Evaluation of Ecological Potential of Tajyar Dam Catchment Basin for Forestry Use by AHP Method

Ecological planning is the logical solution to breaking the cycle of community poverty and environmental crisis and creating the necessary framework for sustainable development. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ecological potential of forestry use in Tajyar dam watershed in East Azarbaijan province and to evaluate the current adaptation of forestry use to the ecological potential of the area for this use.

In this investigation, firstly, criteria and sub criteria were selected through investigation of different resources and obtaining needed standards. Then, using Delphi’s questioner the criteria and sub criteria were weighted and AHP was used to weight the criteria. Finally all layers were combined using weighted combination method and the area’s final map of ecological potential was prepared.

Considering the investigations carried out in this field, three potentials of low, moderate and high dedicated 3752 hectares (35%), 3282 hectares (31%) and 3627 hectares (34%), respectively, of total 10898 area of the study land. In general, only 3.87% of the area is used appropriately with its ecological potential for forestry use.

Findings of the study indicated that combination of AHP and GIS has higher capability of evaluating ecological potential of the land for forestry use.