TEHRAN — Relying more on tourism and less on tree cutting to make a living would help revive Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests, northern Iran, MP Jabbar Kouchakinejad said.

Kouchakinejad, the head of the Majlis tourism committee, explained that in addition to a substantial budget allocated to promote tourism in northern provinces, more extensive financial facilities will be available to them over the sixth five-year national development plan (2016-2021).

It is essential for all the responsible organizations such as the Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicraft Organization, the Department of Environment, and the Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organization to join hands in adapting sensible policies in tourism sector so as to suggest better plans to the Majlis, he noted.

Listed by the World Wide Fund for Nature as a Global 200 Ecoregion, Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forest eco-region is located along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea and northern slopes of the Alborz Mountains. These ancient broadleaf and mixed lowland and montane forests form unique and diverse communities and house a number of endemic and endangered tree, mammal and bird species.

Iran is an arid country, he said, adding that, therefore protecting forests is of great significance and the public and NGOs can play an important role and hold a huge potential in preserving them.

One of the reasons as to why people cut trees in this area is to provide fuel, so providing them with sufficient amounts of oil and gas would help to protect the forests, he remarked.

Keeping up with the national multipurpose project of Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests’ management would promote tourism and new job opportunities in this area, Kouchakinejad noted.

MQ/M