Range management plans and production and economic of rangeland users (Case study: Nir rangelands, Ardebil Province)

Rangelands as the main part of natural resources are considered a basis for the economic growth and development of communities and countries at the micro and macro levels. Increasing the number of livestock has led to the degradation of rangelands, so it is necessary to control grazing. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the implementation of rangeland management plans on the production and economic status of summer rangeland owners in Aminabad and KourAbbasloo, Nir city, Ardabil province. To determine the BCR, the economic evaluation of the plans, and their impact on the income of ranchers, data was collected by questionnaire. The results showed that there was a significant difference between income before (4.16 million Rials/ha) and after implementation of the rangelands plan (5.46 million Rials/ha) at (p < /em><0.01). There was a significant difference at (p < /em><0.01) in the amount of production before and after the project implementation with the amount of (293.05 kg ha-1) and (411.6 kg ha-1) respectively at KourAbbasloo rangelands in the third period of the implementation of the plan. Regression analysis showed that the two variables of the effect of project implementation on rangeland status and the effect of loan payment on rangeland plan implementation were able to justify 72% of changes in users' satisfaction with the implementation of the rangeland management plan. The results of the economic analysis of the rangeland plan implementation showed that the project has a positive net present value of 6439 million Rials ha-1. It has also generated a BCR of about 5.5 times. Overall, the results of this study showed that the rangelands with management plans had better conditions than without ones in terms of production and economics. Implementation of rangeland management plans can increase production and improve rangeland status and income of landholders if it is in line with ecological, economic, and social conditions of the rangelands.