Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
PhD Graduate, Forest Sciences, Faculty of Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
2
PhD Graduate, Forestry, Mazandaran University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Sari, Iran
3
PhD Candidate, Forestry, Chalous Azad University, Science and Research Unit, Chalus, Iran
4
National Director of Hircanian Multifunctional Management Project, Chalus, Iran
5
National Deputy Director of Hircanian Multifunctional Management Project, Chalus, Iran
6
M.Sc. Graduate in Environmental science, Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran
Abstract
Forests, as a renewable resource, play an important role in creating a suitable platform for the development of economic and social activities. In this research, various objectives such as forest biodiversity, the importance of forests from environmental and economic view points, destructive factors of forests, impact of forests on people's lives, interaction of people with forests are the most important issues discussed in this paper. The survey method and the statistical population of this study include the three groups of citizens, villagers and tourists over 15 years old in Mazandaran, Gilan, and Golestan provinces. The sample size of the three groups is 1892 people in which 68.9%, 19.9% and 11.2% are citizens, rural and tourists, respectively. The findings of this study show that 53.2% of the people have heard the name of Hyrcanian forests while 46.6% of them were unaware of this name. In addition, 62.4% have said that the hunting of birds and wildlife would destroy the nature and the forest, 32.7% are on the opinion that the hunting cannot have any particular impact, and only 7.4% of the respondents have said that hunting of birds and wildlife would preserve the forest. 87.7% of the subjects under this study are aware of the benefits, importance and the role of Hyrcanian forests in terms of their environmental impacts. Fire, illegal harvesting from the forest, and dumping of garbage in the forest by the public are considered as the most destructive factors of the Hyrcanian forests. Based on the findings, 72.4% of the people are concerned about the destruction of the Caspian forests, and 7.2% are not worried at all about the destruction of the Hyrcanian forests. The objective of the greatest number of people using the forest was for recreation, picking plants and forest fruits, benefiting from medicinal plants, and collecting firewood. Pavement and road problems, lack of facilities, gas shortages, insecurity in the forest and the problems of health issues are among the most important concerns of forest residents.
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