Our ability to forecast future Land use/cover changes (LUCC) is extremely limited due to lack of understanding of how rapid and drastic changes like socio-economic shocks and disturbances (e.g., policy changes and economic crises) affect land use/cover. Energy policies changing in Iran have been implemented since 2010. In this study, we explored whether changes in energy policies affect the sustainability of forest cover and LUCC. Results showed that in the time periods of before and after implementation of the policies, 2,841 and 3,155 ha of forests converted to other land covers, respectively. It was also revealed that forest and rangelands degradation and their conversion to croplands and built-up areas have had the most contribution to increasing area of these land covers. Calculation annual rate of deforestation showed an increase in deforestation activities after the plan (−0.40% versus −0.53%). On the other hand, the population growth in the first period was 10,074 people, which was higher than the population increase in the second period (9,803 people). Therefore, it can be argued that the effect of the energy policies is likely to be greater than the increase in population and it appears to be able to cause a transition of land systems.

Forest nationalization policies in developing countries have often led to a reduction in local forest ownership rights and short- or long-term exploitative behaviors of stakeholders. The purpose of this research is to quantify the effect of Iran’s Forest Nationalization Law (FNL) in a part of Zagros Forest over a 68-year time period (1955–2022) using 1955 historical aerial photos, 1968 Corona spy satellite photography, and classification of multi-temporal Landsat satellite images. A past classification change detection technique was used to identify the extent and the pattern of land use changes in time. For this purpose, six periods were defined, to cover the time before and after the implementation of FNL. A 0.27% deforestation trend was identified over the period after the FNL. Dense and open forested area has decreased from 7175.62 ha and 68,927.46 ha in 1955 to 5664.26 ha and 59,223.38 ha in 2022. The FNL brought decisive changes in the legal and forest management systems at the state level, mainly by giving their ownership to the state. Accordingly, the FNL and the related conservation plans have not fully succeeded in protecting, rehabilitating, recovering, and developing the sparse Zagros Forest ecosystems, as their most important goals.

Vegetation cover is known as one of the most dominant parameters in soil erosion that can considerably affect soil erosion drivers. This study aimed to assess the effects of vegetation cover on soil conservation in Arasbaran Forests, Iran. A part of Arsbaran forests has been protected for 45 years. The other part has not been under protection during these years. This study was carried out in order to investigate the effects of forest protection management on the changes in the amount of soil erosion and compare it with the non-protection sector. To this end, 66 samples were grouped in the two selected elevation classes. Out of every three sample plots, one plot was randomly selected for collecting soil samples. Landsat 8 images and a Digital Elevation Model were utilized for sample collection via ENVI (Environment for Visualizing Images) and GIS (Geographic Information System), respectively. Then, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) was employed to estimate the annual soil loss in the studied sites. The results showed the annual soil erosion of 9.84 and 10.06 tons per hectare/year for protected and non-protected areas, respectively. Moreover, the average annual soil erosion of 9.95 tons per hectare/year was calculated for the whole Arasbaran Forests. The results of the statistical test revealed no significant difference between protected and non-protected sites in terms of erosion rates (p > 0.05). Based on the findings, despite the non-significant and slightly lower soil loss per unit area in the protected site, there is a notable soil loss throughout the entire non-protected area. It appears necessary to conduct a thorough review of existing conservation laws and to closely monitor their effective implementation. This step is crucial for enhancing the effectiveness of forest conservation management in mitigating soil erosion. The results show that absolute forest protection alone cannot make a big difference in preventing soil erosion. In this regard, there is a need to carry silviculture measures to manage protected forest stands to increase the sustainability of the forest. Obviously, in the case of proper management along with protection, it is possible to have a greater effect in preventing soil erosion.

To avoid flooding and erosion hazards, post-fire management actions are essential in Mediterranean forests after severe wildfires. In this regard, mulching is the most common action but some mulch materials, such as straw, may lead to adverse impacts in burned forests. The use of yellow mistletoe fruits (Loranthus europaeus Jacq., hereafter “LE”) for the production of biodegradable mulch and its effectiveness in post-fire hydrology have never been studied. To fill this gap, this study has evaluated surface runoff and rainsplash erosion in a pine forest in Central Eastern Spain burned by a wildfire and mulched by a mixture of LE fruits and straw (with or without adding clay particles) using a portable rainfall simulator. Compared to untreated sites, runoff increased in burned and mulched soils (by 13.6% for the mixture without clay and by 17.2% when clay was added, in the latter case significantly). This increase was mainly due to the compact layer created by mulch application on the soil surface. However, the peak flow and the time to peak were lower in mulched soils (on average by 32.7% and 60.5%, significantly only for the mulch mixture without clay), thus indicating that, in these soils, peak runoff takes longer and its maximum value is lower compared to untreated sites. Soil erosion noticeably and significantly decreased (up to 97%) in mulched areas in comparison to untreated sites without significant differences between the two mixtures. Overall, this study indicates to land managers that soil mulching with a mixture of Loranthus europaeus Jacq. and straw is an effective post-fire management action to reduce the soil erosion risk after a wildfire.