ذینفعان

The comprehensive management of watershed resources is considered as a new principle for planning the development and management of water and soil resources with an emphasis on the social and economic characteristics of the region in order to provide a sustainable livelihood for the vegetation and users of a basin without vulnerability. Although each country has its own conditions, there are similarities in the challenges faced by watershed management, in particular water resource management. Therefore, it is important to examine the experiences of other countries. In this research, the experiences of comprehensive watershed management approaches at the national and transnational levels were reviewed. The main aim of these plans was to improve and preserve water and soil resources, taking into account the improvement of the livelihood of local communities. According to these studies, a comprehensive watershed management approach has resulted in achievements such as attracting people's participation in projects, protecting water and soil and preventing land degradation, increasing the income of basin residents, women's participation, reducing soil erosion, reducing pollution, etc. The use of successful experiences of countries and the presentation and implementation of the compiled model can serve as a guide for decision-making and action in the field of watershed management, thereby promoting the stability and development of the country's watersheds.

To achieve effective policy relations; First, it is necessary to reform the decision-making network of water resources, adjust the power of government institutions, and involve stakeholder organizations, non-governmental organizations, academics, and those who care about water and the environment to restore water governance in the country. In the meantime, participatory decision-making in the field of water resources management can help improve decision-making processes and increase the ability to implement decisions related to water management. Therefore, the main goal of this research was to explain the current and desired state of the participatory decision-making process of water resources management. The questionnaire provided by United Nations Human Settlements program was used to collect data. The findings indicate that the most significant disparity between the present and desired conditions was observed in the institutionalization aspect. Also, in general, the investigation of the current state of the participatory decision-making process (confirmatory factor analysis) showed that the implementation dimension had the greatest relative importance in explaining the participatory decision-making process; This shows the importance of the human dimension in this relationship, which overshadows the entire decision-making management process, and the usefulness of the results depends on the quality of communication and collaborative strategies. Necessary planning in this regard should be developed by examining the variety of information sources and determining priorities, according to information sources and determining strategies, and should be implemented with emphasis on the capacity and commitment of the target community and individuals. Furthermore, efforts have been made to institutionalize these measures, which should not be overlooked.

Eskandari sub-watershed is one of the most important water supply sources for agriculture, drinking and industry in Isfahan region and province. Therefore, better understanding of the problems within this watershed is crucial for planning and proper management. Moreover, a concerted effort to engage all stakeholders in the integrated management of this watershed is necessary. This research aims to investigate the reasons for the increase of runoff in the years 2011, 2021, and 2031, providing management solutions with the active participation of stakeholders.

First, the height of the runoff was estimated using the curve number method. In this regard, Landsat 5 and 8 satellite images from 2011 and 2021 were used to prepare a land-use map of the Eskandari sub-watershed. Additionally, the prediction of land-use changes in the future (2031) was done using the Markov model. To prepare the curve number map, the combination of the land-use map and hydrological groups was used, and then the runoff height was estimated in the studied years. Following this, through collaborative workshops, stakeholders were asked to create a problems and objectives tree based on the main reasons for the runoff progress in the watershed, consulting with each other. Subsequently, based on the objective tree, the initial list of proposed solutions for the Eskandari sub-watershed was presented. The proposed solutions were then refined, classified, and prioritized by experts. Continuing with the goals of the current research, the most important indicators affecting the current situation of the Eskandari sub-watershed were selected based on the opinions of experts and stakeholders. To model, the multi-criteria decision-making method was used to select solutions and prioritize them. Therefore, initially, the researcher's questionnaire was distributed among stakeholders for scoring the selected solutions according to the assessment criteria. Finally, the results obtained from experts' scoring were prioritized using the TOPSIS method.

