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Advances in Environmental Biology, 7(4): 677-683, 2013

ISSN 1995-0756

This is a refereed journal and all articles are professionally screened and reviewed ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Ecotourism Zoning In Protected Areas Using Gis
1
Sara Ohadi, 2Mazdak Dorbeiki, 3Hooman Bahmanpour
1
Department of Environmental Engineering, Damavand branch, Islamic Azad University, Damavand, Iran
2
Department of Environmental Engineering, Qaemshahr branch, Islamic Azad University, Qaemshahr, Iran
3
Department of Environmental Engineering, Shahrood Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrood, Iran

Sara Ohadi, Mazdak Dorbeiki, Hooman Bahmanpour: Ecotourism Zoning In Protected Areas Using
Gis

ABSTRACT

Zoning has a vital importance in ecotourism management and defines the optimum use of an area based on
its environmental capabilities. It also requires the use of applied information technologies such as Geographical
Information Systems (GIS). The aim of this paper is to identify the governing factors in ecotourism zoning.
Jahannama protected area was selected as study area which is in Golestan province, Iran. For such research
geographical and attribute data were gathered which included land use/land cover, geological, transportation,
infrastructures, and tourism attraction map. The data were reprocessed to be used in ArcGIS software for further
analysis. Finally, ecotourism zoning map was generated that include four categories. They were (1) Strict
Protected Zone in which a conservation zone is demarcated (2) Extensive Recreation Zone that covers most of
the study areas (3) Limited Development Zone which is in north east of the study area and (4) Specific Use
Zone that includes Jahannama plain. Recommendations are then made for each zone to use them optimally. The
recommendations must accompany any long term plan of the parks.

Key words: GIS, Ecotourism, Jahannama protected area, Zoning

Introduction method used to deploy visitors, and hence critical in

Tourism is known as the world’s largest industry
and one of the fastest growing sectors in human
society so that covers over one-third of the total
value of global trade services [33]. In many areas,
tourism is seen as an answer to economic
development, particularly areas of natural beauty.
However, the increasing numbers of tourists bring
with themselves a range of sociocultural and
environmental issues for host communities [18].
Ecotourism is a kind of tourism required the
implementation of environmentally responsible
recreational activities within the designated natural
areas [8,1]. Despite ecotourism means different
things to different people, its key components
include nature-based product, minimal impact
management, environmental education, and
contribution to conservation [6]. In recent years,
ecotourism has been a major activity in protected
areas and this urges change in environmental
management and planning of such areas, because of
its considerable impacts.
One useful tool in environmental planning and
management of ecotourism is zoning which can help
better management of these type of activity
especially in protected areas. It is the principal
Corresponding Author
Mazdak Dorbeiki, Department of Environmental Engineering, Qaemshahr branch, Islamic Azad
University, Qaemshahr, Iran
Email:mdorbeiki@gmail.com
achieving the appropriate combination of
concentration and dispersal [11]. Zoning as part of
the process of visitor management is likely to relate
specifically to the types of activities that are
permitted in particular zones, as well as delineating
those activities that are not permitted [23].
Geographic information system (GIS) is
considered an essential tool for natural resources
management. The manner that maps are stored or
filed as information layers in GIS makes complex
analysis possible to perform [9]. GIS is able to link
and integrate various kinds of data. It also combines
mapped variables to build and analyze new variables
[12].
Today, advanced techniques are used in zoning
of protected areas which among them, GIS has
extensive application and is considered as an
essential tool for natural resources management [9].
GIS is a digital database management system
designed to manage large volumes of spatially
distributed data from a variety of sources [1]. It is
able to link and integrate various kinds of data. It
also combines mapped variables to build and analyze
new variables [12].
Due to the ability of the software in efficient
storage, retrieval, analysis, and display information

