Overall objective / activities to be implemented under the grant:
The forests of the Zagros are among areas most severely affected by fires in recent years. Over the last decade, the number of these fires and the area affected have increased significantly. Thus, for a better management of fire prevention and effective firefighting, the project aims for effective measures to prevent and extinguish fires in the villages of Dam Chenar and Grdavah, 10,000 hectares of forest lands in Kabgian, Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad Province.
The project aim is to determine the causes of fires in each region with the participation of the local community and using the technical and specialized capacity of the Natural Resources Organization and Department of Environment of Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad Province, and also to determine the customary systems in the target area. During the project, through workshops with participation of local communities, key stakeholders and beneficiaries, the causes of fires in each customary system will be investigated and based on this information to prevent and extinguish fires and rehabilitate the burned areas (at least 6 hectares) will be identified on the land-use map. Another objective of the project is to establish local firefighting teams, provide the required trainings and equip the teams. The capacity of local people?s past experiences in firefighting, as well as their tools and equipment such as shovels and tractors in designated areas of the forest border with agricultural lands and pastures will be used to make fire lines. A comprehensive action plan will be developed for fire control within the forests of Kabgian, by determining the role of locals and applying their knowledge and experiences, as well as combining local knowledge with modern and specialized knowledge. Since the local people have not received much-needed training on prevention of COVID-19, the risk of lung damage caused by smoke inhalation are higher and can spread COVID-19 among members of the firefighting teams. The project will provide trainings on precautionary measures of COVID-19 to the locals involved in project activities.