Forest Plantation in the West of Golestan Province: Current Situation and Challenges, Suggestions for Improvement

Background: Regarding the reduction of forests in the world due to the destruction of forests and fires and the adverse effects of drought and climate change, forest plantation is one of the strategic approaches for protecting and enriching forests.Forest plantations are a very small percentage of the global forest area.According to the estimates, half of the world's industrial wood is supplied by forest plantations.In addition to revitalizing areas, forest plantations moderate climate, prevent soil erosion and air pollution, and create recreational areas.It also prevents soil degradation in dry lands by planting compatible species.In the long term, it will also meet the needs of mankind and reduce the pressure of exploitation of natural forests, and performing some ecosystem services and making changes in the physicochemical properties of the soil and biochemical cycles are the other benefits.Nowadays, its importance has increased due to meeting the growing needs of the pulp and paper industry through afforestation with fast-growing species and limiting the harvesting of wood from natural forests, hence more studies in this field have become inevitable.Unlike many countries, Iran's forest plantation areas do not have production goals and are often in the form of projects with different goals, such as the development of existing forests, desertification and sand stabilization, green spaces on the edge of industries and factories, green spaces, forest parks, and urban forestry, and their collections are mentioned and reported as annual forestry works.Despite the great variety of species used in forestry according to the diverse ecological conditions in Iran, there is no integrated management for the forest plantations of the country.On the other hand, there is no documented information about the process of quantitative and qualitative changes in these forestry operations, and the studies conducted in academic and research societies have often been in the form of case studies and cross-sectional surveys using temporary sampling systems.In line with the strategic policies of the Forestry and Pasture Research Institute of Iran and to create up-to-date and accurate database of the state of forest plantations in Golestan province, forest plantations in the west of Golestan province, including the cities of Gorgan, Aliabad, Kurdkoi, Bandargaz, Aq-Qala, Bandar Turkeman, and Gomishan, were evaluated to investigate the current situation and challenges and present suggestions for improvement.Methods: At first, forest plantations in the west of Golestan Province (including Gorgan, Aliabad, Kurdkoi, Bandargaz, Aq-Qala, Bandar Turkeman, and Gomishan) were identified and analyzed based on the archival information of Iran's forests, pastures, and watershed management