Economic Valuation of Self- Purification Function of in Oshtorankooh Protected Area for Assimilating Local Wastes and Effluents

Oshtorankooh Protected Area as vast as 93950ha is located at central section of Zagros Mountain Range, east of Lorestan Province between 28.33 to 33.12 Northern latitudes and 49.25 to 48.58 eastern longitudes, where cities such as Dorood, Azna and Aligoodarz lie along this range. Astonishing beauty and exquisite landscapes of Gahar Lake has persuaded a great number of local people and of neighboring provinces come to visit the area on foot or by car every year and spend some time there, resulting in discarding extraordinary amounts of wastes. In this research, according to annex 4 “System of Integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting (SEEA)”, various types of wastes are studied and computed. On this basis, the wastes are classified to 5 categories: solid wastes, airborne wastes, waterborne wastes, recovery and recycling of wastes, and relapsing waters, which different types of them are seen in Oshtorankooh Protected Area. Special capability of the area to attract tourists encouraged us to estimate economic value of self-purification function of ecosystems for assimilating local wastes and effluents using Replacement cost and Benefit Transfer methods. The results show that in 2012 total annual net value of self-purification function of assimilating local wastes and effluents are both $1 million.