Landscape Function Analysis a new approach for evaluation of the range management projects in Iran

Based on evaluation of rangeland management projects conducted by rangeland technical office on 2000, surveillance factor was recognized as important factor in correct executing of rangeland management projects. Having regard to lack of success of previous management operations in preventing of rangeland degradation, so giving rangelands to private sector and use of people contribution stated as novel method in rangeland management. It is essential to evaluation the efficiency of this method in applied areas in which wide field investigations by using scientific procedures is required and those results could led executives to obtain primary purposes in optimizing of giving rangelands to civil people. For evaluation of rangeland habitats, various procedures are presented which each of them has advantageous and disadvantageous. Present study with the aim of introducing Landscape Function Analysis (LFA) model as quick and reliable method which can predict undesirable changes and announce preventive and early warnings, and its application as new approach for evaluation of rangeland management projects in Iran. Results show that Landscape Function Analysis is simple, low-cost and fast method for consideration of surface soil indices and rangeland functional properties. Also, this method easily could be trained and learned and its execution is inexpensive