1Abstracts

Scenic Visual Quality Assessment According To the Perception-Based Approach; a Pattern for Better Management of

Natural Recreational Areas

(Case Study: Walking Tracks in Ziyarat Basin, Jahannama Protected Area)

1*Rafiani Khachak, P.; 2Mohammadzadeh, M.;3Mirkarimi; S. H.

1MSc of Environ. Sci., Department of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences,

Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

2, 3Assis. Prof.s of Environ. Sci., Department of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences,

Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

(Received:2011/July/31; Accepted: 2014/June/21)

Abstract

Visitors use the tracks for many reasons and in different types. The determination of users destinations and preferences in walking tracks designing are very important. Scenic and viewing points are important factors for visitors of recreational track, so aesthetic expectations ought to be considered as part of a thoughtful track design. Different approaches for assessing the scenic qualities of landscapes have been developed in the last few decades. Two basic approaches in this field include expert/design approach and perception-based approach. In this paper scenes and viewing points of 10 existing walking tracks in natural recreational area of Ziyarat Basin were assessed according to the perception-based approach. Therefore, a field survey using GPS receivers was conducted to determine viewing points on the study area and at each viewpoint photographs by using of digital camera that could be used for visual quality analysis. The data was analyzed in was taken ArcGis9.3. Finally, according to the results of viewing point's analysis, walking tracks were classified in three degrees (excellent, good, and moderate) based on scenic quality. The results showed that Ziyarat basin walking tracks provide the possibility and opportunity for watching different types of visual landscapes in this area. Determination of walking tracks and viewing points, quality assessment of these viewing points and introducing the tracks based on the scenic quality via perception approach could be used as a suitable guideline for better management recreation area. In this study we have tried to provide a pattern for better management of these areas and increasing visitors' recreational experience quality from a natural recreational area by introducing one of the visual assessment methods.

Keywords:Walking track; Visitors; Assessment; Quality; Scene.

*Corresponding author: Email:

Analyzing and Comparing Quantitative Values of Practical Recreation and Practical Conservation of Lar Lake’s Dam in Iran

1Moghadasi, R.; 2*Sayadi, F.; 3Rafiee, H.

1Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics, Science and Research Branch,

Islamic Azad University, Tehran

2 Sama Tecnical and Vocatinal Training College, Islamic Azad University , Rodehen Branch, Rodehen

3 Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics, University of Tehran

(Received: 2013/Apr/30; Accepted: 2014/June/21)

Abstract

With regard to non-marketing values of environmental resources and evaluating them with real prices, this research has tried to analyze and compare both practical recreation and conservation of Lar Lake’s dam which has a crucial role as an important natural resource in Iran. Therefore, in this research such diverse methods, as a Contingent valuation method, the questionnaire of Double Dichotomous Choice and Logit qualitative model have been used. The information related to this study was collected from 230 visitors based on random sampling in 1391. Here, a recreational value of Lar Lake’s dam was estimated 7626.2 rial ($2- 3) per person per visit. The average of inclination to monthly pay per person, in order to estimate a preserved value of this place was 3716.6 rial ($1.3). According to the results of both estimations, there were same outcomes for suggested variables, monthly revenues, and the rate of satisfaction. The level of education has a significant impact on pursuing people to accept the suggested fees for conservational values than recreational ones. Apart from that, ethnic minorities have noticeable desire to keep conservational values of this resource safe, compared to the other visitors.

Key words:Recreation, Conservation, Contingent valuation method, Logit model, Lar Lake’s dam

*Corresponding author: Email:

Spatial Pattern Analyse of Tehran Parks by Using

Landscape |Metrics

1Soleiman Nejad, L.; 2*Feghhi, J.

3Makhdoum, M. F.;4Namiranian,M .

1 M.Sc. Graduate, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran

2 Associate professor, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran

3 Professor, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran

4 Professor, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran

(Received:2012/Oct/14; Accepted: 2014/June/21)

Abstract

Green spaces in urban areas, especially in large industrial cities entail different implications. The green space improves the environment of the cities and on the other hand it creates proper conditions for the recreation and leisure of the citizens in terms of distribution of urban green space. In this research, maps of parks was depicted by digital atlas of Tehran parks and by using of ArcMap and IDRISI software, Then by using applying selected landscape metrics including (CA, PD, PLAND, MPS, LPI, LSI, MNN, Shape-MN), and using Fragstats software, a series of quantitative data about spatial pattern of Tehran parks was resulted. Composition, configuration, expanse and continuity of parks were also analyzed. Only six percent of the landscape was assigned by the green space activity studied in three neighborhood, district, and regional parks classes. Neighborhood parks have the best spatial pattern in comparison with other classes and spatial pattern of regional parks were unfavorable in comparison with neighborhood and district parks.

