News

a.z
Bahrami, R., Kavousi, M., Shahraki, M., Ghasemi Aryan, Y. (2025). Factors affecting in degradation process of Hyrcanian forests an exploration of the views of the forest users of the Oghan watershed in Golestan province. , 23(1), 1-18. doi: 10.22092/ijfrpr.2025.366582.1637
Reza Bahrami; Mohammad Reza Kavousi; Mohammadreza Shahraki; Yaser Ghasemi Aryan. "Factors affecting in degradation process of Hyrcanian forests an exploration of the views of the forest users of the Oghan watershed in Golestan province". , 23, 1, 2025, 1-18. doi: 10.22092/ijfrpr.2025.366582.1637
Bahrami, R., Kavousi, M., Shahraki, M., Ghasemi Aryan, Y. (2025). 'Factors affecting in degradation process of Hyrcanian forests an exploration of the views of the forest users of the Oghan watershed in Golestan province', , 23(1), pp. 1-18. doi: 10.22092/ijfrpr.2025.366582.1637
Bahrami, R., Kavousi, M., Shahraki, M., Ghasemi Aryan, Y. Factors affecting in degradation process of Hyrcanian forests an exploration of the views of the forest users of the Oghan watershed in Golestan province. , 2025; 23(1): 1-18. doi: 10.22092/ijfrpr.2025.366582.1637

Factors affecting in degradation process of Hyrcanian forests an exploration of the views of the forest users of the Oghan watershed in Golestan province

تحقیقات حمایت و حفاظت جنگلها و مراتع ایران
Article 2, Volume 23, Issue 1 - Serial Number 45, March 2025, Pages 1-18    PDF (867.6 K)
Document Type: Research Article
DOI: 10.22092/ijfrpr.2025.366582.1637
Authors
Reza Bahrami1; Mohammad Reza Kavousi* 2; Mohammadreza Shahraki3; Yaser Ghasemi Aryan4
1M.Sc. Student of Forest Biological Sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
2Associate Prof., Department of Forest Sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Recourses, Gorgan, Iran
3Researcher of rural development and expert in agricultural economics and natural resources of Golestan Governorate, Iran
4Assistant Professor, Desert Research Division, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Background and Objective: Although the factors affecting forest degradation have been more or less identified and introduced, in recent decades, due to the close relationship and subsistence dependence of forest dwellers on forests, the importance of identifying these factors, especially in the Hyrcanian forests, has increased. In this regard, the present research was conducted with the aim of analyzing the factors affecting Hyrcanian forest degradation from the perspective of forest dwellers in the Oghan watershed of Golestan Province.
Methodology: The study area is the forests of the Oghan watershed in Golestan Province with an area of 27,417 hectares. The present research is descriptive in nature and was carried out using a survey method. The statistical population consisted of 1,158 households from 10 forest-dwelling villages in the region, of which 290 people were selected as a sample using Krejcie and Morgan’s table through stratified random sampling. The main research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire, the first part of which was related to the demographic characteristics of the respondents, which was investigated using 17 items in the form of 4 nominal items, 13 interval items, and one ordinal item. The second part was related to the factors influencing forest degradation, which were evaluated with 48 items under social, economic, natural, legal, management-organizational, and service-infrastructure factors. In order to determine the content validity of the compiled questionnaire, the opinions and suggestions of forestry experts of Golestan Province were used, and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was calculated for its reliability, and its value was 0.91. In this research, after collecting and categorizing the data, descriptive and inferential statistical methods were applied using SPSS.22 software.