The results reveal a significant reduction in natural lands in the region. Consequently, by 2031, rangelands with good and mediocre cover have been completely destroyed, while those with poor cover, irrigation, and rainfed agriculture dominate the region. Based on soil science information, 57.18% of the area is related to hydrological group B with a medium runoff production capacity. Hydrological groups C and D, with percentages of 24.98 and 17.82, respectively, are the next priorities. Following this, by combining the hydrological group map of the watershed with the land-use map in GIS environment, the CN map with curve numbers ranging from 61 to 96 was obtained. Finally, the average infiltration in 2011, 2021, and 2031 was 79.15, 62.82, and 55.12 mm, respectively, while the average runoff in those years was 10.99, 13.15, and 13.38 mm, respectively. According to the results, the losses decrease over time, while the runoff increases. Residential lands and rocky outcrops have the highest amount of runoff production, i.e. 34.38 mm, whereas rangeland with good cover (0.33) has the lowest amount of runoff. In subsequent collaborative workshops, based on the opinions and consensus of stakeholders and experts, improper agriculture was identified as one of the main reasons for increase of runoff in the studied area. Due to a lack of water, insufficient income, and a lack of laws and supervision in the region, watershed farmers and residents are changing land use and cultivating low-yielding lands in an unprincipled manner. Also, in line with the research goals, 11 management solutions and 12 effective indicators (economic, social, and environmental sectors) were identified for the current situation of the watershed. The prioritization results based on the TOPSIS method showed that the solution of creating cover farming to increase surface coverage has been assigned the highest priority.

In this research, efforts have been made to address and mitigate the runoff in the study area. Management solutions have been presented based on the preferences and participation of stakeholders. Therefore, to prevent further runoff in the region, it is suggested to establish institutions tailored to the watershed's situation, considering patterns of cultivation and conservation agriculture, and integrating the cooperation of subordinate institutions and organizations.

In arid and semi-arid regions, water is considered as the most important restrictive factor in drinking, industry and agriculture. In this regard, Zayandehroud River is a prominent example of human and environmental concerns in this climate. Due to the large area of the Zayandeh Roud Watershed and the difficulty of developing and implementing a comprehensive participatory management model for the entire watershed, one of the upstream sub-watersheds of the Zayandeh roud Dam was selected for this study based on the Eskandri sub-watershed. This sub-watershed is important because its outlet leads to Zayandeh roud Dam. In addition, this sub-watershed is one of the most important sources of agricultural water supply, drinkable water, and industry in the region and province of Isfahan. Therefore, this study aims to present management responses regarding the strategy of improving the water resources status of the Eskandari sub-watershed with a logical framework approach.

First, the water resources status of the Eskandari sub-watershed was investigated using the Falkenmark index (FI). This index classifies the regions according to the annual renewable per capita volume (RW) for the provision of water resources. Based on the annual renewable per capita volume per person (m3/person), the FI is asfollows: no stress (FI<1700), stress (1000-1700), water low water (500-1000) and absolute deficiency (FI>500). In the following, in order to achieve the goals of integrated watershed management, the logical framework approach was used. Therefore, by identifying the stakeholders and organization of workshops, a problem tree and objectives for the desired strategy was drawn and a logical framework matrix was prepared based on the tree of objectives. In this research, 30 members from stakeholders (random sampling method) were selected as the sample for the resident questionnaire. In other words, the main, sub-goals, achievements, and activities in order to solve the stated problem were extracted from the objectives tree and classified in the framework of the logical framework matrix. Also, the opinion of 28 experts was also considered as a large group decision-making to prioritize items. The expert group consisted of experts from the Departments of Natural Resources and Watershed Management, Environment, Regional Water, and also scientific members of universities of Yazd and Esfahan, and some members of the village council. In the following, for the assessment, prioritization, and feasibility of doing any management response, first, the criteria and indicators for measuring different responses related to the status of the water resources of the Eskandari sub-watershed were determined. Then, the prioritization and selection of responses were done using the questionnaire method and the Friedman's test.

