بردی محمد آق ار کاکلی

Global forest area has decreased by nearly 180 million ha in three decades. So, many ecosystem services provided by forests have been threatened. Reforestation and afforestation are the most effective strategies for mitigating deforestation. Therefore, in a variety of countries worldwide, including Iran, several afforestation projects have been implemented; however, the quantity and quality of many afforested lands have decreased over time under the influence of catastrophic factors, environmental stress, and different management methods. Awareness and continuous monitoring of forest programs are some of the most fundamental forestry policies. Therefore, the monitoring of annual afforestation in the eastern Golestan province using Google Earth software was put on the agenda to prepare an afforestation map and identify the reasons for the success and failure of the implemented plans. According to the findings, 19,377.39 ha of afforestation have been planted in Golestan province. Of these, Maraveh Tappeh city has the highest amount of afforestation with more than 9,256 ha with C. arizonica L, C. sempervirens L. var. horizontalis (Mill.) Gord. and P. brutia Ten, mostly. The presence of suitable climatic and edaphic conditions in the Golidagh of Maraveh Tappeh City and the ArabDagh area of Kalaleh City played a prominent role in the success of artificial forests in these areas. It should be noted that wood smuggling, the presence of livestock, the occurrence of fires, the presence of natural and human obstacles, and continuous monitoring have been other factors affecting the success or failure of afforestation programs in the eastern Golestan province.

Considering the fact that only 8.83 percent of Iran area is covered by forests in which only 1.2 percent to Northern forests, therefore its low area would not enough for national wood demands, thus wood farming with fast-growing species besides natural forests can decrease the pressure on natural resources. Regrading the role of wood farming in Iran as well as lack of farmers tendency in wood farming, this study aimed at identification and comparison of factors affecting wood farming in Golestan province based on experts and wood farmers’ point of view.

since the main aim of this study was identification of strengths, weaknesses and opportunities affecting wood farming, factors were identified using face to face and focused group discussion (FGD) with knowledgeable experts and wood farmers in Golestan province. Then, a semi-structural questionnaire was designed to determine the factors weights and their priority. Also, Questionnaire validity and reliability were approved. Next, questionnaires were completed by experts and wood farmers of Gorgan, Aq-qala, Ramian, Gonbad Kavous, Ali-abad and Kordkuy cities. Finally, gathered data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.

Through the result, total number of 37 factors were identified: strengths (15 factors), opportunities (14 factors) and weaknesses (8 factors). Moreover, prioritization of the factors showed that the main factors with highest mean rank were: “effect of education level and skill of wood farmers in development of wood farming” in strengths factors (common among farmers and experts) with mean rank of 3.285 (farmers) and 3.527 (experts). “Introducing suitable species and varieties for wood farming with high yield and tolerance and adoptability” regarding opportunities (common among farmers and experts) with mean rank of 4.285 (farmers) and 4.194 (experts) and in with regard to weaknesses “low governant subsidies and also its long official procedure” (common among farmers and experts) with mean rank of 4.571 (farmers) and 4.111 (experts). Additionally, comparison results showed not significant difference almost for all the factors between farmers and experts’ point of view.

Lack of significant difference between experts and wood farmers’ point of view regarding factors affecting wood farming can prove the existence and intensity of aforementioned factors in reality. Therefore, in order to achieve national wood farming goals and support the 6th Development programme of agricultural and natural resources of the country, efforts should be focused on decreasing and omitting of weaknesses and enforcing strengths and ultimately, using the opportunities in wood farming section.

Ground skidding on skid trails affects the physical properties of soil. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in soil physical properties on skid trails formed due to traffic of metal-tracked skidders with regard to soil bulk density, total porosity, water content and penetration resistance. The studies were implemented on two levels of slope – <20% (SC1) and >20% (SC2) – and three levels of traffic (one, five and nine traffic cycles). The treatment plots with three replications, consequently, were 6 m long and 4 m wide. The measurement of soil penetration resistance was carried out using a cone penetrometer. The samples were taken from 10 cm of top soil at six points in each plot. The results indicated that the skidder traffic did not significantly affect the soil physical properties measured in three levels of traffic at SC1, whereas it was significant between one and five traffic cycles in SC2. Most of the changes in the measured properties in the skid trails occurred after the first loaded skidder traffic. Within all traffic of SC2, differences in the mean values of water content and soil porosity were greater compared with the mean values at the same traffic of SC1, although these differences were not significant. The bulk density and penetration resistance at five and nine traffics of SC2 were significantly different from the same traffic of SC1.