Javad Mirarab, Mahboobeh Foshat, Rahim Maleknia:
Non-Wood Products as a Way Towards a Sustainable Extension

JAVAD MIRARAB¹, MAHBOOBEH FOSHAT², RAHIM MALEKNIA^1
1Tehran University, Department of Forestry, Iran
²University of Gorgan, Iran

It is necessary to preserve the natural resources of the earth, because we are dependent to them ecologically and for obtaining food we need them. The world population is increasing rapidly so we should search for stable extension to meet the aims of preserving natural resources (ecological purpose), increasing the profit and efficiency (financial purpose) and fighting the poverty and extending equality (social purpose). In other words we should try to fulfil the triangular necessities of extension. The northern forests of Iran which cover 1.8 million ha are the main source of wood production and nearly 1.2 million ha of them are used for this reason. As the area for wood production is very low we should consider non wood products as a source of profit, too. So that we can help the forest and its inhabitants financially and prevent its destruction. This research was carried out in series 2 of Minodasht located in North-East of Iran. In this region 2 parcels covering 82ha were using for wood production and 3 parcels with 97ha were using for non wood production. In this region forest inhabitants harvest the forest fruits like plum (prunus aviom) and punica grantum. They use these fruits for making vinegar and they are used in industry for making food additives. The result show that the profit of industrial productions and the profit of forest fruits are nearly the same financially (50000$ for industrial use and 43000$ for forest fruits). If we consider the damages to soil and landscape and estimate them financially in industrial uses then efficiency of forest fruit over industrial uses would be significant. In conclusion we can say that if we shift the forest production from industry toward other natural resources of it like harvesting the forest fruits we would be sure that we are going toward stable extension and making job for forest inhabitant and be able to prevent forest destruction.

Keywords: Iran, non wood production, sustainable extension

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Contact Address: Rahim Maleknia, Tehran University, Department of ForestryChaharrah Daneshkade Daneshkade Manabe Tabi Post Box 31585-4314, Karaj, Iran, e-mail: rahim.malekniagmail.com