Zoning the " Ghenou" Protected Area Using GIS

The Ghenou Mountains is an interesting part of Zagros System in its Southeastern Portion. As upland to hot dry plains of Southern Iran and as an ecotonal landscapes in between two different biogeographic districts it has important ecological function and supplies important environmental services، typical of mountains landscapes in such locations. Nevertheless management of this valuable protected area remains inefficient and traditional without sound scientific principles. A regressive tendency is dominant and increasingly demands a rational rehabilitation and management plan. This necessity was the basic problem for preparation of this paper. It includes: 1-Collection of field information 2-Capability evaluation, and 3-A zoning for managerial objectives Although Ghenou has less significance in terms of wildlife but in terms of its vegetations cover it has a rich plant diversity،due to microclimatic variation. Six differences zones were observed and their management requirements were then defined separately. These were comprised of conservation and tourism، as well as، integrated watershed management and other objections. According to the natural capability of this zones and relative importance of conservation, tourism and integrated watershed management, managerial policies were defined which are based on evidences it was finally proposed to increase its status to a National Park.