Persian New Year and effort to protect Golestan National Park

During the early days of Norouz (Persian New Year and biggest festival of the nation), Plan for the Land Society ran a pilot educational campaign with distributing brochures and trash bags among visitors and holiday-makers of Golestan National Park.

Every year during 2 weeks of Norouz holiday, numerous tourists use the road, middle of Golestan forest to reach their destinations. 22 kilometer of this road runs through the park and 24 kilometers on the Southern edge of the park.

This world biodiversity heritage hosts many Iranians during this period and other holidays of the country. Presence of such busy road causes lots of problems for the park, including wildlife road kills, fire, garbage, etc. which are results of lack of knowledge of visitors about the beauty and values of this natural heritage. Public-awareness for protection of this National Park is the high priority solution to reverse the rapid destructive effects of human presence to the area. Plan for the Land society started the pilot project since mid. March and during Norouz holidays and on this way educational brochures and banners and trash bags were produced.

The team of 9 members of the NGO started the field activities since 19th of March with collaboration of game-wardens of Golestan Department of Environment until March 24th. Installation of 24 warning banners on the road side, distributing around 5000 trash bags and brochures among tourists was highly welcomed by people. Indeed the activities extended on the 2nd of April (13th day of New Year and Nature’s day in Iran) which is the busiest day of the biosphere reserve with lots of visitors.