A group of ecologists and senior officials at Iran’s national parks traveled to Austria on Sunday to take part in a week-long training program, the Department of Environment said in a statement on its website.
The 12-member team includes experts and officials from national parks in the provinces of Isfahan, North Khorasan, Golestan, Gilan, Kerman, Semnan Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari and Tehran.
“The aim of the course is to train individuals in the management of mountainous national parks,” said Majid Shafi’pour, director of the Center for International Affairs and Conventions at the DOE.
Following the signing of an agreement between DOE chief Massoumeh Ebtekar and Austrian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Environment Andra Rupprechter in February, the two sides agreed to expand environmental ties, especially in the areas of preservation of national parks, wildlife conservation and management of solid and industrial waste.
Austria will hold another short training program later this year with a focus on managing marine ecosystems. Shafi’pour did not say whether Iran will send a team to participate in the program.
