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Introduction: 
The country of Iran located in 
semi-arid region of S.W.Asia 
according to Forest and Range 
Organization,54% of this can be 
classified as rangeland,the majority of 
which (60%) can be categorized as 
being infair… io poor category 
j.e.having a production : of 150-450 
kg./ha. only 7.4% of Iran's land area 
is classified as forest,21% as desert 
or unproductive land, 14.4% arable 
and 3.2%categorized as water surfaces 
and urban areas.The country now 
consists of 26 provinces, which 
extend from latitude 26 to 38 north 
and from 44 to 36 east. Because of 
this wide range in latitude and 
longtiude,Iran is also one of the most 
variable from the standpoint of 
phisography,climate vegitation and 
biological productivity. Although Iran 
cimate is characterized by aridity, 
with more than 30 percent of country 
receving less than 100 millimiters of 
precipitation annually, some northen 
provinances such as Gilan receive as 
much ‘as 1000 ^to 2000 millimiters 
annually the perpetual snows of a 
number of mountain summits contrast 
storngly with the intense summer 
heat of the low elevation 
desert.Plant cover varies from the 
sparse sand dune and salt desert 
vegetation to lush Caspian Flora and 
the forests of oak,beach and other 
species on the slopes of the Alburz 
Mountains. 
This project covers the assesment 
and monitoring of resources within 3 
inter-related field i.e. rangland 
,forest,and desertification. 
Status of Resources 
Rangeland: 
The total range area that is regularly 
grazed by livestock,for exampel ‚is a 
basis  statestic,but there is no 
agreement as to its magnitude among 
those who have studied the 
Problem.In part,this is due to lack of 
agreement as "to-, definitoins, '*also 
there are continuing changes in 
grazing patterns in response to 
233 
competion between stockman and 
farmers,and becuse of erratic weather 
changes.The grazing area,therefore ,is 
constantly channging.Current 
estimates vary between 90-100 million 
hectares . up, to 56% "of, ..total land 
area. 
Rangelands contribiute between 20- 
25% of total feed requirements of the 
national herds and flocks which are 
numbered at 8.3 million cattle ,48 
million sheep,22million goats,0.3 million 
camels and unknown number of 
horses and donkeys. 
Rangeland Degradation 
Is due to: 
-Grazing by excesive number of 
livestock. 
-Grazing too early in spring. 
-Grazing year-long or too long. 
-Increased fuel gathering and 
widespread ploughing and cultivation 
of rangelands unsuitable for 
sustained cereal production. 
Forests: 
According to other available estimates 
‚the total area of the forests in Iran 
extends to about 12 million hectares , 
spread mainly throughout the 
north,north-west and west of 
country. Of this total area 1.9 million 
nectares are located in the north,and 
in other areas like Zagros Mountain 
and forests in the sub-tropical area 
along the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. 
However,the area under forests has 
drastically | decreased in the last few 
decades . 
Forest Depletion 
is due to: 
-Grazing in forest 
-Clearing for ceareal production 
-Fuelwood 
Illigal logging 
Desertification : 
Most parts of the country are 
covered by arid and semi-arid lands 
in which the average annual rainfall 
is less than 300 mm,and 
evapotrspiration potential is many 
times more than precipitation .for 
instance ,the average annual rainfall 
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B7. Vienna 1996