Journal of Environmental Studies
Year:2003 | Volume:28 | Issue:Special Issue|Papers Count:8

The Anzali wetland on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea was once 60k long along the east-west axis and covered a nearly 250km2 of the area. This water basin was once one of the biggest sources of fresh water and was surrounded by many flourishing rural habitations. Until 70 year ago, Anzali wetland served as a waterway for the travellers to the Caspian Sea ports and beyond to the European cities. In the first half of the last century, this wetland was the main provider of nutrients (protein and rice) and other daily necessities of the people living near by. The natives acquired habits and life styles derived from living for centuries in a dependency relationship to the wetland and the Caspian ecosystem and became dependent on it. In fact, Anzali wetland served as a sort of identity for the people living in the area. They recount stories heared about the wetland or recite their own ecounters with it. This reflect an unblemished culture and a healthy outlook which reflected close proximity to nature.During the last three decades, the impact of the human activities and manipulations on the wetlands ecosystem have been, so severe that caused it to be in the process of dying prematurely and thus depriving future generations from reaping any benefit from the wetland. Measures now being taken, knowingly, or unknowingly, to revitalize the wetland as a naturel habitat and a source of nourishment; seem doomed in the light of the enormous and uncontrollable damages being inflicted on the wetland. Road construction, pollution and siltation, caused by the polluted rivers pouring to it, have ruined this once vital water basin, (and one of the worlds recognized natural habitats), thus losing its global importance.The first part of this article is a chronology of the wetland, which is based on research and frequent visits to the area from 1960to 2001. The next part will deal with the distribution of the aquatic plants in the wetland and the diversity of its plant life.

The Port City of Anzali, the second largest city in the Guilan Province, with a population of 100,000, is located along the 15km Southern shores of the Caspian Sea. In the South is Anzali wetland, with itswaterway which divides the city into two eastern (Ghazian) and western (Anzali) sections. The rising of the Caspian Sea water level in recent years has inflicted extensive damages to the city. This has led the High Council of Architecture and Urban Planning to search for appropriate solutions to the problem. It was finally decided that the -24m elevation line, being considered as the sea shore boundary, and therefore, any development beyond this line, except for light and temporary structures, is prohibited. On the basis of this decision lifeline and infrastructures were to be located beyond the -22m line, but residential and related service uses may be developed up to the -24m line.On this basis over 50% of the city area is regarded as unsafe, as a result which some 29000 residents needed to be relocated to safer areas. This new regulation, as well as the urgent need for regeneration and protection of the wetland, as a vital ecosystem, the tourism issue as the main source of income for the city, and finally the issue of establishing a special ecosystem region in the Port City of Anzali, it is critically important to revise the existing comprehensive and detailed plans of the city to meet the new and emerging conditions.

Environmental resource management is one of the most important discussion in the Environmental Sciences. Although, wetlands are very important in the world, these ecosystems have mostly been denied by human activities.There is no doubt that, conservation of environmental values and biodiversity in this sites need a special management and restoration plan of in watershed level. In this research a correlation between pollutant indices with population density has been established. Some actions plans have been presented.

According to global experiences, participatory planning and management could be used as a tool to achieve the goals of sustainable development for wetlands. This tool hasn't been used for Anzali wetland yet. The reults of this research indicate that, "lack of sense of ownership by stakeholders", "absence of enthusiasm by experts, planners and managers on participation", "poor communication among stakeholders", "weak organization of some stakeholders", "Ambiguity on future utilization by stakeholders", "conflict of interests among stakeholders", "improper livelihhood of stakeholders", "temporary utilization by some stakeholders", "resistance of present management system against participation", and "non-familiarity of experts, planners and managers with participatory techniques and methods" are the most significant obstructions hindering participatory planning and management of Anzali wetland, respectively.Establishing suggestions system, developing framework of traditional rights of stakeholders on the wetland, improving planning and management processes, education and training experts, planners and managers, organizing stakeholders, and resolving livelihood problems of stakeholders are proposed as resolutions.