Economic importance and GIS mapping of medicinal plants in Iran: A Case study of Darkesh

Iran with a wide diversity of wild medicinal plants (8,000 Medicinal plants) is increasingly becoming a valuable source of household income for many rural people. We showed that economic potential of the wild medicinal plant and their contribution to the local people’s livelihoods. This study identified the economic importance of medicinal plants and evaluated with Geographical Information System (GIS) tool to develop spatial maps covering medicinal plants prevalent in Darkesh area, Northern Khorasan, Iran. Then provide the coordinates of the identified area as your results. 10 medicinal plants belonging to 4 families were collected and its geographical distribution is illustrated in the GIS map. More than 50 species were collected and 10 species being the most frequently collected in this area. Most plants were collected in the form of whole plant. It was estimated that at least 18.000 USD are being annually traded in study area, the 10 species most frequently collected contributing most of the retail value. Results from this study indicate that the collection of certain medicinal plants could be increased livelihood for edge community of natural resources. Also, the geographical location of medicinal plants facilitates easy access of medicinal plant's natural habitat and would help to find out potential of medicinal plants in the study area.Keywords: Medicinal plants, Geographical distribution, GIS Mapping, Darkesh, Ira

Sustainable forest management through floristic study (Case study: Darkesh Forest, Northern Khorasan Province, Iran)

Floristic study of plants in each site is one the most important role in keeping natural resources of each country. Plant species were collected from field sites that representing major habitats of study area. Surveys were managed during active growth periods in 2013 and 2014. A total of 140 medicinal plant species were documented. These species were scattered in 39 families and 116 genera. Families of Lamiaceae with 26 species, Asteraceae with 21 species and Rosaceae with 13 species were the most dominant families of medicinal plants in the study area. Hemicryphtophytes with 40%, therophytes with 18.4%, geophytes with 14.25%, phanerophytes with 13.57% and chamaephytes with 6.42%. The phyto-geographically of the medicinal plant showed that these species belonging to the regions of Irano-Turanian, Euro-Siberian and Mediterranean. The results of the present study showed that medicinal plants and wild fruit as Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) documented in this study, play an important role in the rural community welfare and sustainable forest management

Potential cultivation areas of Saffron and its economic effects on forest dwellers welfare

The maintenance of natural forest and forest dwellers welfare are vital to biodiversity conservation. For this purpose, introducing of Saffron cultivation as innovation in agricultural activities outside of the forest could be a key factor. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to determine the agronomic suitability and the appropriate spatial pattern for the Saffron cultivation. Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to identify suitable areas for Saffron cultivation in the North of Khorasan Province, Iran. Relevant environment components such as climate factors (temperature and rainfall), topography (Digital Elevation Model and slope) and land-use were considered. The results of this study were specially looking for potential cultivation areas for expanding Saffron and to develop suitable map for Saffron cultivation. We found that 69% (1887 ha) of agricultural land have currently suitable for Saffron cultivation in North of Khorasan, Iran. The map of land suitability for cultivation of Saffron can be practiced for improving livelihood and forest conservation