Planning and zonning for Harra biosphere reserve according to international scales (with emphasis on Qeshm island) using GIS

As the aim of this research was optimum use of field area, along with goals of biosphere reserve statutory frame work, the ecological and socioeconomical information sources, and systematic analysis method, and GIS technology were used to zone the area. Since the area lack specific topographic changes and other noticeable factors, gradient, altitude, direction and also unified topographic map which were usually used in the assessment of ecological capacity of terrestrial ecosystem have not been used in this study. And instead, biological and socio-economical factors and three functional roles of biosphere reserves (conservation, development and logistic) and definition related to each zone has been considered. Finnally, it was selected three core zone, one surrunding buffer zone and two transition zones which there have been delineated 28983 ha of total surface area of Harra biosphere reserve as core zone, 50156 ha as buffer zone, and 7694 ha as transition zone.