Investigating the productivity of forest-tree, seed-collecting groups in the north of Iran

The limitation of the resources in economy can be considered as one of the main reasons behind the attentions to the productivity in all of the areas of management, particularly that of seed collecting. The purpose of the present research is evaluating the performance of the seed-collecting groups in the jungles of the north of Iran. Data was collected from 89 questionnaires which analyzed the seeds of deciduous and coniferous trees. From among the 9 seed-collecting groups, the highest productivity rates were respectively for Mazandaran Wood and Paper Company, Pylambara nursery, and Katoul Yew Wood Industry Company with 7.5, 6.25, and 5.71 units per labor-hour. From among the remaining groups, Farim nursery had the lowest rate of productivity with 1.76 units per labor-hour. Analyzing the amount of the collected species of seeds indicated that only in Noshahr Contracting Company the productivity of labor force was beyond the standard level and the rest were below the standard. Acer capadosicum collected in Noshahr and Najarpoor Contracting Companies was beyond the standard level. The amount of the collected oak was higher than the standard level in five contracting companies and nurseries including Noshahr, Mazandaran Wood and Paper Company, Katoul New Wood Industry Company, Safrabasteh nursery, and Najarpoor Company. Alder species collected in Farim Wood Company, Katoul New Wood Industry Company, and Neka Wood Company were beyond the standard level. The amount of the collected wild cherry appeared to be above the standard level in Pylambara nursery and Company, Mazandaran Wood and Paper Company, Katoul New Wood Industry Company, and Mazand Flower and Fruit Company. Tilia species were collected at the standard level in Pylambara nursery and Mazandaran Wood and Paper Company. Finally, none of the companies and nurseries had collected fraxinus at the standard level and its amount was below the standard. Some of the main reasons behind the failure in achieving the standard levels in collecting seeds might be non-appropriate human force combination, education, and workers’ age range.