چكيده لاتين :
Introduction
Although the concept of ecotourism as the ideal of Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development is based on the global current, eliminating many ecosystems, the role of human interference in the nature is more than that of natural conditions. Because of this, as Mac Krchr believes, there is still a vulnerable stability condition without resistance. Other scholars including Carter and Caudal are in doubt about tourism and environmental sustainability; they believe that sustainable tourism, despite its obligations under environmental conditions, would not be achievable. However, some people like Butler believe that in spite of numerous investigations in this area, we must await the results and the related successful outcomes in the future.
However, using the appropriate setting for the leisure environment, population is catchy. Ecotourism is able to use the increased powers of environmental cooperation, its economic impact, environmental protection, sustainable development and mobility and dynamism in the local and regional economy. Climatic and natural attractions along with different geographical heritage of human civilization and ethnic and racial diversity of the expensive-for-people stock in the field of economy has brought up the sustainable exploitation of them requiring different conditions based on stability in the tourism sector.
Today, due to its huge potential of natural history, Iran has become one of the most tourist-attractive regions in the world. By continuous exploitation of renewable natural resources, ecological land can be guaranteed to be identified in any environment; in the long run, through the application of improved management, this recognition can provide us with planned use of resources and stop environmental degradation. Ecological assessment is a process that can provide development and harmony with nature via compatibility to human nature. This article tries to evaluate, in the context of ecotourism, the primary processing of possible ecological study area for sustainable use of natural resources.
Geographical features of the study area
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Khuzestan, a land under scorching sun is located in the south of Iran and surrounded by a massive wealth. It on one hand is close to the great Zagros range, and on the other hand lies in the margins of the strong Gulf. The history shows the genesis and evolution of the first civilizations in this land. The secret of human civilization, before the Ilamis (about 400 BC), and the history of Achaemenid Empire are written in the great plains of this province. Making the best out of the capabilities of the province like oil, water, the existence of five rivers of the country in this province, soil, ports and shipping have all led to the tourism industry to be neglected in this province, and as a result, there has not been a logical scientific plan regarding these divine blessings. Therefore, it seems that progress in this field, especially in Iran with large amounts of natural resources for tourism industry should be developed based on an influential planning. The Dez River consisting of two main branches called Caesar and Bakhtiari, after leaving the mountainous area in the north of Andimeshk and Dezful, enters Khuzestan plain. After crossing over the city of Dezful and taking a long distance, which is approximately 186 kilometers (Dezful Bndqyr), it becomes one with Gargar and Shatyt in Bndqyr, and constitutes Karun that flows across Ahvaz.
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The study area, in the present study, is limited to the Dez River, located in the city of Dezfiil with an area exceeding 78,459 hectares, in the linear limit of regulatory barrier of Dezfiil to the junction of Bandqyr, and the width of 2/5 km on each side of the river. This specific width of the river was chosen according to the river Privacy, plainness of the region, field visits and the numerous monuments.
The study area is divided into four physiologic types and twelve fields. The soil of the study area is classified as a part of the soil of the province called the plain groups and valleys. This type of soil is composed of brown soil, alluvial soil, coarse textured alluvial soil, saline or alkaline soil. In general, we can divide the forest coverage of the area into the three groups of trees, plants, and one year bushes. The upper floor constitutes Paddeh and Gaz trees, the middle floor includes plants such as Serim, Bangleh, Tamesheg and the lower floor involves plants such as gramine, legiminioz, Gaz and Paddeh which form the original forests and other species in this region. Forests mainly consist of Paddeh trees. The study area consists of wild animals, mammals (large and small), colorful birds, reptiles and fish of the river with a variety of species of insects and butterflies each of which live in specific parts of the region and create special natural effects. In this context, Iranian fallow deer counts have given a double value to the area. Natural landscapes and beaches of this area include the Dez River (river beaches with many natural attractions including entertainment district and the regionʹs head angle), the forests and woods and wetlands which together with natural and cultural heritage and historical monuments are undoubtedly considered as special tourist attractions. Moreover, the architecture and historical attractions of the area include the hills and ancient caves, castles and old valuable houses, religious places, villages, the old Hydraulic Structures (Rana mills [under the new bridge], the old water mill, Herd Shit Mill, Shams Abad Mill, Abbas Abad Mill, Gypsiesʹ Mill, Paul Black of Mansour, Dara, and Dezful Old Bridge) and historical monuments and archaeological areas which show the capacities of regional tourism studies. Table(l) shows some of the attractions and the historical significances mentioned in the study.
Methodology
In this study, to evaluate the ecological potential of ecotourism and study the Dez River (in the range of the regulatory barrier to Bndqyr Dezful) in Khuzestan province, two methods based on the model of Mac Harg Makhdoom ecological networks were used. Due to the effective performance analysis and data management, Geographical Information System (GIS) was used as a suitable tool for evaluating ecological potential. In the framework of this process, and using Makhdoum method to determine the environmental units, first ecological resources were identified within the study. After combining the information layers and analyzing them within these systems, the evaluation of assessment was established with an emphasis on ecotourism.
Analysis
After setting overlay maps of existing resources within Makhdoumʹs model, in order to study the region and assess the ecological potential for ecotourism, the environmental map units, including 1,211 units were obtained. The results indicated that the whole region can be limited to the upper promenade with an area equal to 78,459 hectares, only 43/15% equal to 69/12101 and 2 acres of square and the rest, equal to about 57/84% that is 92/66356 hectares of the area which seems to be unsuitable for tourism. A limiting factor for outing exists in the soil and bedrock of this region.
Evaluation via using the network method with 6 factors (land or topography, vegetation, the river, weather, road length, viewpoint), two percents of forest coverage, and elevation difference have had a great impact on determining the role of scoring every square. But since the study area involves both mountains and plains, not much elevation difference is needed to be seen in it. In fact, it lacks the plant coverage up to 80 percent. In this method, the results show that the study area lacks higher square (with a mean score of 100-86), good square (85-76), only two possible middle floors (75-61), Low Square (60-50) and the rest (less than 50) for ecotourism. Among the 21 networks or squares which cover 10 squares, around 47.61 percents have a mediocre square, 3 percents with 14.28% square degree has Weak Square, and about 38.1 percents of the study area is unsuitable or unacceptable.
Conclusion
Environmental planning for a land includes a quality assessment of the land for required uses (for ecotourism) to determine the management requirements. The present study compared the ecological characteristics of the study area with the ecological model for ecotourism and Makhdoumʹs network model. Finally, it can be concluded that according to the capacity of regional tourism, including historical monuments, archaeological areas and natural attractions and architecture, the scope of the study is suitable for tourism development and has a moderate square. The analysis shows that although the elevation difference and forest coverage are both the limiting factors for the network method in this study, the extent of the area for ecotourism network method in an appropriate floor is more, and ultimately the limits of the network are less than that of Makhdoumʹs method.
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