Agricultural

Communication

Biosci. Biotech. Res. Comm. 10(2): 58-62 (2017)

Evaluation of natural and social problems with DPSIR

framework in Zagros forests decline, Iran

Mehdi Zandebasiri

, Javad Soosani

and Mehdi Pourhashemi

1,2

Department of Forestry, Lorestan University, Iran

Research I nstitute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization

(AREEO), Iran

ABSTRACT

In Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) combined evaluation of natural and social functions will do for protec-

tion of forest system. SFM implies management of forest resources without risking ability of future generations to

meet their needs. Zagros forest in Iran, is considered as one of the largest habitats of plants in Iran. In this research,

7 sustainability indicators were prepared by the analyst team to evaluate SFM in Tange-Solak local area in Zagros

forest. Then the main strategies of the key players in decline crisis management were determined based on collect-

ing resources, documentary research and interviews with a team of Zagros forestry experts and the using of DPSIR

framework (the model of Driving forces, Pressure, States, Impacts and Responses). Result of DPSIR framework shows

that loss of knowledge of local communities traditional knowledge, not motivation in rural living in villages, inap-

propriate decision-makings for local residents and the lack of specialized work are the main forces related to Zagros

forestry in forest decline.

KEY WORDS: CRISIS MANAGEMENT, FOREST SYSTEM, SMART& D, DPSIR, FOREST DECLINE

ARTICLE INFORMATION:

*Corresponding Author: Mehdi.zandebasiri@yahoo.com

Received 18

April, 2017

Accepted after revision 28

June, 2017

BBRC Print ISSN: 0974-6455

Online ISSN: 2321-4007 CODEN: USA BBRCBA

Thomson Reuters ISI ESC and Crossref Indexed Journal

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Online Contents Available at: http//www.bbrc.in/

INTRODUCTION

In Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) combined

evaluation of natural and social functions will do for

protection of forest system. SFM means management of

forest resources bearing in mind the needs of the current

generation without risking the ability of future genera-

tions to meet their needs (Elbakidze, & Angelstam, 2007).

The most common expression of these aspects are social,

economic and environmental sustainability; however,

creating sustainability is increasingly becoming chal-

lenging (Wang, 2004). One of the key problems is inabil-

ity to have a common sustainability measurement tool.

Since 1992, various Conferences and Sessions have been

Zandebasiri, Soosani, and Pourhashemi

held to arrive at a uni ed criteria, that is, conditions and

measures that indicate sustainable forest (Datta et al.,

2010). Criteria selected for sustainability helps in deter-

mining a decision on what should be sustained; an indi-

cation of immeasurable overall condition. Performing

and achieving a criterion is measured by an indicator. A

particular indicator is a measurement tool of one aspect

of the criteria. Indicators reveal the process of change

with repeated measurements. A criterion is described

and evaluated with a number of indicators related to it.

These indicators are periodically controlled to evaluate

the obtained results. The most analyzed issues and prob-

lems of SFM in Iran have been that of compilation and

evaluation of criteria and indicators. SFM evaluation

is considered after compiling criteria and indicators. It

means designing a system for information feedback that

will enable the monitoring of forest resources through

its use (Zandebasiri & Parvin, 2012).

In SFM evaluation, current values of SFM indicators

are compared with a set of reference values in sustain-

ability indicators to achieve information on feedback

process. Feedback process guarantees the life of system;

hence systems without a feedback process will de nitely

die. Therefore, SFM evaluation is essential for the life

of sustainable management system or in other words to

ensure permanent functions of forests. (Wolfslehner and

Vacik, 2011). Zagros are considered one of the largest

habitats of plants in Iran. Zagros vegetation region is

located in the West and Southwest of the country of

Iran. Nowadays, these forests are in severe quantita-

tive and qualitative danger due to the following: cli-

matic reasons, uncontrolled exploitation, overgrazing

of livestock, and lack of knowledge about management

requirements (Pourhashemi et al., 2013). The people liv-

ing in these forests have complex and dif cult lives when

compared to those living in other parts of the country

(Imani Rastabi et al, 2015). Traditional exploitations to

meet the needs of local communities are common in

almost all of the Zagros forests, despite the objections

of the executive management (Ghazanfari et al., 2004).

