ISSN 2375-0979
African Journal of Wood Science and Forestry ISSN 2375-0979 Vol. 6 (3), pp. 001-008, March, 2018. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
A study of the criteria and indicators used in monitoring forest planning in Caspian and Kheyrud forests
S. Zahra Goushegir*, Jahangir Feghhi, Mohammad Reza Marvi Mohajer and Majid Makhdoum
Department of Forestry and Forest Economics, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, P. O. Box 31585-4314, Karaj, Iran.
Accepted 02 January, 2018
Abstract
Sustainable forest management is known as the most effective type of forest management. This mode of management is aimed at enabling sustainable and comprehensive development in forest -related sectors. Practicing sustainable management in forests requires powerful tools in order to ensure achieving objectives of forest management and, at the same time, direct processes in a sustainable way. Forest management plan is the most suitable means to carry out this type of monitoring. Though, the forest management plan is a tool to set in motion, a management scheme. This requires certain proper criteria and indicators in practice. The criteria and indicators have various applications within a forest management plan, including their application in monitoring forest management plans. In fact, the criteria and indicators are themselves derived from the functions practiced in forests. Therefore, knowing a few functions of forests, we can outline monitoring criteria and indicators. This study is aimed at prioritizing the criteria and indicators required for monitoring forest management plans in Caspian forests in general and Kheyrud Forest in particular. This is the first study made using a hierarchical analysis for two functions of wood production and forest conservation in Caspian forests. Formulating these criteria helps monitoring the forest’s functions and can be used in determining, measuring, analyzing and assessing sustainability in the forest under study.
Key words: Monitoring criteria and indicators, forest management plan, wood production function, forest conservation function.