Lorestan – The government will do all it can to restore and safeguard the iconic and invaluable oak woodlands of the Zagros Mountains, according to an official. 

 

The head of Iran's Department of Environment (DOE), Shina Ansari, recently emphasized the prioritized status of this conservation initiative during a visit to the region.

 

She stressed the critical need to protect Lorestan's share of the Zagros oak forests, noting the dual management structure where a significant portion lies within natural resource lands and another substantial area is overseen by the DOE.

 

"We have a joint program with the Ministry of Agriculture to protect the Zagros forests, and measures are being implemented in cooperation with them," Ansari said. 

 

About 1.2 million hectares of the area of the western Lorestan province is covered with forests. Oak is the most important plant species in the region, having an extraordinary ecological role in preserving water and soil resources.