Zoning Helen Forest protected area in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province for conservation-ecotourism goals

Simultaneous achievement of conservation and tourism goals in protected areas requires the preparation of zoning maps and estimation of carrying capacity in ecotourism zones. Helen forest protected area with an area of ​​40231 hectares in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province has eco-tourist attractions including forest landscapes, rivers, waterfalls and abundant springs. Management of these attractions require zoning and estimating the range of tourism range. In this study, after identifying ecological resources including climate, soil, topography, vegetation and animals, based on the ecological model of conservation and recreation in Iran, the zoning map of the region was prepared by overlapping and applying the principles of continuity and proximity. The carrying capacity, including physical, ecological and managerial, was also calculated based on the methodology provided by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In this method, first the physical carrying capacity (PCC) was calculated based on the minimum area suitable for a tourist and then by applying ecological constraints such as slope, direction, height, soil erodibility, temperature, rainfall and vegetation density, the real (ecological) carrying capacity (RCC) was calculated. Also, based on the managerial capacity of the area and the availability of transportation, accommodation and hospitality infrastructure in the surrounding area, the effective carrying capacity (ECC) was calculated. According to the results, core, protected, extensive recreation, centralized recreation, rehabilitation and multifaceted zones occupy 27, 24, 22, 12, 9 and 6% of the area, respectively. Also, the PCC, RCC and ECC of the protected area was calculated as 10067439, 226095 and 45219 people per year, respectively.