Evaluation of ecotouristic capabilities under the Chardavol basin in Ilam province

One of the most important natural assets is the ecotourism capabilities of each region. Natural landscapes today are considered one of the most important centers of tourism attraction in the world. In this study, using statistical and analytical approaches using natural and climatic data and AHP technique, environmental and ecotouristic resources under the catchment area of Chardavol in Ilam province were identified as one of the major sub basins of Karkheh Basin. In this study, natural criteria were determined by geographic and climatic conditions for measuring ecotouristic capabilities. The results showed that climatic conditions play an important role in weighting ecotourism capabilities under the Chardavul watershed. Regarding the geographical structure of the Chardavol sub-basin, the northern part has a better situation than the southern part in terms of precipitation and relative humidity in terms of moisture conditions. Temperature conditions in the form of average air temperature and cold temperatures were also found in the northern half more suitable than the southern half. From the north to the south, the role of climatic criteria becomes less sub-basin. Latitude and higher altitudes of the northern part of the basin have led to different and more appropriate climate conditions in the region. The overlap of the layers showed that the northern and western sub-basins have better ecotouristic capabilities. The results and achievements of this research are important in environmental management of catchment areas. These achievements can lead managers to make better decisions based on their ecological capability.