Results: The results showed that the items "low levels of environmental knowledge of the forest dweller about the forest services", "economic poverty and low income level of the people", "unintentional fires (naturally)", "lack of appropriate legal activities in the face of illegal occupations", "lack of manpower to protect forests", "lack of infrastructure facilities to prevent forest degradation" respectively with an average value of 3.593, 3.435, 3.435, 2.655, 3.355 and 3.328 had the highest importance in the forest degradation. On the other hand, six items including "cutting trees for fuel due to the lack of heating facilities such as fossil fuels", "cutting trees and branches to prepare agricultural tools and charcoal", "pest infestations and the occurrence of diseases in the forest", "low penalties for violations of forest laws", "negligence of forest protection officers", and "lack of sanitary facilities in forest villages such as public baths" had the lowest importance. Based on this, the results of Friedman’s test showed that economic factors with a value of 5.64 had the greatest effect, and legal factors with a value of 1.17 had the least effect on the degradation of forests in the region. The findings also indicated that there was a positive and significant relationship between the two variables of respondents’ education level (p=0.030 and r=0.109) and the distance of their residence from the forest (p=0.046 and r=0.106) with their views on the factors affecting forest degradation.
Conclusion: In general, social and economic challenges in the management of natural resource areas, especially forests, continue to exist as the priority problems of natural ecosystems in the fields of protection, restoration, improvement, development, and sustainable utilization. The lack of participation of local communities in formulating policies and in the decision-making process up to the implementation and monitoring of programs, neglect in creating and developing job opportunities and alternative income sources, as well as the insufficient development of practical and home-based occupations to reduce dependence on forest products, are among the most important reasons for this issue. Therefore, in this article, suggestions and practical solutions for the sustainable management and protection of forest areas have been presented.
Keywords
Forest; local communities; degradation; protection; Oghan watershed
References
  • Afshin, M., 2010. Participatory evaluation of forestry projects in Kermanshah province from socio-economic dimension (Case study of Zimkan watershed). Master Thesis of Kurdistan University.
  • Agrawal, A., 2007. Forests, governance, and sustainability: common property theory and its contributions. International Journal of the Commons, 1: 111-136. http://doi.org/10.18352/IJC.10
  • Alizadeh, L., Karmian, R., and Ejlali, F. 2011. Investigation of the most important factors of deforestation in Lorestan province and proposed solutions. National Conference on Central Zagros Forests, Capabilities and Straits: Lorestan (In Persian). 
  • Amiri Lemar, M., and Moradmand Jalali, A., 2015. Factors affecting the degradation of natural resources (Case study: basin 9 of Shafaroud). Journal of Forest Sustainable Development, 1(4): 309-320.
  • Biranvand, A., Babaei, K. S., and Kiadaliri, H., 2011. Investigation the ecological factors affecting fire spread in forest ecosystems (case study: Kakareza-Lorestan). Journal of Renewable Natural Resources Research, 2(2): 1-13 (In Persian). http://doi.org/10.30490/AEAD.2021.292942.1071
  • Bonan, G.B., 2008. Forests and climate change: forcings, feedbacks, and the climate benefits forests. Science, 320(5882): 1444-1449. http://doi.org/10.1126/science.1155121
  • Costa, S., Casanova, C., Sousa, C., and Lee, P., 2017. What does conservation mean for women? the case of the cantanhez forest national park. The Constitution Society, 15(2): 168-178. https://doi.org/10.4103/cs.cs_14_91
  • Dudley, R. G., 2004. A system dynamics examination of the willingness of villagers to engage in illegal logging, The Haworth Press Inc.
  • Duguma, L.A., Atela, J., Minang, P.A., Ayana, A.N., Gizachew, B., Nzyoka, J.M., and Bernard, F., 2019. Deforestation and forest degradation as an environmental behavior: unpacking realities shaping community actions. Land, 8(2): 26-42. https://doi.org/10.3390/land8020026
  • Ghasemi-Aghbash, F., and Falahi, S., 2017. Factors affecting the deforestation of oak forests in Oulad Ghobad region, Journal of Zagros Forests Researches, 3(2): 81-94 (In Persian). 