Adv. Environ. Biol., 7(4): 677-683, 2013
according to user-defined specifications, it can be
ideal for advanced site selection studies. It can be
effectively used in the gathering, weighting,
analyzing, presenting spatial and attribute
information to facilitate any location endeavor [3].
In spite of almost 40 years’ history, GIS has
been used in natural resources management and eco-
environmental assessment only for the last 25 years
[27,20,2,24]. During the last few years, GIS has been
used as a system for management, manipulation,
representation and analysis of geo-spatial data to
facilitate and cut down the cost of land capability
evaluation process [31]. As the fourth dimension, it
can also consider time to research dynamic change of
regional environment quality [35].
As mentioned above, GIS seems a suitable
approach for ecotourism zoning, especially in
protected areas which have a sensitive environment.
Hence the aim of this paper is to apply GIS in zoning
of a protected area and a popular tourist attraction.
Fig. 1: The study area
JPA is a mountainous region, rich in its natural
and cultural resources. Its elevation ranges from 600
to 3,064 meters above sea level. Its geological
history belongs to Mesozoic era and the main soil
type is Lithosol and Rendzina. JPA has significant
water resources such as springs and rivers [10] and
its diverse vegetation types including deciduous
Montane forests, cold resistant Juniper woodlands,
Montane steppes, grasslands and meadows, cliff and
riverine vegetation [17].
As a protected area, fauna of JPA includes many
significant rare and endangered species such as Roe
deer, Red deer, Brown bear, and many types of birds
of prey. Tarkat (3,000 ha) and Maghazi (2,000 ha)
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Materials And Methods
-Study area:
With the area of 30511 hectares, Jahannama
protected area (JPA) is in the south east of Caspian
Sea on a longitude of 54°, 08´ to 54°, 36´ E and a
latitude of 36°, 35´ to 36°, 42´ N [16]. In IUCN
protected area management categories, JPA is
designated as a Category V or Protected
Landscape/Seascape [32] which tourism and
recreation is a primary object of such category [25].
Based on National Master Plan for Tourism and
Ecotourism Development and Management, Iran is
divided into 7 tourism regions [14]. A regional
strategy has been compiled for each regions. JPA is
in the region known as Alborz or Region One (Figure
one).
are two ‘Safe Area’ in the region which have a
critical role in wildlife conservation. In fact, these
areas are considered as preliminary zones for
conservation [19].
Human settlements of JPA include two
permanent villages (Ziarat and Haji Abad) and two
recreational ones (Sa’d Abad Mahalleh and Kafshgiri
Mahalleh) which have their unique cultural, social,
and economic characteristics [25].
Previous studies show that the visitors of JPA
cause significant environmental impacts because they
can visit every site of the area, and the management
office have no control on distribution of them [10].
Table one shows major environmental impacts of
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Adv. Environ. Biol., 7(4): 677-683, 2013

tourism in JPA. Tourism infrastructures which is Plain (includes (Sa’d Abad Mahalleh and Kafshgiri
shown in table 2 include transportation, Mahalleh), Ziarat village, Haji Abad village, and
accommodation, access roads, and service centres. Chaharbagh village [10].
The main ecotourism sites in JPA are Jahannama

Table 1: Major environmental impacts of tourism in JPA*

Type of impact Distribution Example
Waste pollution All sites Mainly solid waste
Wastewater pollution ZV House sewage, Animal husbandry
Chemical pollution JP, ZV Chemical fertilizers, Detergents
Noise pollution JP, ZV Cars, Motorcycles
Visual pollution ZV Villas, Accommodation
Soil destruction JP, ZV Soil erosion
Vegetation destruction JP, ZV Fires, Trampling, Forest clearing
Wildlife disturbance JP, ZV Roads, Hunting, Shooting
*Abbreviations: ZV: Ziarat Village; JP: Jahannama Plain; CV: Chaharbagh Village; HV: Haji Abad Village
Based on Dorbeiki (2004)

Table 2: Major tourism infrastructures in JPA

Type of infrastructure Distribution Example
Transportation JP, CV, ZV 4WD vehicles
Accommodation JP, CV, ZV, HV Cottage, Villa
Access road JP, CV, ZV Trails, Roads
Service centre JP, ZV Traditional restaurants, Village shops
Based on Dorbeiki (2004)

-Study process: Geographical Organization (NGO); and 1:100,000

Considering the extent of tourism development,
types of tourism in Iran are as follows [21]:
 Extensive Outdoor Recreation (EOR)
includes those recreational activities such as
strolling, hiking, mountain climbing, fishing,
hunting, and bird watching which need limited
facilities and infrastructures and rely on resort natural
assets.
 Intensive Outdoor Recreation (IOR)
includes those recreational activities such as
camping, picnic, scrambling, rally racing, biking,
motor biking, visiting heritage and historical
monuments which require resort development as well
as kinds of facilities.
According to assessment of EOR in Iran and
other studies such as Banerjee [4], Pandey and
Chakraborty [28], and Shojaee [30], effective
parameters of ecotourism zoning were determined
and related data provided including:
 Topographic maps
 Maps of access roads, cities and villages
 Maps of land use patterns
 Soil and geological maps
 Maps of water bodies
 Infrastructure maps
 Maps of ecotourism attractions
Different maps were provided including
1:25,000 scale maps of National Cartographic Center
of Iran (NCC); 1:50,000 scale maps of National
Results:
According to the methodology, infrastructure map
was produced. This type of map presents shopping,
scale maps of Geological Survey of Iran (GSI). Since
the maps had different scales, map generalization
process was done.
To speed up the process, Micro-station DGN
files were changed to DWG using AutoCAD
software. Data layers were prepared and converted
into SHP format. Some data were converted into
vectors because they were in JPG format.
The following steps were taken before using the
layers in index overlaying:
1. All layers were initially converted to shape
files (topographic layers have DGN format).
2. The coordinate system of all layers were
uniformed (land use and land sources layers have
Lambert coordinate system).
3. To precede the overlaying process, all
vector map layers such as land use and land sources
were converted to the raster format.
4. The extent of layers was uniformed.
Methods of data gathering and management of
ecotourism were according to Beckman et al, [5],
Buckley [6], Phillips [29], and Dorbeiki [10].
Information on environmental conditions and tourist
attractions were adapted from Dorbeiki [10]. In
addition to the above methods, other zoning
classifications were used such as those which were
proposed by Moharamnejad and Dorbeiki [25], and
Holden [13]. The flowchart for the study is presented
as figure 2.
medical, and educational centres, accommodations,
communication centres, types of roads, access roads
etc. Attractions map was produced by existent data
which shows historical sites, wildlife distribution,
water bodies, vegetation, landscapes, etc.
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Adv. Enviroon. Biol., 7(4): 6777-683, 2013

