Prioritizing the causes of habitat destruction (Myrtus Communis L.) and estimating restoration cost and reconstructing the affected area using replacement cost (case study: Doureh County, Lorestan province)

Document Type : Complete scientific research article

Authors

1 Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University

2 Gorgan Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University

3 Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lorestan University

Abstract

Prioritizing the causes of habitat destruction (Myrtus Communis L.) and estimating restoration cost and reconstructing the affected area using replacement cost (case study: Doureh County, Lorestan province)

Abstract
Background and objectives: Unlike forests of North of the country which mainly produce wood, most notable products in the forests of West of the country are non-woody products. These products provide the bulk of the needs of the people in Zagros area. People have acclimated with nature to earn their living needs and have been able to maintain these products and more or less have created and published the methods of preservation, development, restoration, and utilization in these forests, but in some cases, have operated against nature and destroyed the nature either intentionally or unintentionally. Lorestan province comprises 2,000 plant species and among these, 250 species are medicinal plants. Among these products is myrtle shrub with leaf, fruit, and flower of medicinal value, and this product could be used with correct utilization. Unfortunately, inappropriate and improper utilization practices and excessive use of the species, especially in recent years, has caused serious damages to the habitat of this species, so that in the last ten years, about half of its habitats has been destroyed in Doureh County which its rehabilitation and replacement cost 1,029,600,000 Rials.
Materials and methods: The most important factors in the destruction of this species in the viewpoint of experts, farmers and local people have been examined through a questionnaire. A total of 66 were completed by experts and 244 questionnaires were completed by farmers and local people and after extraction and categorization the responses were analyzed by binomial test.
Results: In total, 7 factors were identified that have some influences on the habitat destruction, among which weak management and utilization by the company with an average of 4.76 (94% of respondents) and 4.42 (83% of respondents), respectively, were defined as the most important factors causing habitat destruction.
Conclusion: However, the current situation of the myrtle sites has been presented as a serious threat, if this situation is defined correctly by adopting the right policies and providing financial and administrative support necessary for the successful implementation, it could be turned into an opportunity causing the economic prosperity and improvement in employment conditions of the province. This opportunity includes encouraging local people to plant myrtle with effective financial support by the government to promotion and development of the man-made plantation of myrtle species.

