Current view: Text account
Site description (1994 baseline):
Site location and context
The site lies in the north-west Alborz (Elburz) Mountains c.50 km south of Astara and includes the entire watershed of the Lisar river from its source near the crest of the Alborz in the west to the Caspian shore in the east (c.30 km), and also part of the much drier western slope of the Alborz. There is a freshwater lake (Nur Gol or Neur Gol, 38°00'N 48°33'E) of c.200 ha with extensive sedge marshes in a depression at 2,300 m on the western slope of the divide. The lake drains north into a tributary of the Aras river and provides some breeding habitat for waterbirds, but is frozen for about half the year. There are many villages and farming areas at low elevations in the main valley, but the upper regions of the reserve remain sparsely populated and relatively undisturbed. The site includes the full range of Caspian forest types from lowland
Alnus in the coastal zone to the tree limit, as well as alpine meadows on the Caspian slope of the divide, montane steppe on the dry western slopes and rocky crags near the summit (3,197 m). Land ownership is public.
See box for key species. The area supports a good variety of breeding species of Caspian forest and the high Alborz, including
Pernis apivorus,
Aquila pomarina,
Phasianus colchicus,
Oenanthe xanthoprymna and
Phylloscopus trochiloides nitidus.
Pandion haliaetus and
Haliaeetus albicilla are resident in the coastal zone and presumably breed in the reserve.
Ciconia nigra has been recorded at Nur Gol in summer and may breed.
Tetraogallus caspius occurs on the high crags. Other breeding species include
Falco tinnunculus,
Alectoris chukar,
Oriolus oriolus and
Garrulus glandarius, and winter visitors include
Rallus aquaticus,
Emberiza citrinella and
E. schoeniclus. At least 111 species have been recorded in the reserve.
Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals: Canis lupus (V), Ursus arctos (rare), Lynx lynx (rare), Panthera pardus (rare), Capra hircus aegagrus (rare) and Ovis ammon (rare).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
A Protected Area of 31,250 ha was established in 1970 and subsequently enlarged to its present size of 33,050 ha. No conservation measures are known to have been proposed. Large areas of forest at low elevations have been cleared for cultivation and pasture, and much of the remaining forest has been degraded by cutting for fuelwood and by grazing. There has been some illegal logging in the reserve.
Data-sheet compiled by Dr D. A. Scott, reviewed by Dept of Environment.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lisar Protected Area (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lisar-protected-area-iba-iran-islamic-republic-of on 28/12/2024.
