Factors Influencing People’s Participation in Sustainable Natural Resources Management: A Case Study in Central Iran

Authors
V. Raufirad 1
R. Khalili 2
B. Endress 3
S. Bagheri 1
M. Jafari 4
1 Department of Natural Resources, Sari University of Agricultural sciences and Natural Resources, Sari, Islamic Republic of Iran.
2 Natural Resources and Watershed Management Office, Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran.
3 Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, Oregon State University, USA.
4 Department of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Abstract
Today, identifying and evaluating the factors that influence People’s Participation (PP) in Sustainable Natural Resource Management (SNRM) are the most common challenges that natural resource scientists should address. The purpose of this study was to understand the demographic, socio-cultural, and religious factors that influence PP in SNRM in Isfahan city, Iran. Using a multi-stage, stratified random sampling method, 200 experts and natural resource users were selected through Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient (0.93). Data was collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. A panel of experts and Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient, respectively, approved the content validity and reliability of the questionnaire. Results showed that public awareness factors were the key elements when approaching SNRM in the view of natural resource experts, while natural resource users identified religious characteristics as the key factors that influence PP. Furthermore, the results indicated that there was no significant difference between personal characteristics (age, education background, marital status) and PP in SNRM. Thus, it can be concluded that the natural resource experts and users perceive the factors that influence the adoption of SNRM approaches differently. Since these factors are still poorly understood and vary widely across the country, more research is needed in order to better understand the PP and adoption of SNRM.

