Sustainable Natural Resources Management with Cooperation of Rural Councils

Nowadays, rural councils as local organizations receive more attention in sustainable management of natural resources through public participation. Many countries are approaching the use of local organizations and rural councils in conserving natural resources. In Iran, National Resolution for Environmental Conservation emphasizes on using Islamic Rural Councils (IRC). The present article describes the results of a survey research conducted in the year 2010 on participation forms and technical capabilities of IRC members with regard to natural resources conservation in protected areas of Fars Province. This research indicated that most IRC members have a tendency to participate in natural resources conservation and especially in prevention of tree cutting and combating fire in jungles and rangelands. The mean score of the scale of technical capabilities of IRC members is about average. Furthermore, the scale of technical properties has a positive and significant correlation with the scale of participation forms of IRC members. The findings recommend that technical properties of IRC members should be reinforced.