Hyrcanian Alternative Plan to Be Launched in Near Future

Dr. Abbas Ali Nobakht, FRWO's Deputy for Forestry said: "The Hyrcanian Sustainable Natural Resources Conservation Plan" that was prepared last year will be finalized soon for implementation." He added "This plan entails a conservation approach to natural resources management with a view to global experiences and best practices."

 According to FRWO's website, Dr. Nobakht explained that about three years has elapsed from the implementation of the "Logging Ban Initiative" in the Caspian forests, and therefore many academicians, NGOs, forest dwellers, and even ordinary people are waiting for an alternative conservation plan for proper management of the ancient Hyrcanian forests.

He said "The plan also aim to assess the ecological potential based on land use planning in order to determine natural zones and appropriate land uses, based on ecological, economic and social conditions at the level of the Caspian watershed basin."

Dr. Nobakht stressed that in the current situation, the best and most important solution was to prepare and implement the "Hyrcanian Sustainable Natural Resources Conservation Plan" or the so-called "alternative plan" that hopefully is underway.

"The first thing that was carried out at the beginning of this process was to deal with land uses, in other words, zoning of the basin, for reserves, ecotourism, forest development, industrial and residential facilities, orchards and agricultural activities" he said. In fact, we have 9 categories of land uses for national estates, of which 7 categories are controlled by state and therefore FRWO has to provide a "detailed plan" for them. However, for the other two categories, FRWO just provide advisory recommendations.

Accordingly, Based on decision of the Council of Ministers in 2013 and paragraph 3 of Article 38 of the Sixth National Development Plan, mandate FRWO to prepare, ratify and implement an "alternative plan" for the conservation of natural resources in the Hyrcanian region in 2020 and 2021.