Evaluating the Ecological Capability of Tehran Province in the Development of EcotourismUsing Geographic Information System (GIS)

This study aimed to evaluate the ecological potential of Tehran through the development of ecotourism using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and fuzzy logic in Geographic Information System (GIS). The research method of the present study was a descriptive - analytic one based on documentary, library and field studies as well as the analysis of spatial data. The place of the study was chosen based on previous similar studies which were tailored to local conditions. In this article, eight criteria including altitude, vegetation, soil texture, slope, slope direction, geology, soil, and land use were applied for zoning the lands which were suitable for developing ecotourism in Tehran province. Besides assessing the ecological potential of the region for ecotourism development, the researchers used a combination of AHP and Fuzzy Logic in GIS. The obtained results showed that the method of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) in approximately 27.41 percent of the understudy area was equivalent to 164,274.43 hectares and in a very proper class. The AHP for very inappropriate and unsuitable class was nearly 56.92 percent which equaled 762,401.8 hectares of the area. About 15.63 percent of the area equaled 206,317.46 hectares was in the average class. On the other hand, the results of the fuzzy logic analysis showed that approximately 42.32 percent of the area understudy equaled 610,669.46 hectares in the proper class. This is the amount for inappropriate and unsuitable class which equaled 44.57 percent or 590,249.16 hectares of area. About 13.11 percent of the total area or 167,091.37 hectares of the belonged to the middle class.