Factors Affecting Participation of Rural Forest Dwellers in the Management of Oshtorankooh Forest in Doroud Township, Iran

Due to the breadth of the subject and its interaction with social and economic issues, forest resource management is a metaorganizational plan application which requires public participation. Due to an increasing population size and the high dependency of forest dwellers on forest resources, this valuable resource has faced destruction and a decline in terms of quantity and quality and is in danger of disappearing. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting the participation of rural forest dwellers towards management of Oshtorankooh Forest in Doroud. The study was undertaken by using a descriptive-correlation method. The population size was 543 households and, according to the Krejcie and Morgan Table, 226 family heads were studied as a sample by using stratified random sampling method. Statistical analysis was done through SPSS software. The research tools included a questionnaire whose validity was confirmed by a group of professionals. A pilot study was conducted during which the Cronbach's alpha test was calculated to determinate the reliability of data collection instrument. Multiple regression analysis showed that the use of educational tools and resources, attitude to participation, age, cooperation and interaction experience in rural areas, education level and annual income, could explain 0.51 of the variation of participation. Results of path analysis showed that the variable of the use educational tools and resources had the most effect and the awareness of the importance of forests had the least effect on the participation rate in forest management. Based on the findings, some executive recommendations have been presented.