Key words: Landscape metrics, Park, Spatial pattern, Green spaces, Tehran

*Corresponding author:Email:

Place Attachment, Environmental Attitude and

Behavior Among Visitors of Forest Parks

*Abedi-Sarvestani, A.

Assistant Prof. of Agricultural Extension and Education

Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

(Received:2012/June/9; Accepted: 2014/June/21)

Abstract

Increasing use of forest parks has been resulting in concerns of how people behave to these protected areas. Some believe that psychological factors like place attachment and environmental attitude have great influence on environmental behaviors. The aim of this research was to investigate relationships between mentioned factors among visitors of forest parks in Golestan province. Results showed that increasing distance between living place and forest parks decrease place attachment. Married people have more place attachment than single ones. Findings indicated that there was a positive and causal relationship between visitors’ place attachment and park- specific responsible environmental behaviors. Furthermore, this research showed that place attachment is better variable than environmental attitude to predict environmental behavior.

Keywords: Place attachment, Environmental attitude, Environmental behavior, Forest parks

*Corresponding author:Email:

An Analysis on International Society Practice

Toward the Climate Change

*Navari,A.

Ph.D Candidate of Public International Law, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences,

Allameh Tabatab’I University

(Received:2011/Oct/30; Accepted: 2014/June/21)

Abstract

One of the Environmental Issues that concerns the International Community is the problem of the Climate Change. Increases in greenhouse gases concentration in atmosphere resulting from human intervention in nature has increased Global temperature gradually. to combat against this phenomenon, the International Community has tried to ratify the United Nations Framework Convention on the Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol and held several Conferences and Meetings in order to respond against the Climate Change. In this article I have tried to describe legal practices of the International Community regarding to the Climate Change by using the analytical – descriptive method for the time periods‌ 1972-2011. For this purpose I have used International legal instruments relating to the Environment, as data.

Results show that; although efforts of the International Community toward combat against Climate Change have been notable and widespread, it seems that more practical and effective steps must be takenespecially by industrialized countries. It seems that cooperation of the industrialized countries have an important role in resolving of this crisis.

Key Words: Greenhouse gases, Atmosphere, The climate change, Framework convention, Kyoto protocol

*Corresponding author: Email:

Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Iran's

Extreme Warm Days Trend

1*Asadi, A.; 2Massodian, S. A.

1 Assistant Professor Department of Geography, Payame Noor University

2 Professor of Climatology, University of Isfahan

(Received: 2011/June/20; Accepted: 2014/June/21)

Abstract

In order to analysespatial and temporal trend of extreme Warm days of Iran, mean daily temperature data from 663 synoptic and climatologic stations of Iran for the period 21/03/1961 to 31/12/2004 were used. Then, applying Kriging method, the temperature of 15*185 Km pixels was interpolated. The days accompanied with extreme warm were identified using Normalized Temperature Departure (NTD) index. According to the index, the days with NTD 2 selected as extreme warm days. Then a trend analysis applied to the extreme warm days for each month of year. The results show that the number of extreme warm days in Iran represents no trend in December, February and March. East ,south, center and southeast parts of Iran show positive trends during August, January and May over large areas. While in north and west of the country over small areas negative trend was observed during Mars and February.

Keywords: Extreme warm events, Normalized temperature departure, Spatial and temporal trend, Iran

*Corresponding author: Email:

Impact ofHydrologyonthe FormationProcessofShahrak Firoze Prehistoric Settlement in the Neyshabur Plain

1*Basafa, H.; 2 Nobari, A.; 3Khatib Sahidi, H.; 4 Neyestani, J.