These forests play an important role in water, soil and

ecological balance management of the region.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

STUDY AREA

The examined local area is the catchment of Tange-solak

in the province of Kohgilouye and Boyerahmad. Tange-

solak forest is located in Likak city, which is approx-

imately 15 km south of Kohgiloye and Boyer Ahmad

province. This forest has an area of 1000 hectares. There

are also agricultural and horticultural lands in this

region. The main agricultural products include wheat

and barley. Also, natural cypress trees form unique stand

of cypress-oak. The existing forest has a high scienti c

value and it can be called living fossil. Most people

residing here have relocated from the region due to lack

of facilities and low income. While the rest of them left

behind do not have permanent residence in the forest;

these migrate to tropical regions in the period of October

to late winter. In the current situation, forest preserva-

tion plan is applied for the region with a focus on for-

est resources protection by the executive management.

The people still living here get drinking water from a

spring which is in Tange-solak itself. Effect of dieback

and decline has started in the region in previous years.

METHODOLOGY

For the evaluating of natural problems we created

SMART&D (Speci c, Measurable, Available, Realistic,

Time speci c) indicators for SFM and for the combined

evaluating of natural and for the study of social prob-

lems to SFM indicators and reaction of system to these

problems we created DPSIR framework (the model of

Driving forces, Pressure, State, Impacts and Responses).

In the  rst section of the research, sustainability indica-

tors based on the SMART&D framework were prepared

by analysts to evaluate SFM.

INTRODUCTION TO SMART&D FRAMEWORK

Based on the SMART&D framework, a performance

evaluation indicator in a system should have the follow-

ing characteristics (Davis et al., 2001):

A. being Speci c (S) implies that the indicator

must be special, determined and speci ed. In

other words, an indicator must be comprehen-

sive and preventive, transparent, simple, clear

and expressive in such a way that it creates

same interpretation of indicator’s concepts.

B. being Measurable (M) implies that the indicator

must be measurable. In other words, evaluation

of indicators must be easily possible.

C. being Achievable (A) implies that the intended

indicator must be achievable.

D. being Realistic (R) implies that the indicator

must be realistic. In other words, the indicator

must be related to mission and organizational

strategies.

E. being Time framed (T) implies that the intended

indicator must have a speci ed evaluation

period.

F. being a Database (D) implies that the required

data and information related to an indicator

BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS EVALUATION OF NATURAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS WITH DPSIR FRAMEWORK 59

Zandebasiri, Soosani, and Pourhashemi

must exist for the intended indicator. Through

preliminary examinations by the team of ana-

lysts, it became obvious that key indicators of

Near East process in this region falls short of

necessary conditions for the above mentioned

framework. Speci cally, most of them were not

a database. Therefore, 7 indicators of ecosys-

tem features were provided for SFM evaluation.

In the second section of the research the main

strategies of the key players in decline crisis

management were determined based on col-

lecting resources, documentary research, inter-

views with a 3-member team of Zagros forestry

experts and the use of DPSIR framework.

INTRODUCTION TO DPSIR FRAMEWORK

Due to the need for long-term consultations in this sec-

tion, lower number of experts and interview method

instead of questionnaire were used. After determining

the strategies and using the analyst team analysis, a set

of advantages for each of the strategies were presented.

DPSIR framework has been provided by the Europe

Department of the Environment development from

the models of “the reason and the response”. In 1970,

Anthony Friend provided the Pressure-State-Response

(PSR) model which received more attention compared

to other methods such as index of sustainable economic

welfare which was raised at that time because it exam-

ined a combination of social and economic problems.