The results of the research showed that the amount of renewable water per person is 637.60 m3. According to the classification provided by Falkenmark, this shows that the Eskandari sub-watershed is in the low water category. In the following, the results of the logical framework showed that the response of the development of optimal allocation plans for water consumption and regulation of water rights has been assigned the highest score according to the indicators and criteria considered. The responses to the strengthening of supervisory and executive mechanisms and modification of laws and regulations for issuance of exploitation licenses and also, preparation and compilation of integrated water resources management plan were the next priorities in terms of status improvement, respectively. In addition, the results of the significance test indicate a significant effect of managerial responses at five percent 0.05 (P=0.00).

This study aimed to provide optimal management responses regarding the strategy of improving the status of water resources based on the expectations and perceptions of the stakeholders. Therefore, due to the ineffectiveness of the solutions in recent years, the implementation of the integrated management program of the Eskandari sub-watershed through the logical framework approach and the participation of all stakeholders is suggested in order for the principled and sustainable exploitation of water resources. Also, reinforcement of regulatory laws is recommended in order to observe water rights and access more equity in exploitation. In addition, in order to reduce water scarcity and improve the condition of watershed, the policies of the water sector should be enforced in a larger framework and with internal and external cooperation.

Evaluating the implemented watershed projects and providing a perspective of their performance results provide managers and decision-makers with appropriate information for long-term planning. Therefore, by evaluating the performance of watershed projects from the perspective of experts, while determining the effects of the project and the factors affecting, the necessary guidelines for the optimal implementation of these projects in the future can be provided to officials and planners. In this research, in order to evaluate the implemented watershed management projects in terms of improving the spirit of public participation in the Rimeleh Watershed, the point of view of experts and users was used.

Rimleh Watershed is one of the sub-basins of Kashkan River. For this purpose, after preparing the initial list of indicators, using the Delphi method and polling experts, the final list of indicators effective in improving the spirit of public participation was determined. 39 indicators were selected and classified into 6 categories. Finally, in order to prioritize the indicators, multi-indicator decision-making methods were used. All heads of rural households in this watershed were selected as the statistical population. The validity and reliability of the questionnaires were tested. According to Cochran's relationship and proportional assignment sampling method, 135 watershed dwellers were referred from the watershed dweller community. Face-to-face interviews and questionnaires were used to collect users' opinions. Friedman's test was used to rank the factors affecting people's participation from the point of view of beneficiaries. In order to evaluate from the point of view of experts, a pairwise comparison questionnaire was designed and distributed using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method.

Cronbach's alpha was calculated equal to 0.827 and showed the reliability of the questionnaires in the research. The compatibility rate in hierarchical analysis is less than 0.01, so the compatibility of the comparisons can be accepted. The results show that the activities of cooperative actions such as gardening, terracing, construction of concrete streams, construction of swimming pools and dredging of fountains took the most human and financial participation (about 76%). Examining indicators of participation of watershed residents in future projects showed that "increasing the level of income due to the implementation of the project in the region" (ranked 19.5) was chosen as the best indicator from the users' point of view. According to experts, the index "participation rate of watershed residents in decision-making" (with a weighted average of 0.252) was selected as the best index. The indicators of "increasing the participation of watershed residents in decision-making" and "using the capacity of other institutions in the implementation of conservation projects and attracting their participation" received the most weight, and the indicator "strengthening the participation of organizations such as cooperatives at the village level" received the least weight.

The results of this research show that the beneficiaries of Rimeleh Watershed have a high capacity to accept and participate in watershed management projects. It is suggested that the participation of stakeholders in future decisions and the use of participatory measures in this watershed and other watersheds are of importance. Therefore, the approach used in this research can be used as an effective method to help better understand the watershed system and also facilitate the decision-making process by watershed planners and managers and watershed stockholders. In order to evaluate the implementation of watershed projects on improving the spirit of public participation, it seems necessary to pay attention to the mentioned priorities and it is suggested to be placed on the agenda of managers and planners.

