مجله پژوهشهای محیط زیست
سال یکم شماره 1 (بهار و تابستان 1389)

In different ages, human has deliberately and unintentionally destroyed the nature and caused species extinctions. This degradation has created many concerns because it has been more severe and faster than any previous natural devastation. Therefore, despite data shortage and nature’s complexities, it is necessary to move towards better and more appropriate nature conservation approaches and diminish human-caused disasters or at least reduce them to the minimum level. There are different approaches to selection of lands for conservation. Landscape ecology approach is one of the newest approaches that uses metric indices such as shape, size, structure and linkages between different covers or patches that are important for meeting conservation objectives. The main objective of this study was to apply landscape metrics approach for systematic selection of conservation patches in Golestan Province of Iran. Accordingly, the technique of Conservation Assessment Prioritization Systems (CAPS) was used. It is based on landscape metrics and is integrated with other ecologically important factors such as river health. After classification of the land into forest, rangeland, river, city and village on the satellite image, the landscape metrics were derived using FRAGSTATS software. Subsequently, a multi-criteria evaluation with weighted linear combination procedure was used for combining different layers of the metrics and determining suitability of land for conservation. An Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used by some experts to assign weights to the factors included in the weighted linear combination method. The result of this research produced a land suitability map for the whole province for conservation purposes. We applied the zonal land suitability method and a result 19 zones were introduced for conservation. A descriptive model was also provided that helped in merging the landscape metrics for conservation. The method used for the first time in Iran proved successful. However, we suggest applying it to other areas so as to highlight its strengths and data shortages. The result of this study shows that conservation area of Golestan province is 15 percent (307391.6 ha) without consideration of water resources and with attention to pixel with suitability more than 160. In addition, it provides lowest cost and faster survey in a wide area and is getting popularity for selection of conservation patches.

Recent year's population growth and urbanization development has led to increase in demands for natural spaces in the cities. Since these spaces, mostly are among public goods with free access for the public who often use them without receiving admission, the real value of these spaces have been neglected by most visitors and they do not estimate the value of their outing, which can lead to lack of efficient and optimal use of these places. Economic valuations of these spaces not only increase their protection by users, but it creates a good background for planning and management of these spaces by decision makers and planners. In this study the value of Darakeh mountainous region, that is located in northern Tehran, has been estimated by using contingent valuation method.In this study, 216 surveys with various questions have been completed by visitors and they express their willingness to pay for using the site. The factors that affecting the amount of willingness to pay for admission to recreation area, has been evaluated by using Tobit single stage model and Hickman two-stage recreation model. Estimation results by Tobit model shows that willing to pay for using the recreational area of Darakeh has been increased by increasing some variables like income, number of people in household, type of house, the amount of pollution in work place and level of recreational facilities in the mountainous region. With using estimated parameters by linear regression model, the average annual willingness to pay for each visitor in Darakeh mountainous region is equal to 3362/8 Rials ($5) and value per hectare of Darakeh area outing in 1388 was estimated nearly fifty millions Rials ($ 50000).