The Effects of Agroforestry Practices on Persian oak forests (Quercus brantii)in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province; Financial Profitability and Soil Conservation aspects

Agroforestry has been implementing for a long time in Zagros forests. Understory cultivation of Cultivating perennial plants (such as Ferula assa-foetida) rather than annual plants (such as Triticum spp) may help to reduce the soil loss. This research aims to evaluate the financial profitability and soil loss resulting from two alternative agroforestry practices of forest-asafoetida and forest-wheat in Tang-sorkh region of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province. Financial analysis was performed using a cash flow diagram, land expectation value (LEV), equivalent annual value (EAV) and annualized return on investment (ROI) criteria. The annual soil loss was calculated using a universal soil loss equation based on rainfall erosivity, erodibility, the length, and the slope of the land, as well as the type of vegetation management. The soil conservation data were collected and measured in landform units. The soil samples were collected at (0-30cm) and (30-50cm) of landform units within the agroforestry practices areas. Economic information was compiled using the farmers' census method and the semi-structured questionnaire. The results showed that the annualized ROI in the forest- Asafoetida practice (32.6 %) is by far much higher than forest-wheat practice (-7 %). In addition, the results indicated that the average of soil erosion in forest-wheat practice (18.5 t ha-1 yr-1) is 6.6 times higher than the forest-assafoetida practice (2.8 t ha-1 yr-1). Future research will explain why farmers continue to apply loss-making forest-wheat practice.