Ecological Sustainability Assessment in the Tutli Watershed, North Khorasan Province

Ecological sustainability assessment is a pivotal for determining the type of human interaction and dealings with nature and the ecological services received from it, which should be constantly monitored. While limited studies have been carried out in the country and so far this important issue has not been considered in practical regional and national policies and planning. In order to fill this research and management gap, the present study aims to assess the ecological sustainability of Tutli Watershed located in the north of North Khorasan Province using the conceptual framework of Hydrology, Environment, Life, and Policy (HELP) and calculate the Watershed Sustainability Index (WSI). In this assessment process, 14 variables were used, which were classified into three categories of Pressure (P), State (S), and Response (R) indices and four HELP criteria based on the their nature. Accordingly, the mean scores of P, S and R indices for Tutli Watershed were obtained 0.65, 0.85 and 0.35, respectively. Furthermore, the average scores of hydrological (H) and environmental (E) criteria were equal to 0.58 and the scores of life (L) and policy criteria (P) were equal to 0.66. The results of combining all the studied criteria and indicators showed that the total WSI score is 0.62 and indicates the level of average ecological sustainability. The results could be applied to plan, protect and identify critical areas and to direct management strategies. It is also recommended to improve the watershed sustainability level from medium to good by adopting appropriate policies and effective conservation programs.