Assessment of Range Management Plans (RMP) enables policy makers and governmental planners to understand their impact from different environmental, social, human, and economic aspects in order to improve future planning. The purpose of the present study was to explore the effective variables on RMP in Middle Zagros Mountain in Lorestan, Ilam, Kurdistan, and Kermanshah provinces, Iran in 2018. Data were collected using a structured interview technique and questionnaires (N=140) prepared in 6 sections and filled by rangeland experts of local offices of natural resources in four provinces. Seven factors were asked about weaknesses of range plans and 6 factors were asked for strengths of the plans. Result of the logistic unit (Logit regression) showed that the variables of lack of government credits (p≤0.01) and lack of continuous monitoring on the proper implementation of the project (p≤ 0.10) were negative while the variables of users’ participation in the implementation of RMP (p≤ 0.01) and specifying customary system for herders (p≤ 0.01), controlling herders’ grazing license (p≤ 0.10), the rate of acceptance of the rural municipality, Implementation of modifying and rehabilitation operations, establishing livestock and rangeland balance (p≤ 0.05), Intersection cooperation between the involved institutions and departments (p≤0.01) and rural council the range management projects (p≤ 0.05) were positively significant from the perspective of the experts. Also, 47% of experts were against renting rangeland to nomadic and non-rural nomad herders. They also suggested the implementation of RMP could be done in the divided rangelands rather than common form. In sum, the available projects and plans in the region under study area were not efficient due to technical, social, and economic problems. Hence, they need to be reviewed in this regard. It should be attempted to take into consideration the technical, social, and economic issues more seriously while preparing new projects. پرونده مقاله

Rangelands rehabilitation have a high priority for improving the environment and mitigating climate changes in comparison to natural rangelands. This study was conducted to compare carbon sequestration in soil and phytomass between land uses of rangeland and irrigated agricultural farms in Mahallat, Markazi province, Iran. The soil was sampled by setting profiles (17 Land uses) in two depths of 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm. In the both land uses, three 50 m transects were established with four 2×2m plots sampled in each transect with random distances. Soil samples were taken from center of each transect. The contents of aboveground and underground biomass carbon, litter carbon and soil organic carbon were determined (in summer 2017). Percentage of organic carbon of plants and soil samples was measured in the laboratory. Soil bulk density, texture, acidity and electrical conductivity were determined. The carbon sequestration in phytomass and soil between rangeland and cropland was compared using independent t-test. Result showed significant effect of carbon sequestration in phytomass, Litter (P<0.01) and soil (not Significant) between rangeland and cropland land uses. Total carbon sequestration in rangeland ecosystem (59471 kg/ha) was higher than carbon sequestration in cropland (53314 kg/ha). Therefore, despite the lack of irrigation and fertilizer inputs, the amount of carbon sequestration in rangeland was higher than the cropland in the region. پرونده مقاله