Strategic Planning for Rural Environmental System Using SOWT Analysis (Case Study: Gandoman District, Boroojen Township)

IntroductionContinuing environmental crisis, human was aware of the necessity for revising the methods of dealing with environment during the development. Therefore, changing the development paradigm from classical to modern, sustainable development and environmental issues have become the major pillars of development and achieve sustainable development depends on the complete recognition of environment and natural resources as well as accurate and strategically planning in this regard.MethodologyStrategic planning of the best methods to achieve the goals could be considered. This paper was conducted to determine the development goals objectives of rural environment system in Gandoman County, Borojen Township in a 10- year perspective. SWOT Analysis Model was utilized for strategic planning.According to the strengths and weaknesses (capacities and resources) as well as theopportunities and treats (external factors and effective process), the invasive modelas an effective model for environmental system has been adopted, and based on it,the strategies and quantities preferment goals have been determined and thecoherence between them have been established.ResultsIn order to analyze the rural environment systems in Gandoman County, first of all,the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the system were identified as follows.Strengths; having ecotourism potential and attractions, existence of two permanentrivers, numerous springs, suitable aquifers, high quality of water resources andmineral water springs and a number of Qantas, being moisture more than half of theyear, there are nine plain rural for Agricultural Development and highland rural forhorticultural development, existence of wild medicinal plants in the region, etc.Weakness; lack of Watershed activities, the risk of water erosion and the naturaleruption, earthquake and flood, law quality of health centers, many activities againstnatural disasters, environmental and sound pollution of gas station, surface waterand groundwater pollution, and landscape pollution because of deficient system ofwaste collection and landfill.Opportunities; increased consumption of mineral water producers and developmentpolicies in the category of mineral waters in Iran, suitable markets for medicinalplants, increasing importance of tourism, the policies of natural hazards anddetrimental health pollution, existence divers germ plasma and crop varieties in thecountry and the existence of oil and gas resources in the provinceThreats; being surface water management outside the province, negative balance ofunderground waters, poor crisis management, lack of proper and completeimplementation of sustainable development policies, shortage of funds for dams,watershed management and construction of irrigation networks and deficientsystems of waste collection and landfill in rural areas.ConclusionIt should be noted that internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) of the status have been extracted from reviewing the regional environment system through the Library Reviews documents and field studies as well; and the external factors of region (opportunities and threats) also have been extracted from reviewing the documents of this field in the country as well as the province.The significance of coefficient of each internal and external factor was calculated bysoftware Expert Choice based on the Delphi method and according to experts usingpaired comparisons. The basis of paired comparisons was Thomas L. Saatyimportance coefficient (rather identical (important 1) until quite preferable(important 9)). The important coefficienties were standardized through divided byaverage (total coefficients standard for internal and external factors is equal toone).To determine the final weight, a rate of points between each strength,opportunitiy, weakness and threat, a rate of points between 1 to 4 based on theimportance and final weight of internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) wascalculated 3.08 and external factors (opportunities and threats) was calculated 3.53.Finally, these weights were pointed in SWOT diagram and aggressive pattern wasdetermined as an effective model for environmental systems of Gandoman. Thispattern for achieve the main objective (sustainable environmental development inthe region) selects the strategies that apply the available regional strengths for usingthe identified opportunities. Therefore, sustainable environmental developmentstrategies of Gandoman County are as determined as follows:- Management development, conservation, restoration and sustainableexploitation of natural resources as well as environmental ones;- Developing public participation in a development process, conservation,restoration and sustainable exploitation of natural resources and environmental,- Mineral Water Industry Development,- Developing and strengthening the tourism industry with emphasis onecotourism and rural tourism,- Improving crisis management in order to prevent the consequences of naturaldisasters and deal with it them villages,- Reducing hazards and detrimental to human health and the environmentpollution.Obviously, in order to achieve the determined strategies and according to themain goal, objectives should be defined. These objectives in 3 levels, internals areperiods such as: long term (10 years), medium term (five years) and short-term (2-1years) goals. The short-term objectives include increasing of public awareness onnatural disasters, promotion of rural outreach skills, safety principles in buildingnew homes, familiarize farmers with the principles of sustainable agriculture,identify species of medicinal plants in the County pasture, preventing theindiscriminate cattle grazing in pastures, improving exploitation model of waterresources, inhibition of seasonal surface water, especially flowing waters,identifying the potentials of tourism in the region, familiarizing farmers with theimportance of Aquifers and Watershed Management, predispose for publicparticipation in forestry activities, improving knowledge and skills of villagers topreserve watersheds and aquifers, the identification qualities and quantitiescapabilities of regional water to develop mineral water industries, studies aboutsanitary waste collection and burial in the rural area.