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Nosrat Ollah Sarikhani, born on March 25th 1932 Tehran, Iran,  was a forest scientist.

He was one of the first professors who established the Forest and Rangeland Institute and thereafter the Faculty of Natural Resources at the University of Tehran, Iran. He received his doctorate in forestry and forest management from Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, and was in charge of all forest engineering courses at the Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, until his retirement. In addition, as the first head of the Forest of Education and Research, the University of Tehran in Kheyrud, Nowshahr, Iran, he made outstanding services and achievements in the design and implementation of forestry projects and its establishment. His teaching and teaching operations in the forest were always appreciated by his students and in this respect they were among the unique professors in their work and expertise.

Early life and Family
Nosrat Ollah Sarikhani was born to Farkhondeh and Asghar Sarikhani. His father was a forward-thinking businessman and entrepreneur. He was the youngest of eight siblings. He was creative and had engineering mind since early ages. In 1965, Sarikhani married Farah Kayvanjah. Together they have three daughters, Anahita, Pantea and Mandana. Anahita resides in US, Orlando, works as a surgical nurse. Pantea is a translator, and mother of two. Mandana resides in Denmark and is an assistant professor at Technical university of Denmark in Civil Engineering department, Indoor Environment section.

First years at Forests and Rangelands Organization
After finishing high school, due to their interest in nature, they entered the service of the Forests and Rangelands Organization. This was done after a theoretical training course. His first organizational position was the head of the Department of Utilization and Forestry in Khorasan Forestry. In 1957, with the arrival of [|Professor Hanns Gläser] in order to create an educational and exemplary forest collaborated with him for two years in the Loveh forestry project. Conversations and correspondence were in English at the time which he had the language proficiency for such level of international collaboration. In 1959, he was funded by the Iranian government at the time to pursue his academic studies in forest sciences at the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Germany. He mastered German language in the first year along with his studies.

Academic Career
In 1964, Sarikhani completed his Bachelor's and Master's degrees. He was then awarded a scholarship by FOA to pursue his doctorate studies at the same university on the topic of forestry and forest Utilization with focus on forest road network, which he completed in 1967.The forest department in the heart of the Faculty of Agriculture was established by [|Professor Hanns Gläser] along with several international experts, supported by World Food Organization (FAO), which later became the Faculty of Forestry and then the Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran. At this time, Sarikhani’s return was awaited to take a teaching assistant task along with Professor Gläser even before his employment at Tehran University had begun officially. He started teaching 14 credit courses, which he further developed together with [|Professor Hanns Gläser] in the coming years and after [|Professor Hanns Gläser] retirement, and later on further created and compiled additional courses in years to come including "Design and implementation of forest road networks", which is a standard course taught throughout the country in different faculties of Forestry and Natural Resources. In addition, every summer, there were two operations of forest roads utilization and project preparation, and due to the lack of facilities in the educational forest at the time, a number of these operations were carried out in Sisangan, Lajim, Golband, etc. forest parks. After [|Professor Hanns Gläser] retirement and returned to Germany, Dr. Sarikhani became responsible for teaching forest engineering courses as well as three courses called Introduction to Forestry. As head of the section of OFrestry and Forest Economy in several periods, he administered the group's dynamics and made contributions to enhance the study curriculum at the Master's level as well as doctoral level.

His book,Forest Utilization, has been widely used and republished and has won the award for the Best Academic book of the year 1992 in field of Agricultural science and Natural Resources. He also initiated journal publication in collaboration with Dr. Baris Majnonian, and the Journal of 131 which is entitled the instructions for preparing the forest roads project.

Educational and Research forest
Sarikhani was actively in favor of setting up an educational and research forest unit since the beginning of his academic career. As the first head of the scientific-research forest, despite minimum support at the time, he worked towards realization of the Kheyrud educational and research forest, located in Kheyrud Kenar, by resorting to any possible and effective help and measures. Through World Peace Corps, he managed to attract three volunteers as the first personnel of the newly established educational-research forest, a newly graduate engineer from USA Bob Brown, Philip Melan from Switzerland and a Technician from Japan Kagayama.

The design of the forest roads started under the supervision of Dr. Sarikhani with the participation of three volunteer forces and the participation of students who carried out their road construction operations. The work continued through years by number of his assistants, who were now his colleagues in the forestry group, including Dr. Baris Majnonian and a number of his other colleagues.

He later on got financial supports from the Program and Budget Organization after long negotiations to build a student dormitory, a residential villa for the local forest manager and a repair workshop, and a wood workshop with the infrastructures needed including electricity. Funded by additional funding by FAO, he later added all necessary machines and equipment needed for further research, education and realization of the forest road networks and handling of the wood and resources and restorations. In addition, he three hectares of plain lands were overtaken and added to the educational forest for plantation. In order to revive the local fishery and in relation to the fishery and aquaculture studies at the university he managed to set and dedicate several thousand meters of land adjacent to the Kheyrud River for the construction of fish ponds.

Design and Implementation of Khairud road network
[|Professor Hanns Gläser] and Sarikhani built the first line of routes in 1964 along the Kheyrud River and the western side of the current and existing dormitory. Sarikhani later on redesigned this path to its current form in use by removing and changing the beginning of the route. The implemented design has proved to be robust design considering the initial route was destroyed in a massive.

The first kilometer of the route was built by bare hands and minimum tools and equipment which showcased the importance and vital role it can play for the forest and educational as well as future research purposes. The project got funded later on and continued to Takht-e-Haidar at 320 meter above sea and higher. IN a period of 6 years and up till 1974 Sarikhani continued and complemented the construction of the forest roads up till 750 meter above sea. He later on in years after 1979 added Grazben, Namkhaneh, Chalir, Baharban, Mina Sang and Darno to the forest road network in this region.

Awards
Forest Utilization, written by Sarikhani won the award for the Best Academic book of the year 1992 in field of Agricultural science and Natural Resources.

Retirement and Poetry
During his retirement, Sarikhani completed a series of rhymes and poems on different topics related to nature, philosophy of life and his life. His love and passion for nature and worries of its false utilization was not only his everyday mind hassle or not only his profession but intertwined with his very being and existence that he was set to germinate in minds and souls of whoever he could reach. As he writes beautifully in The pond: ‎من تك كنار بركه و گل دسته دسته بود ‎ابر نمور، دامن خود را گسسته بود

I was alone by the pond and dabs of flowers plentiful The rain clouds had spread its skirt

‎باران ريز دانه كه بر آب مى چكيد ‎ نقش هزار دايره بر آب بسته بود

The drizzle of rain dripping on the pond Had painted contours of a thousand circles

‎يك سار نك طلايى زيبا در آن طرف ‎با جفت خود سر شاخى نشسته بود

An inquisitive golden-beak starling on the other side Was sitting on a branch with its mate

‎افسوس و صد فغان كه از آن پس در آن مكان ‎ صدها مسافر آمده ديگر نرفته بود

Alas a thousand sighs, ever since Hundreds of passengers came and not went away

‎چندى گذشت و بركه زيباى ما دگر ‎ از زير بار سخت قدمها نرسته بود

Some time passed and our beautiful pond Did not rejuvenate under the heavy steps

‎اين يادگار مانده ز دوران و عصرها ‎آينه وار زير قدمها شكسته بود

This relic of the ages and times It was broken like a mirror under their steps

‎گويا هزار نغمه گر داستان عشق ‎از ناز گل ، ستم خار، خسته بود

Perhaps the nightingale, the singer of the thousands love stories Was fatigued from the lavish of the flower, the sting of her thorn

Written by Nosratollah Sarikhani, 2018