Abstract The Shiristan region, located within the Central Zagros Mountains, plays a critical role in natural resource management an‎d biodiversity conservation due to its ecological richness an‎d cultural significance. This study aims to develop a conservation zoning framework for the Shiristan Wildlife Refuge by integrating geomorphological indicators with indigenous knowledge. First, the study area was redefined using a revised boundary system that incorporated not only political borders but also ecological criteria such as river networks, forest cover, an‎d topography, as well as human-related indicators including terraced settlements an‎d nomadic migration corridors. Subsequently, remote sensing data, a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), the Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI), an‎d spatial data of rural settlements were used to generate thematic layers, which were integrated in a GIS environment. A multi-criteria decision-making approach was employed to classify the area into four management zones: core conservation, conservation, other areas, an‎d special management. The results indicate that more than 60% of the Shiristan region falls within the core conservation an‎d conservation zones, underscoring the need for strict protection. The special management zone, characterized by terraced villages, forest ecosystems, an‎d water resources, exhibits high potential for sustainable ecotourism development an‎d community-based resource management grounded in indigenous knowledge systems. By integrating biophysical factors (slope, aspect, vegetation cover, an‎d snow cover) with human an‎d cultural components, this study proposes a comprehensive an‎d operational framework for conservation planning. The findings suggest that, given its strategic location an‎d ecological integrity, Shiristan possesses strong potential to be designated as a national an‎d international biosphere reserve. This would require coordinated cross-provincial management among Chaharmahal an‎d Bakhtiari, Isfahan, Lorestan, an‎d Khuzestan provinces. Keywords: conservation zoning, GIS, indigenous knowledge, Shiristan Wildlife Refuge, snow cover

عليرضا سفيانيان

محمودرضا همامي , حسين بشري

منصوره ملكيان , سعيد پورمنافي