Analyzing the Challenges and Strategies for Public Participation in Environmental Conservation Projects in Rural Areas

Natural resources are valuable gifts that God has granted to humane who benefit from it carelessly. Proper and fair use of these resources is human task that any person directly or indirectly associated with it. Thus, considering public participation in environmental conservation is a matter of great concern. In this regard, this study aimed to examine the challenges and strategies for attracting public participation in environmental conservation projects in rural areas. A survey was conducted among intermediate managers of the department of natural resources and watershed of Zanjan province (N=132). 105 of managers were surveyed based on random sampling. The main tool of this study was questionnaire; face validity of which was approved by a panel of experts. For determining the reliability of questionnaire, Cronbaches' alpha coefficient was calculated which for the main scale of questionnaire (α>0.7). Analysis of data was done with SPSS/windows. The results of factor analysis indicated that from respondents' viewpoint challenges to public participation in environmental conservation projects were categorized in four-factor including; "lack of projects quick impact", "lack of familiarity with the techniques of participation," "the lack of legal criteria for people and government agent about participation" and "lack of attention to people's demands". Totally, these four factors could explain 65.78 percent of the total variance. Furthermore, from respondents' viewpoint strategies of public participation in environmental conservation projects were categorized in the three factors including: "counseling with people and participatory monitoring", "informing people about the project" and "financial support and incentives" that totally explained 69.10 percent of total variance.