1 Assist Prof., Department of Archaeology, Neyshabur University

2 Prof., Department of Archaeology, Tarbiat Modares University

3 Assist Prof., Department of Archaeology, Tarbiat Modares University

4 Assosiat Prof., Department of Archaeology, Tarbiat Modares University

(Received: 2011/Nov/22; Accepted: 2014/June/21)

Abstract

Hydrology has had an important role in shaping human settlements as one of the most important environmental factors. As part of the Northeastern catchment of Iran, Neyshabur plain is located on the foot of Binalod mountain range, and is composed of a plain and foothill lands. There are numerous rivers in Neyshabur plain that emanate from Binalod Mountain, of which excess water is drained by Rude Kale-Shur in rainy seasons from the southwestern part of the plain. This study is based on collection of material documents obtained by stratigraphy method in a prehistoric settlement of Shahrak Firoze. Shahrak Firoze is a settlement formed in the margin of one of the most important rivers of Neyshabur named Farub Ruman in late Bronze Age, and analysis of its cultural layers as the statistical community under study shows that hydrology has been important in chronological formation and continuation of the settlement. Analysis of archaeological material of the statistical community also shows that prehistoric settlements in Neyshabur plain have been closely related to water resources. As the rivers of this plain have been torrential in rainy seasons with flood, in the long process many settlements such as that of Firoze have become errant in one period, and have been settled without any specific pattern.

Key Words: Shahrak Firoze site, Hydrology, Settlement pattern, Neyshabur plain, Bronze age.

*Corresponding author: Email:

Offering a Suitable Method for Water Quality Management of the Sefidrood River Based on Canonical Correlation Analysis

1*Eskandari, A.; 2Noori, R.; 3Rasouli, A.; 4Vesali-Naseh, M. R.

1 M. Sc of Hydraulic Engineering, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering,

Faculty of Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Bushir Branch

2 Assistant Prof. of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran

3 M. Sc of Environmental Engineering-Water Resources,

Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran

4 Assistant Prof. of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil &

Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University

(Received: 2011/Nov/2; Accepted: 2014/June/21)

Abstract

Surface water pollution by chemical, physical, and biological contaminants all over the world can be considered as an epidemic problem. To decrease the negative impact of these pollution sources, offering a suitablemodel forwaterqualitymanagement is known asa keystepto improvethe qualityofwaterresources system. Inthisstudy,given thatSefidrood Riverisone ofthe mostpollutedrivers ofIran andstudies inthisareahas beenverylimited, we provide a frameworkformanagingthe river's waterqualitybased on the canonical correlation analysis (CCA). Forthispurpose,datafrom 13stations, located from the next of the Sefidrood Dam to the Caspian Sea, was used by CCA to determine theparameters ofthe relationship betweenphysical and chemicalpollutants in two period of wet (March) and dry (September). Ingeneral,our resultssuggesta strong relation betweenphysical and chemicalparametersinbothwet and dryseasons. Therefore we can say as a resultthatthe sourceofthe bothpollutantparametersinbothhigh-waterandlow-water can be the same. Due tothe factthat thesourceofchemicalpollutant parametersinabasinis oftencaused byhumaninducedsources, we can conclude that the origin of physical pollutant parameters, according to the CCA results, is the same as chemical pollutant parameters. Sobased onthe results ofthis studyreducing thehuman induced pollution sourcesisan important stepinmonitoring maintenanceandquality improvmentof thisimportantriver.

Keywords: Canonical correlation analysis; Sefidrood; Physical parameters; Chemical parameters; Water quality management

* Corresponding author:Email:

Environmental Risk Assessment of West Country Railroad

Development Plans by Using Combination of

Multi Criteria Decision Making & YAPP Methods

1*Jozi, S. A.; 2Ebrahimi M.

1 Department of Environment, Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch

2 M.Sc. of Environmental Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Sciences & Research Branch

(Received: 2011/Sep/25; Accepted: 2014/June/21)

Abstract

Risk assessment is a process of determination of risk quantity and quality using potential hazards of the project as well as considering the sensitivity or vulnerability of the surrounding environment. The main purpose of this study is determination of criteria and estimation of rail lines environmental risk by integration of multiple criteria decision making method and ecological risk assessment using YAPP Technique. Thereby, in the current study, the western railway corridor of Iran (Samangan- Kirmanshah- Khosravi route) which has the approximate length of 582 km was selected as a case study.