    • Giliba, R.A., Boon, E.K., Kayombo, C.J., Chirenje, L.I., and Musamba, E.B., 2011. The influence of socio-economic factors on deforestation: a case study of the Bereku Forest Reserve in Tanzania. Journal of Biodiversity, 2(1): 31-39. http://doi.org/10.1080/09766901.2011.11884727
    • Guerra-Martínez, F., García-Romero, A., Cruz-Mendoza, A., and Osorio-Olvera, L., 2019. Regional analysis of indirect factors affecting the recovery, degradation and deforestation in the tropical dry forests of Oaxaca, Mexico. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography, 40(3): 387-409. https://doi.org/10.1111/sjtg.12281
    • Hajjarian, M., Hosseinzadeh, O., Khezri Dashkasan, S.S., and Khayatinejad, S., 2018. Identifying and ranking of mangrove forests deforstation causes using Promethee II. Journal of Marine Science and Technology, 3(3): 1-12 (In Persian). https://doi.org/10.22113/jmst.2017.42318 
    • Harris, N.L., Brown, S., Hagen, S.C., Saatchi, S.S., Petrova, S., and Salas, W., 2012. Baseline map of carbon emissions from deforestation in tropical regions. Science, 336: 1573-1576. http://doi.org/10.1126/science.1217962
    • Hishe, H.A.D.G.U., Giday, K.I.D.A.N.E., Haile, M.E.B.R.A.H.T.U., and Raj, A.J., 2015. The influence of socioeconomic factors on deforestation: A case study of the dry Afromontane forest of Desa’a in Tigray Region, Northern Ethiopia. International Journal of Agricultural Science and Research, 5(3): 339-348.
    • Hosonuma, N., Herold, M., De Sy, V., De Fries, R.S., Brockhaus, M., Verchot, L., and Romijn, E., 2012. An assessment of deforestation and forest degradation drivers in developing countries. Environmental Research Letters, 7(4): 044009. http://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/7/4/044009
  • Ildoromi, A., Ghasemi, F., and Bahmani, N., 2016. Investigation the role of Socio-Economic factors on the degradation of Zagros forests (Kakareza Lorestan). Iranian Journal of Forest and Range Protection Research, 13(2): 140-149 (In Persian). http://doi.org/10.22092/IJFRPR.2016.106021
    • Karampour, S., Ansarian, M., and SHateri poor, S., 2024. An analysis of economic, social, and legal factors influencing forest destruction crimes in Kermanshah province. Iranian Journal of Forest and Range Protection Research, 22(1): 1-15 (In Persian). http://doi.org/10.22092/ijfrpr.2023.360027.1553
    • Kavianpour, A.H., Barani, H., and Ghorbani, A., 2015. Investigating the effective factors on the destruction of watersheds from the perspective of managers and natural resources experts. Extension and Development of Watershed Management, 3(10): 9-15 (In Persian).
  • Khan, A.M., Hussain, A., Siddique, S., Khan, S.M., Iqbal, A., Ahmad, T., Suliman, M., and Ali, G., 2017. Effects of deforestation on socio-economy and associated insect pests in district Swat, Pakistan. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies, 5(1): 945-960.
