TEHRAN – Farahzad river valley in northern Tehran, a place that was once a haven for drug addicts and wrongdoers, was turned into an Eco Park and a recreational spot for families, and was inaugurated in a ceremony on Saturday.

Thanks to being located in one of the most pleasant parts of the capital in terms of climate, it is known to have a very suitable capacity for tourism. Therefore, the restoration and reorganization of the river valley under the title "Farahzad Eco Park” was put on the agenda of Tehran Municipality in 2013.

Eco Parks are large, connected landscapes with high nature conservation and environmental protection ambitions.  They are parks that use ecological landscape features to reduce watering and other maintenance while enhancing wildlife and human values. Eco Parks serve as a vehicle for reconnection, and for developing the systems understandings necessary for creative and resilient problem-solving.

An Eco Park is not just about preservation, but also about restoring nature conservation and a large-scale transformation of both the social and environmental landscapes.

The project is designed in two phases. The first phase with an area of 57 hectares was inaugurated after removing more than 3,500 drug addicts and establishing the anti-narcotics police unit on the river bank.