Pathology of Iranian laws in preventing forest land use change

Background and Objectives: Forest land use change in Iran has a long history, which has become challenging in recent decades, especially in the northern regions of the country. This phenomenon not only affects the ecological balance and biodiversity, but also causes economic and social problems. Therefore, protecting these lands from unauthorized land use change, which is considered one of the greatest threats to natural resource destruction, is absolutely necessary. This research was conducted with the aim of analysing the status of Iranian laws on protection related to forest land use change and developing strategies to deal with land use change in Golestan province.
Materials and Methods: In this research, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats developed through interviews with experienced specialists and experts involved in forest matters and using the focus group discussion method, with 30 initial questionnaires after extraction the model components. The sample size was determined according to the Krejci and Morgan table and sampling method was done using a simple random. The face and content validity of the research tool (researcher-made questionnaire) was assessed based on the opinions of the faculty members, and its reliability was also assessed by calculating Cronbach's alpha. Finally, based on the average final scores and implementing the SWOT analysis model, important factors in each section of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, and strategies were identified.
Results: The results of the item rankings showed that deterrent criminal fines (Articles 42-55 of Law on the Protection 1346 and Article 690 of Penal Law) with an average score of 3.94 and advanced monitoring tools (GIS, aerial photography 1346), Supreme Court Unification Ruling No. 681 with an average score of 3.95 as strengths, ambiguities and legal conflicts (dispersion of laws, vague definitions of seedlings/shrubs) with an average score of 3.92 as weaknesses, advancement of monitoring technology (GIS, and artificial intelligence) with an average score of 4.00 as opportunities, and climate changes, drought, and increased natural fires with a score of 3.94 as threats have the highest priority. The findings of the SWOT analysis showed that the average score of internal factors is 3.870 (strengths) and 3.866 (weaknesses), respectively, and the Average score of external factors is 3.899 (opportunities) and 3.903 (threats), respectively. According to the results obtained, strategies to combat land use change are close to defensive strategies. Among the defensive strategies, the following have been more important: “Intensifying the fight against unauthorized land use change using existing monitoring tools and heavy fines.”
Conclusion: The results show that Iranian laws, with legal strengths such as nationalization (1962) and Forest protection (1967), have the potential for conseration, but the weaknesses of ambiguity (Article 1, paragraph a) and implementation (parallel work) and climate (drought) and human threats (90% change) are challenging to landuse change of forest. Advances in monitoring technologies (Geographic Information Systems, and Remote Sensing), presenting the revising strategies for laws and regulations, and transformative reforms in legal frameworks related to the protection of forest lands against land-use change. Finally, the implementation of these strategies transforms conservation into green development and provides the basis for sustainability and protection of forests based on the indicators of laws and regulations.