  • Kimengsi, J.N., Pretzsch, J., Kechia, M.A., and Ongolo, S., 2019. Measuring Livelihood Diversification and Forest Conservation Choices: Insights from Rural Cameroon. Forests, 10(2): 81-95. http://doi.org/10.3390/f10020081
    • Kobbail, A.A.R., 2012. Local people attitudes towards community forestry practices: a case study of Kosti Province-Central Sudan. International Journal of Forestry Research, 2012: https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/652693
  • Kraaij, S., and Milton, J., 2006. Vegetation changes (1995-2004) in semi-arid and Karoo shrubland, South Africa. Journal of Arid Environment, 64: 74-192. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2005.04.009
    • Lawrence, D., and Vandecar, K., 2015. Effects of tropical deforestation on climate and agriculture. Nature Climate Change, 5(1): 2736. http://doi.org/:10.1038/NCLIMATE2430
    • Le, L.T., Markowski, J., and Bartos, M., 2018. The comparative analyses of selected aspects of conservation and management of Vietnam’s national parks. Nature Conservation, 25(1): 1-30. https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.25.19973
    • Lepetu, J., Alavalapati, J., and Nair, P.K., 2009. Forest dependency and its implication for protected areas management: a case study from Kasane Forest Reserve, Botswana. International Journal of Environmental Research, 3(4): 525-536. http://doi.org/10.22059/IJER.2010.68
    • Listiana, I., and Ariyanto, D., 2024. Structural equation modeling for social capital empowerment in supporting mangrove rehabilitation. Global Journal of Environmental Science and Management, 10(4): 2031-2044. https://doi.org/10.22034/gjesm.2024.04.32
  • Lonn, P., Mizoue, N., Ota, T., Kajisa, T., and Yoshida, S., 2018. Biophysical factors affecting forest cover changes in community forestry: a country scale analysis in Cambodia. Forests, 9(273): 1-8. https://doi.org/10.3390/f9050273
    • Maxwell, S.L., Fuller, R.A., Brooks, T.M., and Watson, J.E., 2016. Biodiversity: the ravages of guns, nets and bulldozers. Nature News, 536(7615): 143-145. http://doi.org/10.1038/536143a
    • Michinaka, T., Miyamoto, M., Yokota, Y., Sokh, H., Lao, S., and Ma, V., 2013. Factors affecting forest area changes in Cambodia: An econometric approach. Journal of Sustainable Development, 6(5): 12-26. http://doi.org/:10.5539/jsd.v6n5p12
    • Mogoi, J., Obonyo, E., Ongugo, P., Oeba, V., and Mwangi, E., 2012. Communities, property rights and forest decentralization in Kenya: early lessons from participatory forestry management. The Constitution Society, 10: 182-194. https://doi.org/10.4103/0972-4923.97490
    • Mondal, T., Bowers, W. W., & Ali, M. H., 2024. Sustainable Management of Sundarbans: Stakeholder Attitudes Towards Participatory Management and Conservation of Mangrove Forests. Journal of Sustainable Development, 14(3): 1-23. http://doi.org/10.5539/jsd.v14n3p23
    • Muluneh, A., and Sime, G., 2024. Participatory forest management for sustainable rural livelihoods and forest ecosystem services: The case of Deneba Forest Managing Cooperative in Journal for Nature Conservation, 126580.‏ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2024.126580
    • Najafi, E., and Beyranvandzadeh, M., 2022. Evaluation and analysis of factors affecting the destruction of oak forests in Chegani city, Lorestan province. Journal of the Geographical Studies of Mountainous Areas, 3(7):1-16 (In Persian). http://doi.org/10.52547/gsma.3.3.99
    • Nijamdeen, T. W. G. F. M., Ratsimbazafy, H. A., Kodikara, K. A. S., Nijamdeen, T. A., Thajudeen, T., Peruzzo, S., and Hugé, J., 2024. Delineating expert mangrove stakeholder perceptions and attitudes towards mangrove management in Sri Lanka using Q methodology. Environmental Science and Policy, 151: 103632. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2023.103632
    • Ofoegbu, C., Chirwa, P.W., Francis, J., and Babalola, F.D., 2017. Socio-economic factors influencing household dependence on forests and its implication for forest-based climate change interventions. Southern Forests, 3: 1-8. https://doi.org/10.2989/20702620.2016.1255420
