TEHRAN – The Department of Environment (DOE) held a national conference on the conservation of natural resources in Tehran on Saturday.

“Concerning the fact that the country is affected by climate change, we need to take steps to develop adaptation solutions and foster resilience. It will require close cooperation among different organizations,” IRNA quoted Shina Ansari, head of DOE, as saying. 

“Over the last century, the world has lost one-third of its natural resources. In our country, the depletion of natural resources has occurred in both quantitative and qualitative terms for various reasons,” Ansari said while addressing the conference. 

When talking about the value of forests, economic benefits are usually considered, while non-market services such as water regulation, soil conservation, carbon sequestration, as well as the habitat of plant and animal species, are neglected.

The official went on to say that the DOE is estimating the value of 64 percent of sensitive ecosystems to be able to assess their true economic value. It will contribute to exploring the true value of natural capital as they are not everlasting gift of God.

Moreover, it will help make correct decisions between development goals and the benefits of healthy ecosystems, she added. 

Forests are home to 80 percent of terrestrial biodiversity, and forest degradation causes serious habitat destruction, leading to species loss, said Ansari.

The official also highlighted the significance of promoting environmental culture, educating local communities, restoring damaged areas, developing a sustainable forest management plan, utilizing modern technologies, and smart monitoring of the areas as the key factors in preserving natural resources.

National week on natural resources and watershed management 

The natural resources and watershed management week was held from March 5 to 13 with the theme “consensus and empathy for preserving natural resources”.

March 5 is celebrated annually as National Tree Planting Day by planting saplings across the country. The event is held on the fifteenth day of Esfand, the last month on the Iranian calendar, and it marks the beginning of the National Week of Natural Resources. Also, the day has been approved to be registered on the national calendar as ‘Environmental Protection Education Day’. 

Ali Teymouri, the head of the Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization, has said deserts constitute some 32 million hectares of 134 million hectares of natural land across the country.

Forests and pastures also account for 17.5 million hectares and 84 million hectares of natural land, respectively, he added, IRNA reported.

According to the secretary of the national policymaking headquarters for dealing with sand and dust storms, 2.5 million hectares of sand dust storm hotspots in the country have been stabilized over the past six years.

The conservation of natural resources is crucial to ensuring the survival of all creatures across the globe to the extent that using them wisely will protect the vibrant ecosystem and enhance the well-being of humans.

Protecting nature as a habitat for various animal species is of great importance, but in the past few years, the impact of climate change and humans’ unwise and selfish exploitation of nature has almost destroyed it.

If it goes on like that, soon there will be no habitat or animal left on the earth. Finding shelter to live in, breed, and raise children is the basic need of not only humans but all the other creatures on the earth, whether on land or in the sea.

Animals need security, but humans pursue their work, failing to see them considering the whole earth as their own inheritance. While the earth belongs to all its inhabitants, humans’ intervention in nature has made the habitat of animals unsafe and more and more cramped, a real challenge for the environment and its creatures to meet.

Iran, having a diverse climate, is home to many plant and animal species, which increases the importance of habitat protection. The vertebrates include 165 species of mammals, 517 species of birds, 209 species of reptiles, 174 species of fish, and 22 species of amphibians.

However, issues such as indiscriminate construction, mineral exploration, road construction agricultural land development, and climate change have all caused habitats of animals and plants to be reduced year after year. Eventually, their disappearance and extinction will be inevitable because of their disturbed habitat.

MT/MG