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This study determines the consumers’ willingness to pay for organic milk in Tehran by using Contingent Valuation Method and Single Bounded Dichotomous Choice questionnaire. Logit regression model was used to evaluate the effect of explanatory variables on willingness to pay and the model parameters were estimated by using maximum likelihood approach. For this purpose, 450 questionnaires were completed in the city by respondents who had independent income in 2012. Shazam, SPSS, and Maple softwares were used to obtain the results. According to the results, variables such as income, family’s illness history, age, educational level, distance to the shopping center, apprising respondents, organic milk quality, and the offered price had a significant effect on consumers' willingness to pay for organic milk. Overall, 80.3% of the respondents were willing to buy organic milk. The average of consumers' willingness to pay was estimated at 28,600 Rials per liter of organic milk. The results showed this product to be important for people; and this point can help producers, planners, and managers for further development of this product.

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 For the rural population, an improvement in the income of the agriculture and allied sectors is essential for improving the welfare, rural economic prosperity, and the overall economic development. The objective of this study was to determine the optimal pattern in various activities of forest fringe villagers of Hezarjarib area in 2013 for management of resources and rural development planning. For this purpose, the sample size was estimated to be 160 households out of a total of 472, by the use of proportional random sampling method. To collect data, we used a questionnaire whose reliability coefficient was determined as 0.81, by using the split-half method. The results of linear and goal programming model showed that, among the conventional activities of villagers, animal husbandry activity with the highest proportion played the key role in households’ welfare, representing 51.42% of the total income of household. Moreover, Goal Programing (GP) model was determined as a useful model to increase households’ welfare (10.42%) and reduce deforestation (74.6%). Accordingly, it is indicated that there is a potential to improve existing conditions and access to greater welfare in the study area. Thus, the production planning and guidance according to the above results can play an important role in villagers’ activity development.

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Today, national parks as a natural resource capital are facing many challenges. Therefore, economic valuation of its functions and services is one of the most important categories of planning and sustainable ecosystem management. The present study aimed to estimate the economic value of ecosystem services in the Lar National Park, Iran. To this aim, the methods of revealed willingness to pay, imputed willingness to pay, and expressed willingness to pay were used. The results of this research showed the economic value of water resources reservation services (1619.802 Million Dollars, $M), soil conservation services (9.218 $M), soil production services (0.804 $M), recreation services (3.004 $M), habitat service (36.722 $M), production services (1.312 $M), carbon sequestration (847.109 $M), and oxygen supply services (93.618 $M). Finally, the total economic valuation of the use services was estimated to be $1867.087 M. Since more than 97% of the values are related to the water conservation and gas regulation services, sustainable ecosystem management is essential for preserving and expanding these services.

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Cheetah is one of the endangered wildlife species in different countries around the world, including Iran, and has been included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Today, Iran is the only place where Asiatic Cheetahs can be found, and the latest estimates indicate that only 30 to 40 Asiatic Cheetahs remain. The present study aimed to prioritize the ecosystem functions and services for Asiatic Cheetahs in Iran from the perspectives of experts and professionals. After a literature review, based on the 2018 Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services (CICES), among Provisioning, Cultural, and Regulation and Maintenance functions, the Cultural and Regulation and Maintenance functions and 14 services were extracted for Asiatic Cheetahs in Iran. Next, by using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Delphi method, the priority of functions and services was investigated in two stages. The results showed that the most important functions and services were, respectively, as follows: Cultural (4.37), Regulation and Maintenance (4.32) functions, and services related to the Bequest value (4.95) of Asiatic Cheetahs; Existence value (4.93); Educational (4.58); Aesthetic (4.47); Entertainment (recreation and ecotourism) (4.44); Symbolic (4.40); Scientific (3.67), Cultural (3.55), Biodiversity (4.82); and Disease control (3.82). The necessary measures for preventing the extinction of Asiatic Cheetahs include the construction of wildlife corridors in habitats of Cheetahs, promoting participation of communities and non-governmental organizations in the sustainable management of Cheetah habitats, and designing coins with Cheetah to attract public attention and support.