation of provincial executive
secretariat (CBCZP, 2015).
Ratifying C+SD P of CZM
Ratifying the C+SD P of CZM was considered
composing with participation of governmental
nongovernmental relevant organizations and
communities, then was ratified in top national
provincial levels with continuation as follows:
after
and
local
and
(1) The C+SD P of CZM was reviewed in cross-sectoral
th
policy making councils meetings of 6 IR- National
Development Plan and its overall was ratified by policy
making council’s cross-sectoral committees of 6th
development plan in DoE in form of article 27 note (B).
Article 27:B- Government has to ratify and implement
ecosystem management plan and conservation of biological
resources and sustainable development with emphasis on
sensitive and fragile ecosystems such as lakes, wetlands, the
endangered mountainous ecosystem, unique natural
phenomenon and biosphere reserves especially in priority
areas like: Central Zagros and Hyrcanian forests and
important registered wetlands in the Ramsar International
convention, with emphasis on the empowerment of the local
and native managements; it will be ratified and implemented
according to the implementation regulation in this section.
(2) Signing and agreements to cooperation for
implementing the C+SD P of CZM among deputies of
Ministry of Interior, Management and Planning
Organization, Department of Environment and provincial
governors of Fras, Isfahan, Kohgiloye and Boyerahmad
and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari provinces in 2015.
(3) Ratification of the C+SD P of CZM by Fars, Isfahan,
Kohgiloye and Boyerahmad and Chaharmahal and
Bakhtiariby provinces Planning and Development
Councils.
(4) Settling integrated management mechanism in four
CMAs with background in pilot program implementation
include: Kor (Fars), Bazoft (Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari),
VanakKhersan (Isfahan) and Dena (Kohgiloye and
Boyerahmad).
(5) To implement the C+SD P of CZM, cross-sectoral
management structures and executive secretariats were
established in provincial and national levels (For the first
four CMAs) and activation ZM management national
committee and national executive secretariat are being
organized simultaneously. Furthermore, empowering
management system and stakeholders of CZM program
has been composed to technical support of management
Ali et al.
structures and will be implemented with coordination and
cooperation of four CZM provincial secretariats from
2016.
Conclusion
As it was mentioned earlier, biodiversity mainstreaming
approach is considered as an effective way to integrate
biological resources conservation in development
programs, so the achieved model of Central Zagros
vision can be scaled up in overall Zagros Mountain and
also can be applied as a model in all mountainous
ecosystems, if basic studies and field surveys are done
systematically.
The achievements from composing the C+SD P of
CZM illustrate the necessity of all CZM stakeholders and
beneficiaries participation in composing program and
implementation that will make sense of ownership among
different section and enough knowledge about necessity
of resources conservation and sustainable development
and as a result, cooperation of relevant different sections
has been increased to considerable extent in managing
Zagros Mountain. This point has been reported before by
Nazaridoust et al. (2012).
C+SD P of CZM is a high level program and policy
framework. Therefore beside that, CMAs C+SD Subprograms should be developed and implemented
according to the problems, values and threats of each
CMA. As a result, CMAs C+SD Sub-programs aren’t
unique and there would be some differences based on
each CMA natural, socio-economic, biological and
physical characters and also conflicts, challenges and
problems in other CMAs. This result also has been
reflected by Nazaridoust et al. (2012), in case of
development of different management plans for the case
study wetlands.
In this process, provincial executive secretariats for
managing CZM should facilitate development and budget
allocation of CMAs annual C+SD work plan by CMA
management committees, in bottom-up and participatory
process. CMA C+SD annual work plans have worthwhile
characters in comparison with current plans in Iran as
follows:
(1) Annual C+SD work plans are focused on two main
threats and values at minimum in each CMA that is
expected program and budget priorities, stakeholders
and beneficiaries will be converged and prevented of
parallel works and resources waste.
(2) Composing process of annual C+SD work plan are
designed to have all stakeholders and beneficiaries
participation in composing and implementing this
program and in managing catchment area in higher level;
also it is tried to use CZM management tools in all steps
including project introduction, design, implementation and
exploitation.
(3) Annual work plan is developed for cross-county scale
189
and it is expected to minimize county and sectoral
planning impacts on adjacent counties.
In conclusion, we can point out the most important
challenges in settling integrated management mechanism
in Central Zagros CMAs which includes mainstreaming
sectoral activities; budget allocation for implementation of
C+SD P; time consuming process for management
planning and community participation; and also official
obstacles and sectoral benefits against planning,
budgeting and implementing of CMA C+SD Sub-program
and Annual Work plans.
On the other hand, the most important achievements of
this model could be considering the most important
values and threats in CMAs for planning and
implementation of activities; preventing parallel activities,
resources and capitals waste; involving all stakeholders/
beneficiaries in conservation and management of Zagros
Mountain and also increasing reliability of sustainable
development achievement and strengthen inter-sectoral
contributions.
Acknowledgement
We are grateful to others including project director,
consultants and experts; Dr. Farhad Dabiri, Mr. Jamshid
Aghazamani, Dr. Saieed Malmasi, Dr. Houman
Bahmanpour, Ms. Farzaneh Basiri, Ms. Farnaz
Bozorgnia, Ms. Pardis Valavi, Ms. Fatima Shirkavand,
Ms. Kobra Ayaseh, Mr. Ali Zandmoghaddam, Mr. Mehdi
Mojtahedi and Mr. Parsa Arameshinia, for their support,
technical inputs, coordination and managing project
outputs in different levels.
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