Parviz Kordvani, geographer and father of Iranian desert studies, passes away
Parviz Kordvani, geographer and father of scientific desertology in Iran, passed away on Wednesday evening, August 17, at the age of 90.
Parviz Kordavani was suffering from bone marrow cancer.
After receiving his diploma in Iran, Mr. Kordvani went to Germany and returned to Iran after receiving his doctorate in desert development.
He was the Director General of the Educational Studies Office of the University of Tehran between 1969 and 1975, and then the founder and head of the Iranian Desert and Desert Areas Research Center in Iran.
He was among the critics of government water policies and had warned in numerous books about "water plunder," "land subsidence," and "well salting" in the country 30 years ago.
His views on some Iranian environmental issues, including his opposition to the restoration of Lake Urmia, were also met with criticism.
Considering the current conditions of the lake, Mr. Kordvani believed that it should be abandoned and sought to create forests and pastures, and that Lake Urmia should no longer be loved, because, according to him, the lake has an "incurable disease" and cannot be cured.
He also suggested sprinkling sand instead of mulch to solve the dust problem in Iran and stabilize desert soil.
Source: Radio Farda