Then The United Nations Commission on sustainable

development selected the framework of Driving forces-

Status –Response (DSR) in which pressure was replaced

by driving forces in order to consider pressure reasons

which mostly arose from the people and social problems.

Ultimately Department of Environment of Europe

provided Driving force - Pressure - Situation - Impacts–

Response model from the expansion of two PSR and

DSR models. Based on the theory of DPSIR framework,

a set of driving forces (political, economic and social

activities) cause pressure and affect condition (Physi-

cal, chemical or biological), this leads to the ecosystem’s

response. DPSIR is a framework that is interconnected

like catenary. The following  gure shows a conceptual

model of DPSIR framework.

RESULTS

The result SFM indicators showed the number of stages,

density of number per hectare, numbers of trees per hec-

tare with a healthy crown average height of pile, litter

depth in millimeters, canopy cover percentage, average

number of species in each plot, as well as regeneration

level in hectare per square meter were identi ed as capa-

ble indicators of SMART&D.

The results of the DPSIR analysis showed that 2

groups of stakeholders meaning the executive manage-

ment (Forest organizations, Rangeland and Watershed

Management of the country and the General Directorate

of Natural Resources) and the local community are the

main players of forest decline and crisis management in

Zagros forests. The result of the second section of the

research in DPSIR analysis has been shown in  gure 2:

DISCUSSION

The results of the DPSIR model evaluations revealed

the most important Executive Management Strategies

are protection of forest resources and saving rainfalls.

Thus, strategies for cooperation and non-cooperation

was considered for the local community in accordance

with these strategies. Result of driving forces shows that

loss of determining indigenous knowledge of local com-

munities, not promoting living in villages, inappropri-

ate decision-makings (Ghazanfar et al., 2004) and the

FIGURE 1. Conceptual model of DPSIR framework

60 EVALUATION OF NATURAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS WITH DPSIR FRAMEWORK BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

Zandebasiri, Soosani, and Pourhashemi

BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS EVALUATION OF NATURAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS WITH DPSIR FRAMEWORK 61

lack of specialized work force related to Zagros forestry

(Zandebasiri & Ghazanfar, 2010; Imani et al., 2015) are

among driving forces in forest decline. The lack of regu-

lation (Pourhashemi et al., 2013) of livestock grazing

in the forest, forest  res, migration of local residents

(Zandebasiri & Parvin, 201) and increasing industrializa-

tion in the due to migrations as well as increased pres-

sure of greenhouse gases and changes in land use are

pressure forces in forest decline.

Sensitivity oak species in Iran to forest decline, lack of

reproduction, soil erosion and protrusion of rock in most

of the region, middle-aged and elderly trees (pourhashemi

et al., 2013), clutter on the diagonal  oor structure, move-

ment of Arabic dust and global warming are among some

of observable issues in status of examined region. Regen-

eration crisis, reduced number of plant species, reduced

canopy cover percentage, soil erosion crisis and oak

decline are among some of the effects of deterioration

in the examined region. Saving rainfalls, protection of

resources as a means of protection of forest resources

are proposed management strategies for Prohibiting and

preventing the deterioration that the local community

can choose to have cooperation or lack of cooperation

in reaction to these responses. In this study, a set of use-

ful indicators for SFM was compiled in characteristics of

ecosystems using SMART&D dynamic framework. Due to

the breadth of evaluation indicators of SFM, indicators

related to the management measures, socio-economic and

organizational characteristics are expected to be studied

in other examinations. Livestock grazing, traditional

perceptions of local communities, lack of participation

in decision-making processes have aggravated socio-

economic pressures (Ebrahimi Rostaghi, 2006). In this

research, attempts were made to provide a quantitative

method for evaluation of SFM; a method that can have

many applications. The issue of forest certi cation and

veri cation of thresholds for forest sustainability is one

of these applications. Forest certi cation can be widely

used for Zagros forests. Forests with SFM certi cate can

have more subsidies and support of the government, their

forest communities can have more authority to act, their

sub-products will be provided by standard signs and so

on, which require other studies.

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