Zagros forests, a small land in the heart of Iran with different traditions of different dialects, which the most important achievement of it is oak.; the sacred fruit for many years that has been used as the source of income for the people of Zagros. A trip to the forests of Zagros for visiting the nomads of Dena and Zard Kouh, or Karun and Oramanat, would be an experience that you’ll never get tired of it. The beauty of these forests is not in the springs and waterfalls along the way, but it’s in squirrels hiding the oaks under the ground for their winter, but by forgetting the burial place of the oaks and doing this over and over, they don’t know what a great help they are to Zagros vastness.
Zagros oak forests
Jungles
Zagros forests, a small land in the heart of Iran with different traditions of different dialects, which the most important achievement of it is oak.; the sacred fruit for many years that has been used as the source of income for the people of Zagros. A trip to the forests of Zagros for visiting the nomads of Dena and Zard Kouh, or Karun and Oramanat, would be an experience that you’ll never get tired of it. The beauty of these forests is not in the springs and waterfalls along the way, but it’s in squirrels hiding the oaks under the ground for their winter, but by forgetting the burial place of the oaks and doing this over and over, they don’t know what a great help they are to Zagros vastness.
Zagros forests are one of the unique forests with a long history in the world and in terms of biodiversity, it is one of the richest ecosystems in Iran and guarantees the stability and sustenance of water and soil. Zagros is called Zager in the Avestan language and means a big mountain, but the interesting thing is the word Zagarsi or Sagarti, which Indo-European immigrants called the region. The Zagros forests cover a large part of the Zagros Mountain ranges, starting from the northwest of Iran in West Azerbaijan Province to the west (Ilam and Lorestan provinces) and the southwest of Iran (Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Khuzestan and Fars provinces). Zagros forests with an area of 5 million hectares, occupies 40% of the total forests of Iran.
Annual rainfall and temperature indicate warm summers and cold winters, the average amount of rainfall in oak forests is between 400 to 700 mm. And its annual temperature is between 9 to 25 degrees Celsius.
Zagros forests are famous for western oak forests. Oak is the most important and abundant tree species in these forests, but other plant species live along with the conditions of oaks; which the most important tree and shrub species in the Zagros area are Persian oak, Mazodar, monspessulanum, Pistacia Atlantica, Golkhoonak, Almond, Celtis australis, Daphne, wild pear, fig, berry, red tulip, and borage.
The oak forests of the Zagros are the habitat of the Persian squirrels. These protectors of the Zagros forest, who have taken the nickname of “oak-planting” squirrels, hide the oaks underground so that they can use them in the winter, but since they have the memory of a goldfish, these oaks remain underground and then by germinating and growing, another forest emerges.
Other animal species living in oak forests include the golden eagle, bearded vulture, Caspian snowcock, barbary falcon, white-headed duck, Persian fallow deer, leopard, brown bear, wild goat, Asiatic mouflon, wolf, Blasius's horseshoe bat, Caspian turtle, macrovipera lebetinus (a kind of vipers), tree fog, green toad, convict cichlid, nemacheilus, and Barbus barbulus.
Zagros is the origin of the largest watersheds in the country and is the water supplier of many important resources in the west and southwest of the country.
Many Waterfalls and springs flow down from heights and forests of the Zagros; including Bishe, Ab-e Sefid, Nozhian, Milan waterfall of Lordegan, Atashgah, Dezfoul Shevi, Chakan, Wark, Golho, Nay Angiz, Kabutarlou, Tang-e-Piyaz, Tang-e-Namak, and Cheshmeh goosh waterfalls that most of these are located in Lorestan province.
Barm, Sandegan, Mishan, Khani, Shernik, and Pouneh springs, and the most important rivers are Dez, Karun, Shoor, Minab, and Gamasab. And many other springs and rivers, which are each of the spectacular attractions of provinces located in Zagros.
Due to the vastness of the Zagros forests in most spots of Iran, the hiking trails of oak forests in Zagros depend on the conditions of provinces, cities, and villages that are located on the way to these forests. Your trail depends on your choice and your specific purpose of traveling, about which route or province you want to pick.
Zagros is a huge land, which in addition to its variety of habitats, it is the cradle of civilization and well-known Iranian tribes. There you can find different traditions, different languages and dialects, history, and contrasting nature.
You can observe the old, present, and future all in one frame in your journey to Zagros. Oak forests are the identity of western settlers. when you reach the nomads of Zagros, you can enjoy listening to the ladies whose houses are as big as nature. Oaks have been a friend of Zagros people since the past by helping them with their livelihood, so from their point of view oak is a sacred fruit.
The Zagros forests, which are spread in over 11 provinces of the country and are stretched from the northwest passing through the west and southwest of Iran, can provide several thousand pages of travelogues for visitors. Staying in any of the cities and villages next to the Zagros forests is not impossible, you can rent houses or spend your night at camps and accommodations located in each of these places.
Forests are rebellious and mysterious lands, and if you want to travel to these places you should know the law and the language of the forests. That’s better not to travel alone, even to the patient and kind forests of the Zagros. Travel to the forests with guides or local people who are familiar with the route.
The rate and intensity of deforestation in the Zagros oak forests have been very high, and the main reason for this is the poverty and unemployment of local communities. they have destroyed the forests to meet their livelihood needs Instead of using the products of these forests.
Wood smuggling is one of the most important issues that Zagros forests are facing. In addition to this major problem, human interventions in the environment and fine dust phenomenon, which has led to rainfall reduction and risen temperature, and has exposed many trees to the disease, many Zagros trees are currently affected by oak coal-disease. It has dried up many forests in the Zagros. Irregular grazing and developing projects with no environmental considerations are further causes.