Biosphere Reserves Institute

Adaptation to Climate Change: Dena Biosphere Reserve, Iran (2016 - 2017)

Governance of participatory land use planning in the Kohgilouyeh Boyerahmad region.

Dena Biosphere Reserve (BR) is located in western Iran and is one of ten reserves in the country. The area boundaries cover the three provinces of Isfahan, Kohgilouyeh-Boyerahmad and Charmahal-Bakhtiary. They cover 255,537 ha of the Zâgros Mountains. The reserve has significant biodiversity. It is home to a wide range of higher vascular plants as well as various endangered and endemic animal species. In addition, the Dena Mountains have been the place of origin for various tribes for thousands of years, establishing a special cultural diversity.

A number of factors are currently threatening the wildlife and ecosystem of the biosphere reserve. The consequences of climate change are exacerbating the situation. Land use is characterized by a multitude of interests. A lack of involvement of local stakeholders and communities has led to excessive degradation and complex conflicts in the biosphere reserve. Due to dependence on natural resources, accompanied by locally widespread subsistence farming, the situation for communities is particularly critical.

The project "Climate Change Adaptation of Communities in the Dena Biosphere Reserve; Steering Participatory Land Use Planning in the Kohgilouyeh Boyerahmad Region" aims to promote sustainability in the biosphere reserve by identifying conservation needs and climate change adaptation measures at the village level. By means of training and elaborated land use plans, the inhabitants of six villages will be sensitized to the consequences of climate change and their understanding of sustainable water and land use will be improved. In this way, the problems, starting from overgrazing, deforestation and water scarcity, can be better combated and the challenges of climate change can be met more confidently. The experience gained will be incorporated into the management concept of the Dena biosphere reserve and optimize its control.

During the project period of one year, various workshops focusing on sustainable resource use and climate change adaptation will be held in each of the six villages. These are aimed in particular at women and younger people, but also at the Dena biosphere reserve rangers. Through facilitated discussions and participation, land use concepts can be developed and community-based organizations (CBO) can be established and supported. Likewise, the trainings are intended to show alternatives to existing but less sustainable forms of land use.

Finally, the results from the community collaboration will be incorporated into the management plan for the biosphere reserve, which will be submitted to the MAB Committee and the DoE in February 2017.

The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) [now the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection] and the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). Implementation is carried out by the Michael Succow Foundation (MSF) and the Payeshgaran Mohitezist Association (PAMA).

Translated from German using DeepL Translate.