Keywords

Main Subjects


1.Agheli Kohnehshahri, L. 2003. Calculated of green GNP and national income stability in Iran.
Phd thesis. Faculty of Humanities. Tarbiat Modares University.
2.Agudelo, C., Rivera, B., Tabasco, J., and Estrada, R. 2003. Designing Policies to Reduce
Rural Poverty and Environmental Degradation in a Hillside Zone of the Colombian Andes.
World development, 31(11): 1924.
3.Amiri, N., Emadian, S.F., Fallah, A., Adeli, K., and Amirnezhad, H. 2015. Estimation of
conservation value of myrtle (Myrtus communis) using a contingent valuation method: a
case study in a Dooreh forest area, Lorestan Province, Iran. Springer Open J., Forest
Ecosystems. 11p.
4.Ansari, N., Seyed Akhlaghi Shal, S.J., and Fayaz, M. 2008. The legal and organizational
factors, resource management and social groups in the destruction of renewable natural
resources. Journal of Rangeland, 1, 4.
5.Barbier, E.B. 2000. The Economic Linkage between Rural Poverty and Land Degradation:
Some Evidence from Africa. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 82: 11-356.
6.Bateman, I., and Willis, K. 1999. Valuing Environmental Preferences, Theory and Practice of
the Contingent Valuation Method in the US, EU, and Developing Countries. Oxford
University Press. New York. NY, Pp: 511–539.
7.Dudley, R.G. 2004. A System Dynamics Examination of the Willingness of Villagers to
Engage in Illegal Logging. The Haworth Press Inc.
8.FAO Forestry. 1999. towards a harmonized definition of non-wood forest products. Unasylva
50(198): 63–64, http://www.fao.org/docrep/x2450e/ x2450e0d.htm.
9.Fattahi, A. 1994. Check the forest of Zagros Oak and the most important of its destruction
reasons, Publishing of Research institude of forest and rangelands. 101: 64.
10.Gardner, A.S., and Fisher, M. 1994. How the forest lost its trees: Just so story telling about
Juniperus excelsa in Arabia. Journal of Arid Environments, 26: 299-301.
11.Hayami, Y. 2001. Economics of Development, From Poverty to Wealth of Nations.
Translation: Azad Armaki, Gh. First Edition. Ney Publications, Tehran.
12.Heydari Sareban, V. 2006. Organizing Rural Cooperatives, an Essential Step in Achieving to
Sustainable Environmental Development. Jahad Scientific- Social periodical. Currency
Assistance and Exploiting System of Agricultural Department Publications. No. 275, 26 the
Year.
13.Javan, J. 2011. The geography of Iranian population. Publishing of Ferdowsi University of
Mashhad. 392p.
14.Karimi, M.A. 2012. Investigating the most important degradation factors of myrtle (Myrtus
communis L.) in Lorestan province (A case study in Chegnei forest area). Tehran Research
Centre of Scientific-Applied University, Iran.
15.Mahallati, S. 1987. Destruction of Green Gold, Death of the Environment, the Global Crisis
of Poverty. Geographical Studies Periodical, Astan Qods Razavi Publications, Second Year.
2: 176-185.
16.Makkizadeh Tafti, M., Farhoodi, R., Naghdi Badi, H., and Mehdizadeh, A. 2006.
Determining the best treatment for germination enhancement of three medicinal plants seeds:
Rubia tinctourum L., Echinacea angustifolia D.C., and Myrtus communis L. Quart J Sci Res
Med Arom Plants Iran. 2: 105–116.
17.Mirazadi, Z., Pilehvar, B., and Tajalli, A. 2013. Description of Some Ecological Factors in
Three Forest Sites in Lorestan Province and Their Impact on Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.)
Essential Oil Yield and Chemical Components. J of Crop Production and Processing. 2(6):
43-52.
18.Mirsanjari, M.M. 2003. Population, Food and Natural resources. Forest and Grassland. 59:
14-19.
19.Murty, M.N. 2009. Environment, Sustainable Development and Well-being. Oxford, 3p.
20.Nasreen, M., Hossain, K.M., and Kundu, D.K. 2006. The Interrelationship between Poverty,
Environment and Sustainable Development in Bangladesh: An Overview. Bangeladesh e-
Journal of Sociology. 3: 2-70p.
21.Noubissie, E.T., Chupezi, J., and Ndoye, O. 2008. Studies on the Socio-Economic Analysis
of socio-economic non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in Central Africa. Synthesis of
reports of studies in the Project GCP/RAF/398/GER. Fao. Yaounde, Cameroon, FAO
GCP/RAF/398/GER Enhancing Food Security in Central Africa through the management
and sustainable use of NWFP: 43p.
22.Papoli Yazdi, M.H., and Rajabi Sanajerdi, H. 2008. The Theory of Urban and Surrounding.
Samt Publications.
23.Purnomo, H., Yasmi, Y., Prabhu, R., Hakim, S., Jafar, A., Suprihatin. 2003. Collaborative
modelling to support forest management: qualitative systems analysis at Lumut Mountain,
Indonesia. Small-scale Forest Economics, Management and Policy, 2(2): 259-275.
24.Reardon, T., and Vosti, S.A. 1995. Links between Rural Poverty and the Environment in
Developing Countries. World Development, 23: 9-1495.
25.Salehnia, A. 2008. Investigating medicinal and environmental importance of myrtle.
26.Scherr, S.J. 2000. A Downward Spiral? Research Evidence on the Relationship between
Poverty and Natural Resource Degradation. Food Policy 25: 481p.
27.Sumba, M. 1996. Viewpoint on Sustainable Urban Development in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Journal of Cities. 13: 4-266p.
28.Tavakoli, J. 2004. Rural Poverty and the Destruction of Environment in Developing
Countries. Villages and Development Periodical, Centre for Research on Rural Issues
Publications. 7: 1-129.
29.The governor of Dooreh city. 2013.
30.UNEP. 2016. Food Systems and Natural Resources. 164p.
31.Varahzardi, Z., and Etemad, V. 2011. Ecological, economical and medicinal value of myrtle
and strengthening rural communities: Potentials and Limitations. National Conference
Central Forests of Zagros.