The software that was used in this study was Expert Choice. The of inconsistency ratio were determined using Delphi Questionnaire and software Arc GIS 9.3 to produce impact intensity maps.Riskzonation of the western railway corridor of the country revealed that about80% of all length of the mentioned route has a low and negligible levelofrisk. The lowestriskbelongs to the places situated at 155 to 153km of the mentioned route, (near thecityof Tuyserkan- Hamedan Province) as well as an area located at479kmof the route(Sare Pole Zahab cityin Kirmanshah Province). The medium risk level is observed between 80-47km of the route near the county of Malayer (located in Hamedan Province) and the kilometers240-250between Sahneh and Hersin (situated in Kirmanshah Province). Areasin the485-480 km of the route locatedwithinthe city of Kirmanshah (Kirmanshah province) are known as high-riskarea due todeployment of the planonlandsprone to lands lide.

Keywords: Environmental risk assessment, Railroad, Analytical hierarchy process, Geographic information system ,YAPP method, Western railway corridor of Iran

*Corresponding author: Email:

Risk Assessment and Management of Air Pollution in Oil Warehouses and Storage Tanks and Zoning Air Pollution Using GIS

*Amanat Yazdy, L.

* M.A. of Environmental Management, Science and Research Branch-Tehran,

Islamic Azad University Islamic

(Received: 2012/June/9; Accepted: 2014/June/21)

Abstract

Petroleum warehouses and storage tanks are one of the major sources of air pollution. Therefore,thisstudy aims toidentify, assessandmanage risksof air pollutioninthe centralwarehouse of YazdOil Products DistributionCompany (OPDC). Inthisstudy,FTAMethod was appliedto identifyenvironmentalrisks while E-FMEA was used to assess the risks. Based onthe results ofrisk assessment, the highest RPN (equal to 336) is related to air pollution risk caused by respiratoryandoperationalevaporation of the product due to lackofsealing of connectors. The second highest PRN equal to 280 is associated with operationalevaporation of the product and the environment heat. In the pipeline, the highest RPN (tantamount to 180) is related to respiratory and operational evaporation of the product due to lack of sealing of connectors, while at loading platforms, operational evaporation of the product during its receiving and transmitting with RPN of 360 is identified as the most important air pollution risks. After identifying and assessing the environmental risks of air pollution, GIS Software was applied for zoning the air pollution. Accordingly, the risk map of air pollution on the site of oil storage was prepared. The results of the zoning suggested that the air pollution rate caused by NMTHC was occurred at Storage Section. Besides, the highest air pollution caused by SO2 was occurred at the southern side of the warehouse. Finally, risk management strategies as Kahab Project were proposed for YazdOil Products DistributionCompany.

Keywords:Environmental risk management, Air pollution, Oil storage tanks

*Corresponding author: Email:

Evaluation and Analysis of Ambient Air Heavy Metals

(Cd, Hg, Ni and Pb) of Provinces Subject to Fine Dust

Porticles of Iran (Case Study in 5 provinces)

1*Tabatabaie;A.; 2Dastgoshadeh;F.;

3Pourasad Mehrabani,K.; 4Sepehrnia, Sh.

1, 2, 3, 4 The Bureau of Comprehensive Monitoring,

Environmental Research Center, Department of Environment

(Received: 2012/Nov/14; Accepted: 2014/June/21)

Abstract

Air pollution has particular importance due to the fluid nature of air and it is one of the most important environmental problems in urban and industrial areas which threaten human health. Two main important pollutants in the air are suspended particulate material in the air and fine dusts phenomenon. Fine dusts phenomenon isn’t limited to geographical boundaries within the country, but now it is a regional problem. Recognizing of the quality and quantity of fine dust has an important role in determining their origin and planning to find out how to deal with and eliminate them. In this respect, due to the possibility of presence of metals in particulate matter, analysis of Teflon and fiberglass filters installed in air pollution monitoring stations in five provinces of Iran, were selected to measure at the time period when there was the highest pollution. In this study, the metals included. Pb, Ni, Hg and Cd in air filters (Teflon or Fiberglass), the installed filters in air pollution monitoring stations (at Hamedan, Sistan and Baluchestan, Hormozgan, Kirman and Zanjan provinces) were collected when there was the highest pollution. Then metals were detected by atomic absorption spectrometry after acid digestion. The results showed that the measured amount of Lead and Mercury in both types of air filters (Teflon and Fiberglass) in all provinces are below the international objective standards (WHO, EU Target, Federal and California) of Lead and Mercury. The concentrations of Nickel and Cadmium in both types of air filters (Teflon and Fiberglass) in some stations are below the international objective standards (WHO, EU Target) of Nickel and Cadmium and in others the concentrations of Nickel and Cadmium are the same as level of international objective standard ranges.