Environmental capability evaluation appropriate to ecotourism in Zagros forests (Case study: Saman-e-orfie Cham-Haji of Kakareza forest in Lorestan Province)

Abstract

In order to achieve a sustainable management of land resources and to improve land quality, quantitative assessment of effective factors and environmental indicators are required.  Environmental capability evaluation regulates the relationship between socio-economic impacts and land use changes to monitor the sustainable development. The aim of this study was to evaluate environmental capability of the Saman-e-Orfie-Cham-Haji of Kakareza forest in Lorestan province for ecotourism management. Digital topographic map, classified tree crown cover density map, some soil properties and socio-economic data have been prepared to appropriate different management practices such as recreational and conservational zoning using GIS application. Results indicated that 6%, 68% and 26% of total areas in the study site were specified as appropriate zone for intensive recreation, extensive recreation and conservation, respectively. The evaluation of environmental capability and the ranking of the suitable zones for intensive recreation (in order to choose the best zone for physical development planning) were performed by considering the socio-economic criteria such as recreational demand, distance from rivers, accessibility and the present land use. The results showed that the most important factors affecting the process of environmental capability evaluation in the study site for ecotourism zoning are altitude, land use and recreational demand