Prediction the Most Suitable of Agricultural Zones in the Tajan Watershed Using Multi Criteria Evaluation (MCE) Approach

In recent decades almost of land use changes without taking capabilities and limitations of environmental have caused environmental problems and known forms of soil degradation and aquatic ecosystem pollution. The purpose of this investigation is determining how to mitigate the effects of future land use changes in Tajan watershed by investigating ecological potential as a strategy for natural resource conservation. Therefore, the land change modeling (LCM) was used for the analysis of possible future land useand then using Geographic Information System (GIS) and multi-criteria analysis (linear weighted combination) was determined the most sustainability of agricultural areas. The results showed that during the period from 2010 to 2040, 34 739 hectares of forest land use were declined and 27 071 and 7668 hectares of agricultural lands and pastures will increase respectively and the 3473 hectares of the most susceptible areas possible change from forest to agriculture and pasture were extracted. So expect to assessing changes land use based on the ecological potential in the future can protect Hyrcanian forests for the prevention of unprincipled changes in the coming period in this region.