Assessment of Successfulness of Tree Plantations Based on Multiple Criteria in North of Iran

The present study was conducted to determine the most appropriate tree species planted in the same ecological condition considering different variables at Darabkola forest, Mazandran Province. For this purpose, the success of planted species (maple, walnut, oak, pine, ash and elm) was assessed according to ninecriteria (soil nitrogen, soil phosphorus, soil potassium, leaf nitrogen, leaf phosphorus, leaf potassium, growth of diameter at breast, diameter at breast, H/D: height/diameter at breast height ratio). Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to assess forest stands based on multiple criteria. Results showed that the maximum local priority of average annual growth, and leaf and soil nitrogenwere observed in pine stands, while the highest levels of phosphorus, potassium, and DBH were recorded for maple plantation. The calculated overall priority showed that based on concerning criteria, pine stand had higher growth and nutritional potential compare to the other stands, while other stands ranked as maple> elm> walnut>oak> ash. In conclusion, our findings from AHP suggested that the growth rate and nutrition ofpine and maple stands had more appropriate condition and efficiency than other stands and therefore found suitable for plantingin the study area.