Lack of planning and infrastructure as well as carelessness on the part of tourists has turned what could have been a profitable and eco-friendly tourist activity into the bane of Lorestan Province’’s natural landscapes.
According to Seyyed Rahman Sohrabi, a researcher at the Lorestan Center for Research and Education of Agriculture and Natural Resources, ecotourism is has become a threat to the environment in Lorestan, rather than a means to protect ecological diversity and empower the local populace.
Besides a lack of infrastructure, people’s careless use and misuse of the environment has not only damaged nature, but also prevented ecotourism from becoming a stable source of income for the locals, SNN reported.
“Both the locals and tourists seem oblivious to the importance of environmental conservation in Lorestan,” Sohrabi said.
He urged the authorities to address the problems without further delay lest the environment suffers irreversible damage.
“It is essential to develop basic infrastructure, from accommodation and sanitation facilities to 24-hour security in natural campsites,” he said
Lorestan enjoys a wide range of natural sites including wetlands, lakes, rivers and waterfalls and a remarkable biodiversity especially within its forests which cover an estimated 1.2 million hectares.
