Predicting the conservation behavior of forest dwellers in Kuhdasht County; using the Value-Belief-Norm theory

Document Type : Complete scientific research article

Authors

1 PhD student in Forest Science and Engineering, Faculty of Natural Resources, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Faculty of Agriculture, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran.

3 Associate Professor, Department of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran.

Abstract

Background and Objective: Forests are valuable natural resources that provide ecosystem services and economic-social benefits. Deforestation requires collective participation for conservation. Irresponsible behavior from people is the main factor behind deforestation and environmental challenges, and communities’ interactions with the environment are influenced by socio-cultural conditions. Understanding the environmental behaviors of rural communities and the factors affecting them is essential for the conservation and restoration of the environment. Given the greater dependence of villages near the forests of Kuhdasht County on forest resources due to limited job opportunities, economic challenges, and the lack of research focused on understanding the environmental behaviors of these rural communities, the main objective of this study is to investigate the environmental behaviors of forest dwellers in Kuhdasht County using the Value-Belief-Norm model and to identify the effective factors on them.
Materials and Methods: To collect the data for this research, a questionnaire based on the Value-Belief-Norm model was used.Stern's (1999) Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory is one of the most widely used theories in this field. Stern proposed the VBN model as a combination of value theory, the new environmental perspective, and Schwartz's action norm model. This theory assumes that environmental behaviors are directly determined by personal norms based on the VBN model.. After designing and validating this questionnaire (confirming its validity and reliability) with the collaboration of experts, it was completed through face-to-face interviews with members of the forest-dwelling community. In total, 366 completed questionnaires were used in the data analysis process. SPSS software version 23 was used for descriptive statistical analysis.
Findings: The results of the research indicate that the goodness-of-fit indices of the Stern Value-Belief-Norm (VBN)model are at a standard level compared to the desired values. Accordingly, it can be asserted that this model has an appropriate fit for examining the intentions of host villagers to participate in forest conservation based on ecotourism. Moreover, the examination and analysis of the collected data showed that all the hypotheses proposed in this research were confirmed within the framework of the Value-Belief-Norm model. This indicates that the expected causal relationships among the model’s variables were indeed observed in reality and are statistically significant. However, it is important to note that the results obtained from this model only explain about 19 percent of the variations and variance in the conservation behaviors of forest dwellers. This means that other factors also play a role in shaping these behaviors, which were not examined in this model and could be considered in future research.

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Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Wood and Forest Science and Technology
Volume 32, Issue 1
March 2025
Pages 83-113

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