Forest Destruction in Northern Iran Lowest in 10 Years

The rate of forest destruction in northern Iran has reached its lowest level in the past 10 years, thanks to the efforts of Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organization, the head of FRWMO said.

“Data from the periodic maps of Iran’s northern forests show an increase of 225,500 hectares of forest cover in the past 60 years spanning 1955 to 2015,” Khodakaram Jalali added.

Although forest destruction still exceeded the rate of restoration and led to the reduction of 15,204 hectares of forest cover during the period, the trend is considered satisfactory.

According to a report from the Food and Agriculture Organization in 2010, Iran’s forest canopy cover of more than 5% was 13 million hectares, but the figure improved in 2015 and reached 14.3 million hectares.

Other data from the Environment Performance Index show that Iran ranks 16th among 137 countries in terms of forest preservation.

Jalali dismissed reports from Iran’s Department of Environment on reduction of 300,000 hectares of northern forests, calling it “unacceptable” due to the use of inappropriate methods.   

“The software and computers failed to detect forests in many areas and therefore we lost significant levels of forest cover. On top of that, trees smaller than 5 meters were ignored by the system,” he said.  

The official noted that an increase in forest cover does not mean forest destruction has halted, but indicates that preservation and protection operations in forests have improved compared to their destruction rate.