نشریه محیط زیست طبیعی
سال شصت و چهارم شماره 1 (بهار 1390)

The protection and use of recreational areas as a sustainable resource can be a very significant issues، especially when they are located within a protected areas. Different management approaches such as Limits of Acceptable Changes (LAC) can be performed to provide the balance between the use and the protection of resources. LAC method is one of the planning frameworks that are used in tourism areas. This process requires acquisition and integration of the ecological and socio-economical data for the selection of the important indicators that are considerable for visitors’ satisfaction as well as monitoring standards. This method was conducted in a case study of some recreational areas along Karaj protected river in Central Alborz Protected Area. For this purpose، following data was collected: visitors’ view (questionnaires) and different methods for quantity measuring. 455 people of Karaj river`s tourist sampled. The validity of the questionnaires was approved through panel of expert`s judgment and the reliabilities of the main scales of the questionnaires were 0/72 and 0/81 for the recreation opportunity spectrum questionnaires and visitors’ satisfaction questionnaires، respectively. Spss software was applied to analyze the data. The results depicted that 10 indicators should be assessed. A discriminate analysis was performed to identify correlations between selected variables، and as a result، six among those were highlighted (trash in the water، trash along river banks، and water quality as environmental indicators، as well as number of visitors، visitors’ distance to river، and visitors’ awareness of indicators as social indicators). The results showed that the following standards must be considered for the site: Less than 12 percent of trash (both on water surface and river banks) family biotic index less than five، less than 625 individuals per hectare، more than nine meters settlement point from the river.

Impacts of land use types on wetland functions were investigated in three surface water wetlands، located in West Japan. Nitrogen concentration was monthly sampled and measured in input، output and inside of the wetlands. Findings of the present study revealed that function of the wetlands and its capabilities for reduction or remove of the nutrients from surface water are varied by change in the land use type in catchment of the wetlands. The wetland of high percentage of urban land use in its catchment had a minimum function in reduction of nitrogen concentration. It also revealed no seasonal function in reduction of nitrogen concentration. A steady-state function in reduction of nitrogen concentration was observed in the wetland of moderate percentage of urban cover، while seasonal fluctuations were observed in reduction of nitrogen concentration. Although the wetlands had an efficient role in reduction of nutrients in their out-flowing water، these capabilities would be degraded in case of over-changing the land use types in their catchments and in turn cause the wetlands act as a source of nutrients in downstream water resources.

Environmental characteristics، including the quality of green spaces، constitute one of the determinants of buildings (house & apartment) transaction prices. In this research، impact of urban green space on building''s transaction prices (Rials/m2) in Karaj region، District 1 (Jahanshahr)، was analyzed. Therefore، a questionnaire concerning building characteristics and transaction prices was developed. The questionnaires were then filled out for all estate agencies in the Jahanshahr region، using all sold building data in 2007. Spatial data and characteristics of green spaces، e. g. percentage of canopy cover، distance to park were measured using aerial photographs and photomap of the study site، as well as Geographic Information System (GIS) software; PCI Geomatica V8. 1 and Arc GIS 9/2. Hedonic Pricing Method (HPM)، the multivariable regression analysis and stepwise method were then used to estimate a model relating building transaction price to building and green spaces characteristics. Based on the coefficient of determination، the model explained 67 percent of transaction price variability. It is found that green spaces of Jahanshahr parks had a positive and significant impact on transaction price. The result showed that one kilometer distance from the park represented 24 percent decrease in building transaction price. In this study، the impact of building characteristics including apartment floor number، elevator، building size or area، southern facing and the bedroom''s number per unit of area on transaction price were found to be significant (p= 5%). Apartment floor number and elevator had the highest positive and negative effects on transaction price، respectively. The impact of other green space characteristics، e. g. view to park and garden as well as the percentage of canopy cover were appeared positive but insignificant

Increasing the usage of electricity power illustrates its growing proportion and effective role in the energy economy. It also depicts the connection between using the electricity power and economic development. Regarding the strategic role of power plants in the economic and social development، the absence of the environmental considerations in all phases، including site selection، planning، performance، and exploitation will diminish its output quality and result in many devastating environmental consequences in long term periods. The aim of this study was the utilization of three spatial decision-support methods (Boolean logic، binary evidence and overlapping index of multiple class maps) to determine land suitability for site selecting of thermal power plant based on environmental criteria (ecological and cultural-social) in Chabahar Township. The results showed that Boolean logic method is easier to apply but more limited than the other ones. The most suitable method for combining information layer is overlapping index of multiple class maps. In this method besides weighing the criteria، the internal classes in each information layer are weighed and scored as well. Moreover، the results showed that the area of the most suitable sites is varied between 54 square kilometer to 330 square kilometer and these sites are distributed throughout the whole area.

