Systems recording and indentification of agroforestry practices (case study: Friedan and Chadegan citis, Isfahan province)

Document Type : Research Paper

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Abstract

Due to lack of agroforestry research in Iran, it is important to identify the existing agroforestry systems in order to create a database for further researches. Feridan and Chadegan citis, west of Isfahan province are two areas in which the various agroforestry systems have been developed. These two regions were selected for research because of providing the easy access and a variety of systems. The goal of this study was to design a method to collect, detect and record the data in the interdisciplinary field of agroforestry. Therefore, it was meant to introduce the traditional sicence of agroforestry and to create the necessary research backgrounds plus the development of this knowledge. Field observations, interview, recording the basic information, primary Carlowitz method (1972) and Mathinkhah et al(2003) method were adopted for describing and recording the agroforesty systems. The informations were recorded in special forms for each system based on Matinkhah et al (2003) criteria and eight cases of Carlowitz method for nomenclaturing systems. Furthermore, several adjustments were performed in accordance with region conditions and added to the existing criteria. Finally, 17 different agroforestry systems were identified and documented in the study. The descriptions of these systems are provided in the paper according to the 22 criteria. Also there is a list of the system names, region with principal criteria of trees, crops and forage in which exist in Nair (1993) classification. These systems were classified according to the ecological and climatic conditions, the level of technology and social and financial conditions.

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