In The Name of God Photo by: Hassan Moghimi Choghakhor Wetland, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province Conservation and Sustainable Development Program of Central Zagros Mountains (C+SD P of CZM) Inspired by Conservation of Biodiversity in the Central Zagros Landscape Project with the participation of all Relevant Stakeholders at National Level and in Isfahan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Fars and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Provinces Contents 1. Introduction.................................................................................................................................................................7 2. Zagros Mountains......................................................................................................................................................8 3. Central Zagros Mountains.......................................................................................................................................9 4. Values of the Central Zagros Mountains.............................................................................................................9 Map1: The Central Zagros Range......................................................................................................11 5. Values of the Central Zagros Mountains..........................................................................................................10 6. Biodiversity Threats: ............................................................................................................................................13 7. Strategies and Action Plan...................................................................................................................................15 7.1. CZM Vision...............................................................................................................................................................15 7.2. Main Goal..................................................................................................................................................................15 7.3. Strategic Goals.........................................................................................................................................................15 8. Management System of Zagros Mountains.....................................................................................................31 8.1. National Management Committee of Zagros Mountains..............................................................................31 8.2. Provincial Management Committee of Zagros Mountains...........................................................................32 8.3. Catchment Management Areas Management Committee............................................................................32 8.4. Executive Management Secretariat of the Central Zagros Mountains......................................................33 8.5. Zagros Mountains Biodiversity Resource Centers..........................................................................................33 Diagram 1. CZM Management System....................................................................................................................34 9. Catchment Management Areas..............................................................................................................................37 Map 2. CMAs in CZM range.....................................................................................................................................39 10. Providing and Allocating Budget........................................................................................................................39 Chart 2-The mechanism of annual work plan and budget allocation in CMAs.......................................................40 11. CZM Planning and Management Tools...................................................................................................................41 Chart 3. The process of providing annual work plan and using planning and management tools in CZM.............42 11.1. Zoning of the Land-Use According to the Ecological Capability Evaluation.........................................43 Map (3) - The basic map for land use in CZM............................................................................................................43 11-2. Sustainable Use Guidelines................................................................................................................................44 11-3. Central Zagros Mountain Management Information System....................................................................44 Chart 4. Workflow of the CZM Management Information System ....................................................................45 11.4. CZM Monitoring Plan ............................................................................................................................................45 Abbreviations ......................................................................................................................................................................58 CZM Conservation and Sustainable Development Program 1. Introduction Zagros, the greatest and longest range of mountains of Iran, with an area of more than 32 million hectares, includes 13 provinces starting from West-Azarbaijan then pass- ing Kurdistan, Kermanshah, Lorestan, Hamedan, Isfahan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Kohgiluye and Boyer-Ahmad, Fars, Ilam, Khuzestan, Bushehr and Hormozgan prov- inces; it continues to the North of Hormoz Canyon and there, it joins Iran’s central range of mountains and Makran highlands. The topography and climate have caused a great diversity in ecosystems and habitats all over this region. Zagros is the habitat of more than 2000 plants’ species and some endangered and endemic species, and its biodiver- sity is global significance. This mountain is undoubtedly one of the main reasons of the emergence of the first civilizations in this area. Zagros is considered as the source of some important rivers such as Karun, Zayanderud, Karkheh, Zarinehrud, Siminerud, Dalaki, etc. Considering the amount of rainfalls and low evaporation level and appro- priate location of geological formations, it provides considerable amount (45%) of the ground and underground water of Iran country. In recent decades, Zagros biodiversity in protected areas and its surroundings have faced serious dangers due to the changes in population, socio-economic systems, lack of proper management methods and the decrease in the traditional land use, impacted by unsustainable and unbalanced development. If the current practices of using natural resources and the environment do not change, many of the species will extinct soon. For years the relevant organizations in the region have conducted the sustainable develop- ment studies based on which tried to implement the activities; however, the outcomes did not have desired results in the environment. These activities were done separately and did not involve the local communities; therefore, they did not have any impact on the conservation of biodiversity and ecological capability of the region. Therefore, a need was felt to design and develop the Conservation and Sustainable Development Program of Central Zagros Mountains aimed at mingling conservation of biodiversity and development through the participation of all the relevant stakeholders. Its main goal is to manage sustainable development of the region via mainstreaming the conservation of biodiversity in the management and sustainable use of the water resources, agriculture, forestry, rangelands, tourism, surface and underground water, and also integrated biodiversity conservation in the development of the infrastructure and the socio-economic development plan. The management pattern of this program has been developed to help gain sustainable development at macro level, strengthen the natural resources’ beneficiaries’ livelihoods and also to form a stimuli for the develop- ment of economy and having it scaled up through the CZM and at the same time, it is to develop a practical and appropriate structure and system for the organizations at na- tional and provincial levels in order to reach the biodiversity conservation and the local communities’ livelihoods’ promotion. The main approach of the Central Zagros Mountain Conservation and Sustainable De- velopment program is mainstreaming the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable use through the activities done by the beneficiaries, economic and producing sectors in the Central Zagros Landscape in an area which is around 3.100.000 ha. This strategy has 7 CZM Conservation and Sustainable Development Program faced up with many challenges, so far; therefore, finding effective approaches towards this issue is regarded as one of the main goals of the present program. Developing CZM C+SD P was done by the great participation of the stakeholders and forming working groups of experts at national and provincial levels, and the relevant managers and ex- perts; this created the opportunity for them to consult with the head of the organization and after receiving the viewpoints of the relevant organization adjust the program like- wise. These decisions were all made in a group and the Department of Environment has played the role of a facilitator only. 2. Legal Support All individuals shall be required to protect the environment according to the GIRI’s Constitutional Law. This law has banned all economic and non-economic activities which cause