Keywords

1. Azadi, H., Samari, D., Zarafshani, K., Hosseininia, G. and Witlox, F. 2013. Forest Management in the Zagros Area, Iran: A Factor Analysis. Sustain. Sci., 8: 543-551.
2. Azadi, H., Ho, P. and Hasfiati, L. 2011. Agricultural Land Conversion Drivers: A Comparison between Less Developed, Developing and Developed Countries. Land Degrad. Dev., 22: 596-604.
3. Arayesh, M. B. and Farajollah, S. J. 2010. Regression Analysis of Factors Affecting Women's Participation in the Preservation, Revitalization, Development and Utilization of Renewable Natural Resources from the Perspective of Natural Resources Experts, Ilam. J. Agr. Econ. Dev., 24(1): 49-58. (in Persian)
4. Arayesha, B. and Mammi, Sh. 2010. Prioritization Role of Psychological Factors in the Process of Popular Participation Groups to Preserve, Revival, Develop and Using Natural Resources s (Case Study: Iran. Ilam Province). Proc. Soc. Behav. Sci., 5: 174-177.
5. Armitage, D., Marschke, M. and Plummer, R. 2008. Adaptive Co-Management and the Paradox of Learning. Global Environ. Chang., 18(1): 86-98.
6. Arnstein, S. R. 1969. A Ladder of Citizen Participation. J. Am. Inst. Plann., 35(4): 216-224.
7. Berkes, F. 2010. Devolution of Environment and Resources Governance: Trends and Future. Environ. Conserv., 37(4): 489-500.
8. Berkes, F. 2009. Evolution of Co-Management: Role of Knowledge Generation, Bridging Organizations and Social Learning. J. Environ. Manage., 90(5): 1692–1702.
9. Booth, A. and Halseth, G. 2012. Why the Public Thinks Natural Resources Public Participation Processes Fail: A Case Study of British Columbia Communities. Land Use Policy, 28: 898-906.
10. Cornwall, A. 2008. Unpacking ‘Participation’ Models, Meanings and Practices. Commun. Dev. J. 43(3): 269-283.
11. Fraser, E. D. G., Dougill, A. J., Mabee, W. E., Reed, M. and McAlpine, P. 2006. Bottom up and Top Down: Analysis of Participatory Processes for Sustainability Indicator Identification as a Pathway to Community Empowerment and Sustainable Environmental Management. J. Environ. Manage., 78(2): 114-127.
12. Fisher, R. J. 1999. Devolution and Decentralization of Forest Management in Asia and the Pacific. UNASYLVA-FAO, 3-5.
13. Ghorbani, A., Raufirad, V., Rafiaani, P. and Azadi, H. 2015. Ecotourism Sustainable Development Strategies using SWOT and QSPM Models: A Case Study of Kaji Namakzar Wetland, South Khorasan Province, Iran. Tourism Manage. Perspect., 16: 290-297.
14. Hejazi E. and Arabi, P. 2009. Factors Affecting the Participation of NGOs in Environmental Protection. J. Environ. Stud., 34(4): 16-99. (in Persian)
15. Heydari, G., Barani, H., Khoshfar, G., Ghorbani, J., Aghili, M. and Mahboobi, M. 2009. The Role of Social Wealth on Participation in Performing Pasteurizing Projects Based on the Points of Views of Their Applicants (Case Study of Balade Pastures North of Iran). J. Rangeland, 3(1): 121-137. (in Persian)
16. Hosseininia, Gh., Azadi, H., Zarafshani, K., Samari, D. and Witlox, F. 2013. Sustainable Rangeland Management: Pastoralists’ Attitudes toward Integrated Programs in Iran. J. Arid Environ., 92: 26-33.
17. Jackson, T. and Curry, J. 2004. Peace in the Woods: Sustainability and the Democratization of Land Use Planning and Resources Management on Crown Lands in British Columbia. Int. Plann. Stud., 9(1): 27–42.
18. Khatoonabadi, S. A., Amini, A. M. and Mirzaali, A. 2001. The Herd Keeper Participation Preventing Factors in Restoration Pastures of Aghghala in Golestan Province. J. Agric. Sci. Technol. Nat. Resour, 1(5): 39-54. (in Persian)
19. Kunagy, C. L, Humphrey, C. R. and Firebaugh, G. 1994. Surging Environmentalism: Changing Public Opinion or Changing Public? Soc. Sci. Q., 75: 804-819.
20. Khalili, R., Rashidpoor, A., Raufirad, V. and Fathi, M. 2014. Effective Cultural Factors Survey on People's Participation in Sustainable Natural Resources Management of (Case Study: Isfahan City, Iran). The 4th International Conference on Environmental Challenges and Dendrochronology, PP. 475-480.
21. Mahler, R. L., Shafii, B., Hollenhorst, S. and Andersen, B. J. 2008. Public Perceptions on the Ideal Balance between Natural Resources Protection and Use in the Western USA. Montana, 135: 54-0.
22. Mitchell, B. 2005. Participatory Partnerships: Engaging and Empowering to Enhance Environmental Management and Quality of Life. Soc. Indic. Res., 71(1/3): 123-144.
23. Parkins, J. R. and Mitchell, R. E. 2005. Public Participation as Public Debate: A Deliberative Turn in Natural Resources Management. Soc. Nat. Res., 18(6): 529-540.
24. Roseland, M., Day, J. C. and Penrose, R. W. 1998. Shared Decision Making in Public Land Planning: An Evaluation of the Cariboo-Chilcotin CORE Process (Commission on Resources and Environment). Environ., 25(2/3): 27.
25. Raufirad, V., Khalili, R., Fathi, M. and Rashidpoor, A. 2014. Identification Effective Factors on Participation of Stakeholders in Sustainable Natural Resources s Management (Case Study: Users of Natural Resources, Isfahan City, Iran). The 4th International Conference on Environmental Challenges and Dendrochronology, PP. 472-475.
26. Romina, R. 2014. Social Learning, Natural Resources Management, and ParticipatoryActivities: A Reflection on Construct Development and Testing. Wageningen J. Life Sci., 69: 15-22.
27. Rowe, G. and Frewer, L. J. 2005. A Typology of Public Engagement Mechanisms. Sci. Technol. Hum. Valu., 30(2): 251-290.
28. Shariaati, M. and Reza, B. 2004. The Effective Factors on Woodsmen and Rural People in Protecting the North and West Forests of Iran. For. Pasture Period., (67): 38-49.
29. Sheppard, S. R. J. 2005. Participatory Decision Support for Sustainable Forest Management: A Framework for Planning with Local Communities at the Landscape Level in Canada. Can. J. For. Res., 35(7): 1515-1526.
30. Seigel S. 1956. Nonparametric Statistics the Behavioral Sciences. McGraw-Hill, Tokyo.
31. Stroup, R. L. and Baden, J. A. 1983. National Resources Bureaucratic Myths and Environmental Management. Pacific Institute for Public Policy Research, San Francisco, California, PP. 65-72.
32. Zurba, M. and Trimble, M. 2014. Youth as the Inheritors of Collaboration: Crises and Factors that Influence Participation of the Next Generation in Natural Resources Management. Environ. Sci. Policy, 42: 78-87.
Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology
Volume 19, Issue 6
November and December 2017
Pages 1267-1277