Kohgiluyeh-Boyerahmad - A community-based forestry initiative in Kohgiluyeh-Boyerahmad province, southwest Iran, has attracted 1,071 applicants, with officials now reviewing their requests, the provincial natural resources chief announced.

 

Mr. Mousavian, Director-General of Natural Resources and Watershed Management, said the program will bring 250,000 hectares of forests and rangelands under local stewardship.

 

“The scheme covers diverse activities, including almond, walnut, poplar, and eucalyptus planting; medicinal plant cultivation; fisheries; beekeeping; ecotourism; and solar energy projects.”

 

By offering alternative livelihoods to rural communities, the initiative aims to curb illegal logging, wildfires, and overharvesting of shrubs, he explained.

 

The official further described social forestry as a safeguard against resource exploitation and a vital tool for protecting the Zagros woodlands, a key natural treasure in western Iran.