Outdoor recreation refers to various recreational activities، closely associated with natural environments. Wetlands are the ecosystems which provide numerous goods and services with economic values، not only to the local population living in their periphery but also to communities living outside wetland. Furthermore، wetlands provide some opportunities and amenities for human society’s well-being. Estimating the economic value of recreational opportunities attributed to wetlands seems to be crucial due to the limited resources of ecotourism activities and their role in improved human well-being. Meanwhile، this will contribute to preserving ecosystem functions of wetlands for current and future generations، in line with sustainable development goals. This study aimed to estimate the value of recreational function of Choghakhor wetland at the central part of Zagros ecooregion، located in Charmahal Bakhtiari Province in Iran. Using the Travel Cost Method (TCM)، produced some statistically reliable information. The field survey is carried out by a single questionnaire after being calibrated through a pre-test phase. The questionnaire composed of two sections and distinguished questions for TCM، is to collect the revealed preferences of Choghakhor visitors. At the early stage of the work، an explorative approach is used. According to the results، two main hypotheses have been developed to be examined during the final test. All required information on individual expenses، dedicated time for recreation inside the site، the number of visits a year by visitors، salaries، etc.، have been included in questioners for further analysis. Based on this information، an average of travel costs from each visitor is estimated and then applied for calculating aggregated costs of travels in a year which was about 5،300،000،000 Iranian Rials in 2007. This figure indicates the estimated annual value of 468،730 Rls/ha for recreational function of Choghakhor wetland.

Iranian jerboa classified as data deficient species according to the IUCN Red List. Little information has been published about ecological and biological characteristics of Allactaga firouzi and other members of genus Allactaga. In the present study، we aimed to identify some ecological characteristics، such as: hibernation، feeding habits، breeding، coexistence with other rodents and threatening factors، from May 2008 to April 2009 in southern Shah-Reza in Isfahan Province. Results showed that breeding usually occurred from April to May. Hibernation started about late November and lasted mid-February. There was no stored food in the excavated burrows. However، direct observations and remaining plant material in burrows showed that this species forages on plant material. A. firouzi was recorded sympatric with Meriones persicus. The main factor affecting this single and very limited habitat occupied by this species is affected by the anthropogenic transformation of the environment. Overgrazing، mining activities and transportation in its habitat are the most significant factors threatening the conservation of this endemic species and its habitat. Unfortunately nowadays overgrazing by livestock in the study area has caused a decrease in the vegetation cover، and there are also mining and recreational activities in its habitat، all of which are significant factors threatening the survival of A. firouzi. Furthermore، buildings، roads and heavy traffic machines in this area have become a critical environmental challenge.

Ovis orientalis isphahanica has a restricted geographical range and is listed as vulnerable by IUCN. However، there is not enough data on habitat associations of this taxon to be used as a base for conservation programmes. Use of vegetation communities by Isfahan mouflon in Mouteh Wildlife Refuge was studied over a one-year period. Habitat use was related to vegetation communities and habitat variables by pellet-group clearance transects conducted every 45 days from June 2006 to June 2007 in the core zone of Mouteh W. R. The collected data in each season was analyzed using general linear models. No significant difference was found in use of unlike habitats by wild sheep in any of the four seasons. However، within two of the three habitat types، pattern of habitat use significantly differed between seasons. Regression analyses showed a positive relationship between pellet group density and altitude in summer and a negative relationship between these two variables in spring. Pellet group density was also negatively associated with distance to water sources in summer. Standing crop pellet group count carried out in the second core zone of Mouteh W. R. in winter 2007 produced similar results.