Watershed Management Sciences and Engineering Conference in Iran: History and Highlights

Aims: Aim of the present study is to describe the history and outcomes of the Iranian Conference on Watershed Management Sciences and Engineering (WMSE) from ۱۹۷۳ to ۲۰۱۹. Instruments & Methods: The archives of ۱۴ WMSE conferences were first collected. Then, important information was derived and analyzed. ۲۵ questionnaires were also analyzed. Findings: The WMSE conference activities interrupted from late-۱۹۷۰s to early ۱۹۹۰s because of the Iran-Iraq war, Iranian Cultural Revolution and closure of the universities. Then, after ۱۸ years from the ۳rd WMSE conference, the Watershed Management Society of Iran (WMSI) decided to continue holding the series of watershed management conferences. According to the analysis of the last ۱۱ conferences, ۲۷۹۴ papers with ۵۰۲۹ authors have been presented. In total, ۲۶۳۵, ۲۱۷۷, and ۴۷ students respectively with PhD, MSc, and BSc students were contributed. In addition, ۸۶۲ and ۲۳۸ contributions were respectively made from university and research institute parts. The temporal pattern of number of papers published in the WMSE conference showed a cyclic pattern during ۱۱ conferences which increased one and a half times (i.e., ۵۴%) in seven years from ۲۰۰۸ to ۲۰۱۴, followed by a sharp decline in ۲۰۱۶ (۷۱%; Yasouj City) and ۲۰۱۷ (۷۷%; Malayer City). Conclusion: Despite a large number of papers presented in the WMSE conferences, knowledge about the watershed governance needs to be improved. It was proved that ۴۸, ۳۲, ۱۶, and ۴% of the WMSE contributors respectively anticipated the medium, good, bad, and very bad future for WM state in the country.

کلیدواژه ها:

Environmental Issues ، Management of Watersheds ، Natural Resources ، Research Trend ، Watershed Management Society of Iran