Zagros at the Center of Dialogue / Lorestan University Hosts Specialized Sessions on Iranian Forests

The specialized sessions of the 7th National Conference on Iranian Forests, focusing on social forestry and with special attention to the Zagros forests, were held on Thursday, Azar 5th, hosted by the University of Lorestan.

According to the Public Relations of the University of Lorestan, in these sessions, national representatives from the field of natural resources, university professors, specialists, and non-governmental organizations of natural resources presented the latest viewpoints, critiques, and scientific and practical solutions for improving forest management and enhancing the role of local communities in protecting the Zagros habitats.

In this series of sessions, Dr. Shabaniyan (Advisor to the Head of the National Resources and Watershed Management Organization), Dr. Ahmadi (Project Manager for the One Billion Trees Planting Project), Engineer Shirzad Najafi (General Director of Natural Resources and Watershed Management of Lorestan) along with a group of researchers and academics were present and exchanged views on effective methods for implementing the social forestry project—which is based on public participation, the accountability of local communities, and the utilization of indigenous knowledge.

Also, a part of these sessions was dedicated to the specialized evaluation of the One Billion Trees Planting Project, and specialists examined scientific approaches for the success of this project in the Zagros climate.

The sessions were held with a discussion-based approach, and Dr. Seyed Vahid Seyedna, the executive secretary of the conference, while participating in the discussions, emphasized the connection between university knowledge and field experiences in sustainable forest management.

Among the highlights of the conference was the presence of the "Father of Iranian Oak," Mozaffar Afshar, who, relying on years of field experience in the field of oak protection, shared his operational views and warnings with the participants.

These sessions were part of the main programs of the 7th National Conference on Iranian Forests, which was held with the aim of national synergy for the preservation of the country's forests and strengthening the scientific position of Lorestan province in Zagros studies.

The Dean of the Faculty of Natural Resources of the University of Lorestan is Dr. Hamed Naghavi.