Prioritizing the causes of habitat destruction (Myrtus Communis L.) and estimating restoration cost and reconstructing the affected area using replacement cost (case study: Doureh County, Lorestan province)

Unlike forests of North of the country which mainly produce wood, most notable products in the forests of West of the country are non-woody products. These products provide the bulk of the needs of the people in Zagros area. People have acclimated with nature to earn their living needs and have been able to maintain these products and more or less have created and published the methods of preservation, development, restoration, and utilization in these forests, but in some cases, have operated against nature and destroyed the nature either intentionally or unintentionally. Lorestan province comprises 2,000 plant species and among these, 250 species are medicinal plants. Among these products is myrtle shrub with leaf, fruit, and flower of medicinal value, and this product could be used with correct utilization. Unfortunately, inappropriate and improper utilization practices and excessive use of the species, especially in recent years, has caused serious damages to the habitat of this species, so that in the last ten years, about half of its habitats has been destroyed in Doureh County which its rehabilitation and replacement cost 1,029,600,000 Rials.
The most important factors in the destruction of this species in the viewpoint of experts, farmers and local people have been examined through a questionnaire. A total of 66 were completed by experts and 244 questionnaires were completed by farmers and local people and after extraction and categorization the responses were analyzed by binomial test.
In total, 7 factors were identified that have some influences on the habitat destruction, among which weak management and utilization by the company with an average of 4.76 (94% of respondents) and 4.42 (83% of respondents), respectively, were defined as the most important factors causing habitat destruction.
However, the current situation of the myrtle sites has been presented as a serious threat, if this situation is defined correctly by adopting the right policies and providing financial and administrative support necessary for the successful implementation, it could be turned into an opportunity causing the economic prosperity and improvement in employment conditions of the province. This opportunity includes encouraging local people to plant myrtle with effective financial support by the government to promotion and development of the man-made plantation of myrtle species.