    • Raizada, A., Dogra, P., and Dhyani, B.L., 2008. Assessment of a multiobjective decision support system generated land use plan on forest fodder dependency in a Himalayan watershed. Environmental Modelling and Software, 23: 1171-1181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2008.02.001
  • Ranjit, Y., 2012. Economic impact of people's participation in forest management (a case study of KabhrePalanchwok, Nepal). Economic Journal of Development Issues, 1: 139-151. http://doi.org/10.3126/ejdi.v13i0.7218
  • Roudgarmi, P., Anssari, N., and Farahani, E., 2011. Determining effective socio-economic factors on degradation of Natural Resources in Tehran province. Iranian Journal of Range and Desert Research, 18(1): 151-171 (In Persian). https://doi.org/10.22092/ijrdr.2011.102052  
  • Rosa, I., Rentsch, D., and Hopcraft, J., 2018. Evaluating forest protection strategies: a comparison of land-use systems to preventing forest loss in Tanzania. Sustainability, 10(12): 4476-4492. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10124476
    • Rudel, T.K., Sloan, S., Chazdon, R., and Grau, R., 2016. The drivers of tree cover expansion: global temperate and tropical zone analyses. Land Use Policy, 58: 502-513. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2016.08.024
    • Rueda, X., Velez, M.A., Moros, L., and Rodriguez, L., 2019. Beyond proximate and distal causes of land-use change: linking Individual motivations to deforestation in rural contexts. Ecology and Society, 24(1): 1-14. http://doi.org/10.5751/ES-10617-240104
    • Seyed-Akhlaghi-Shal, S. J., Ansari, N., and Kalafi, S. Y., 2012. Investigation of socio-economic factors on natural resources degradation of Ardebil province from the viewpoint of utilizers and experts. Iranian Journal of Range and Desert Research, 19(1): 133-148 (In Persian). https://doi.org/10.22092/ijrdr.2012.103075
    • Tahmasbian, S., Momeni, M., and Najafi, F., 2012. Causes and factors of rangeland degradation and strategies to prevent rangeland degradation in Ilam province (Case study of Shirvan Chardavol city). The first conference on sustainable development of natural resources in the west of the country; Challenges and solutions: Lorestan (In Persian). 
    • Tesfaye, S.S., 2017. Assessment of local community perception of and attitude towards participatory forest management (PFM) system and its implications for sustainablity of forest condition and livelihoods: the case of Chilimo-Gaji forest in Dendi district, West Shewa zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. Journal of Earth Science and Climatic Change, 8(382): 1-10. http://doi.org/10.4172/2157-7617.1000382
    • Treby, D.L., Castley, J.G., and Hero, J.M., 2014. Forest conservation policy implementation gaps: consequences for the management of hollow-bearing trees in Australia. Conservation and Society, 12(1): 16-26.‏ http://doi.org/10.4103/0972-4923.132122
    • Ujih, U.O., Sabiu, N., Musa, D.M., and Azare, I.M., 2016. Effects of fuel wood exploittion on the environment: a case study of Nasarawa local government area, Nasarawa state, Nigeria. Dutse. Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, 2(1): 195-201.
    • Wilcove, D.S., Giam, X., Edwards, D.P., Fisher, B., and Koh, L.P., 2013. Navjot's nightmare revisited: logging, agriculture, and biodiversity in Southeast Asia. Trends in ecology and evolution, 28(9): 531-540. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2013.04.005
    • Wolfersberger, J., Delacote, P., and Garcia, S., 2015. An empirical analysis of forest transition and land-use change in developing countriesEcological Economics, 119: 241-251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2015.08.018
    • Yang, K., Yu, Z., Luo, Y., Yang, Y., Zhao, L., and Zhou, X., 2018. Spatial and temporal variations in the relationship between lake water surface temperatures and water quality-A case study of Dianchi Lake. Science of the Total Environment, 624: 859-871. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.12.119
  • Yang, R., Luo, Y., Yang, K., Hong, L., and Zhou, X., 2019. Analysis of forest deforestation and its driving factors in Myanmar from 1988 to 2017. Sustainability, 11(11): 30-47. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113047
Statistics
Article View: 621
PDF Download: 389


counter
Journal management system. designed by sinaweb