Investigating the Effect of Utilization Method on Range Condition in Savadkooh County of Iran

       This study, conducted in Savadkooh County of Iran in 2012, aims at investigating the range utilizations in different methods and their effects on range condition as well as identifying the best utilization method. The evaluation is based on a descriptive-analytic method; thus, a questionnaire is completed through direct interviews. The statistical society includes the operators in 21 rangelands and the sample size is 92 people. The data are analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, variance analysis, Duncan, Spearman's correlation coefficient and t-student tests. The study results indicate that the manners of utilization and the number of users and livestock are significantly related with the range condition and phytomass. Trend of ranchers to stock increasing in council utilization has a significant relation (at 0.05 levels) whereas there is no significant relation in collective and private utilizations. Sense of ownership in ranchers towards rangelands in private and collective (at 0.01 levels) is significant, unlike the council utilization. Therefore, decreasing of animal and ranchers is necessary for sustainability of rangelands.