The need to decentralize government at the local level can guarantee the participation of rangeland beneficiaries. So the present study has analyzed the perceptions of rangeland beneficiaries of participatory governance in Incheh salt marshes in Golestan province. The research is descriptive-survey and statistical population consists of 120 beneficiaries, 92 of whom were selected as the sample size. The questionnaire was the main tool of data collection and participatory governance was evaluated with 32 items in the form of 9 components. The validity of the questionnaire was obtained by experts and its reliability was obtained by calculating the Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Statistical calculations based on SPSS25. The results showed that the "implementation" and "conflict resolution" with the highest and "planning" and "coordination" with the lowest were at the highest and lowest levels of governance index, respectively. On the other hand, according to the average obtained in the participatory governance index (3.58), the tendency of governance is toward community-oriented management. There was a positive and significant relationship between the variables of livestock history, number of livestock, age, annual income and the tendency to rule in the rangeland. According to the obtained results and also the importance of rangeland governance, the involvement of beneficiaries in the preparation of rangeland plans and projects and the use of their rich native knowledge, holding classes in line with the cooperative activities of beneficiaries with the Department of Natural Resources and Watershed Management as a representative of the government are the most important suggestions of this research.

Based on complexity in the socio-ecologic dynamic systems, and due to increasing human pressure on ecosystems, integrated approaches using social indicators of ecosystem services are valuable to evaluate ecosystem services. This issue becomes more important in Qeshm Island as one of the important tourist destinations of the country, the nominated Glopbal Geoparks by UNESCO and existing of some vulnerable natural ecosystems such as mangrove forest. In this study, using the social value of ecosystem services (SolVES) model, twelve social values ​​of Qeshm Island were mapped. The use of questionnaire and participatory evaluation methods combined with mapping of ecosystem services led to the integrated approach based on social values assessment of ecosystem services. In this regard, objective and subjective indicators have been used quantitatively and qualitatively. The indicators of social value of ecosystem services were first evaluated qualitatively in the form of a questionnaire and then quantitatively in the form of zoning performed in SolVES software. The results showed that the integration of spatial and social ecosystem services data and zoning of different intensities of value based on people's understanding of the social values of Qeshm Geopark's ecosystem services can effectively improve the process of spatial planning. Combining social values of ecosystem services with territorial data can lead to the integration of public understanding of social values among different stakeholders. It can prioritize places with attractions and social values of ecosystem services.

Natural resource management is among the important challenges encountered in most developing countries that requires explicit consideration of stakeholders’ interests as well as new techniques application. To do this, it is necessary to allow stakeholders to participate in decision making process and express their views across all stages of the process. Decision Support Systems (DSSs) as computer-based tools, assist stakeholders to reach their final informative decisions. To warrant the success of DSSs, it is crucial to bring together and assess the ideas, comments, and feedbacks of stakeholders during, and after the development process of a DSS. In this study, following the development of a DSS for the participatory integrated management of the Chel-chai Watershed in Golestan province, through conducting a filed survey and completing a questionnaire, the ideas and feedbacks received from the potential users of the Bayesian DSS were collected and assessed. The different groups of attendants in the survey were compared based on their responses using two statistical tests (the Mann-Whitney test and the Wilcoxon test) conducted in the R package.The results suggest the differences between groups of watershed managers and staff of the local and state offices for natural resource management to groups representatives of watershed communities in each of the questions is not significant at the 0.05 level. The results suggest that through a training course on principles, capacities, and functionalities of DSSs, for the group of managers and staff, the use of DSSs can assist this group of stakeholders in decision making process. As a result, application of DSSs can become a routine procedure for this group of stakeholders. In contrast, given the poor status of literacy and the computer skills of the watershed communities in the study area, the direct use of this type of computer-based systems is not expected and effective. Communication with some intellectuals among the watershed communities to provide some information and skills, can be an effective solution to the above shortcoming.