Assessment of Development Effects on the Environmental of Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari Province and Determining the Priorities of Villages for Development by Using Degradation Model

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to determine the effects of development on the environment of Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari province by using degradation model and the possibility of more development of villages. Political divisions at the villages level (44 villages) was used as the working unit. Ecological vulnerability was measured by overlying map of slope, direction, elevation, annual average temperature , iso hyetal points, sensitive to erosion, faults distribution, soil depth, vegetation cover, forest reserves and protected areas and using threshold rule in ecology. 13 Degradation factors identified and their severity in each assessment unit was determined. Physiological population density was calculated by dividing the available population in each working unit into the area of cultivated lands in that unit. Then degradation coefficient in each unit calculated using Excel software. Finally, assessment units categorized in 6 classes in terms of degradation coefficient value. Also in terms of degradation severity, total area of province categorized in 3 classes for future development. Based on the results 64.4% of the province prone to more development, 31.9% has the capability for development depending on performing the rehabilitation operations and the rest 3.7% have a limited development capability.

Keywords

• development
• environmental impacts
• degradation model
• village county
• chaharmahal & bakhtiari province