Islamic Rural Councils Participation in Natural Resources Conservation: An Investigation in Protection Areas in Fars Province

Natural resources protection not only depends on technology but also on local institutions and organizations. Using local organizations like Islamic Rural Councils (IRCs) is an alternative to make a proper sustainable organizational framework for managing natural resources as they have the effective role in enhancing rural participation. Hence, many countries seek to exhort and use the local participation capacity in form of different groups and councils. IRCs in Iran have a great capacity to participatory protection of natural resources. Based on the results of a survey research was done in Fars protected areas aiming at studying participatory structure of 52 IRCs and attitudes of its members, present article describes participatory potentials of IRCs in forming a sustainable institution or social organization to protect natural resources. Results show that the participatory dimension of organization structure of IRCs is relatively good. It more probably could help IRCs to do their role as a conservation institution regard to natural environment. Attitudes of IRCs members toward public participation and toward natural resources conservation are desirable and IRCs members want to participate in higher levels of participation especially at functional participation level. Most of IRCs members believe that IRCs should be activated in monitoring natural resources protection and decision making and executive plans respectively. Based on the findings, it is suggested to validate suitable authority to IRCs for increasing their power in decision making, making functional participation between governmental organization and IRCs in order to local conservation of natural resources, enhancing attitude of IRCs members toward public participation and finally, giving monitoring role to the IRCs in natural resources conservation.