In adddition to the above maps,, conservationn in all ovver the protecteed area. Figuree 3 and 4 show
ws
maps (inccluding two safe
s areas) were produced.. distributiion and type of ecotourism m sites in JPAA,
According to data ecotouurism sites weere determinedd respectivvely.

Fig. 2: Floow chart of the study

Fig. 3: Disstribution of eccotourism sites in JPA

pe of ecotourissm sites in JPA

Fig. 4: Typ A

Adv. Environ. Biol., 7(4): 677-683, 2013
After determination of effective parameters in
preparing maps, zoning map of JPA was produced
regarding environmental sensitivity, safe areas,
access roads, accommodations, tourist attractions etc.
Four zones were produced in the process includes:
1) Zone I or ‘Strict Protected Zone’ which is
protected strictly. Maghazi and Tarkat Safe Areas are
located in this zone.
Fig. 5: Ecotourism zoning in JPA
Discussion:
According to different studies, most of northern
Iran including JPA has ecological capability for
extensive tourism and are suitable for ecotourism
development. GIS as an applied tool was used for
ecotourism zoning. According to the results four
zones were identified in JPA. These zones need their
management approaches which can be defined as
follows:
Visitor accesses to Zone I is limited and only
limited number of researchers or university students
can reach this zone. Any human presence or even
light development must be banned because this zone
includes those areas which are identified as safe
areas. As these areas were identified as safe areas
previously, it is suggested that these zones and their
peripheral areas are selected as this type of zone. The
road of Maghazi must be blocked. There are no
accommodation for ecotourists in this zone and visits
must be one day.
Zone II includes vast areas which are as a
presentation of JPA. Visitors can have activities such
as sightseeing, camping, walking, hiking etc. the best
681
2) Zone II or ‘Extensive Recreation Zone’ which
includes most of JPA.
3) Zone III or ‘Limited Development Zone’
which is suitable for rural development including
Ziarat village.
4) Zone IV or ‘Specific Use Zone’ which
includes central parts of JPA including Sa’d Abad
and Kafshgiri.
known of such areas are Zebleh Mt., Talambar,
Shahpasand, Kalkat, Loolian etc. in this zone
primary infrastructure for ecotourism can be set and
night stay is allowed.
In Zone III in addition to conservation facilities
such as ranger station, infrastructures of intensive
recreation are allowed. This type of zone is suitable
for those ecotourists which are not interested in
heavy and hard activities. Since Ziarat village have
suitable conditions for such activities, the village is
proposed as the heart of the zone. Its infrastructure
and easy access to main transportations (highway,
airport, and railway) makes it as a central unit for
ecotourism in JPA.
Zone IV is designated as special use zone which
defined as a zone with vast and adverse
environmental impacts. This zone is not adapted to
management objectives of JPA but management
cannot manage it properly because of political and
social pressures. It consist of two villages (Sa’d Abad
and Kafshgiri). The zone is suitable for short term or
long term stay.
Each zone has its management objectives which
must be seen in environmental planning of the area.

Adv. Environ. Biol., 7(4): 677-683, 2013
And adoption of existing facilities should be based
on each zone characteristics. Examples are new
design and construction of a new road (Zone I);
Design of new nature trails and using village houses
and reconstruct them for accommodation (Zones II,
III, and IV); use of traditional architecture in design
of new buildings (Zone II); use of wastewater and
waste management systems in accommodation and
other facilities especially in Ziarat village (Zones II,
III, and IV); and design a visitor center in Jahannama
plain and Ziarat (Zones III and IV).
Suggested zones and plans should be integrated
with Master Plan of JPA. This leads to better
management of ecotourism activities.
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