How can Iranian farmers’ attitudes toward environmental conservation be influenced?

Application of the extended theory of planned behavior in predicting the behavioral intentions of Iranian local communities toward forest conservation

Natural forests are the habitat of many plant and animal species and are the main source of genetic reserves. In addition to preserving biodiversity, forests play an important role in the livelihood and income of many indigenous communities. But, in the last few decades, due to the lack of proper management of the beneficiaries, they have been exposed to destruction, so that their protection requires the participation of all members of the society, especially the local people. Therefore, the main goal of this research was to discover the determinant factors on the intention of local communities to protect forests in Iran. An extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) by adding the variables of "risk perception" (RP) and "sense of belonging to place" (SBP) was used as the theoretical framework of the research. This research was done using the questionnaire survey method and with the help of structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population of this study included all the rural communities living in the Arasbaran forests (located in the northwest of Iran). The research findings indicated that the original TPB explains 66.9% of the variance of the behavioral intentions of locals toward forest protection. The three main constructs of the original TPB included attitude, perceived behavioral control (PBC) and subjective norms (SN), all of which had positive effects on the intention of local communities. Most importantly, the extended TPB by including RP and SBP increases the ability of the model to explain the intentions of local communities to forest protection by 11.8%. In this study, the variable of RP was identified as the most important factor, so it is suggested to the policy-makers of this field to increase the RP of local communities in relation to forest destruction using communication media. It is also suggested to promote safe behaviors in these natural areas through developing forest protection organizations and properly training locals on the protection of forest areas.

Landowner Satisfaction with Conservation Programs in the Southern United States

Landowner satisfaction with conservation programs affects their participation decisions and subsequently effectiveness of these programs in improving environmental quality. This study determined the influence of landownership goals, environmental concerns, frequency of contacts with federal agencies, and socioeconomic factors on landowner satisfaction with available conservation programs in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley and East Gulf Coastal Plain sub-geographies of the Gulf Coastal Plains and Ozarks Landscape Conservation Cooperative. A generalized ordered logit model for each conservation program was constructed to analyze factors influencing landowner satisfaction levels with these programs. Of the 14 federal conservation programs assessed, the top programs, based on a satisfaction level, included Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). The size of agricultural land owned, landownership goals including profit-making and personal recreation, concerns about wildlife habitat losses, and frequent contacts with federal agencies were positively related to landowner satisfaction levels. Better strategies addressing landowner’s environmental concerns, communicating technical knowledge, clarifying contract terms, and supporting financial resource leveraging will help reach the enrolled and non-enrolled landowners to increase their participation in conservation efforts.