A Critical Analysis on the Management Discourses of Forests in Northern Iran

The purpose of this study is to rethinking and formulates the different point of views proposed regarding the way to manage forests in the north of Iran by using the inductive qualitative content analysis method. In this regard, after identifying active activism institutions, the published propositions and narratives were extracted, and in the next step, the used themes were classified, and then the discourses governing the existing views were identified. Finally, a critical analysis of the discourses was done. The results showed that 6 activist organizations, including environmental nongovernmental organizations, media and newspapers, scientific associations, universities, natural resources research institutes, and executive and supervisory organizations are active in the field of northern forest management. In total, as a result of extracting the point of views of activists, 121 propositions, 13 themes and 3 management discourses were formulated, including: 1- preparation and implementation of an alternative plan in the framework of the forest breathing plan, 2- museum protection of the forest and 3- return to forestry plans. The first and second discourses were promoted in the environmental nongovernmental organizations, media and newspapers, and the creation of the third discourse was mainly nurtured by the activism institution of the university and to some extent the executive organization of the country's natural resources. Critical analysis shows that none of the three mentioned discourses are able to realistically interpret and explain the chaotic situation of forest management. What has been raised like a big shadow on the foundation of these three management discourses, It is a reductionist approach to the issue of forests and forestry in Iran. A problem that is not possible to understand without having a problematical understanding in the light of an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary perspective.