Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Denuded soil is exposed to wind erosion and shifting sand dunes destroy
orchards, gardens, farming lands and threaten industrial and economical centers and
leads to total collapse of economy, devastation of the environment, abandonment
of settlements and migration of people to cities or other residential centers. Wind
erosion and its effects on natural resources and the environment has been a serious
problem in the last 25 years. Iranian researchers carried out experiments and projects
for decades on dune stabilization and rehabilitation of desertified lands.
The policies and programs to rehabilitate and develop renewable natural re-
sources, with consideration for desertification control are as follows (Table 18.1 ):
Public awareness about the importance of renewable natural resources (using the
mess media).
Socio-economic development in rural areas (to prevent the migration of farmers
to major cities such as Teheran, Shiraz, Esfahan, Tabriz).
Conservation of water resources including Ghanats system and water supply
installations.
Protection of roads and communications networks.
Protection of the environment and restoration of ecological stability.
Reclamation and Rehabilitation of degraded land.
Sand dune stabilization to minimize negative effects on farmland.
3
Government Response to the Problem of Land
Degradation
Typically there are two broad categories of response. The first of these is the
legislative and regulatory framework. Particularly in the light of the synergism
between the several international conventions (Biodiversity, Desertification, Climate
Change) governments realize the need to create an enabling environment that
permits compliance with the various UN conventions on environment.
3.1
Legislation and Regulation Relating to Land Degradation
The government of Iran has enacted several important pieces of legislation. Iran
is signatory to the major international treaties (Climate change, Biodiversity,
Desertification, CITES, and the Kyoto and Montreal protocols). Specific legis-
lation has been enacted over the past 50 years and includes laws on Pa stu res
and Forestry, 1974 , and the revised Forest Law, 2005 ;andthe Plant Protection
Law, 2005.
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