The Attitude of Local Communities Towards Socio-Economic Effectiveness and Participation in Restoration Actions of Lake Urmia

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 MSc., Department of Range and Watershed Management, Faculty of Natural Resources, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Range and Watershed Management, Faculty of Natural Resources, Urmia University, Iran.

3 Associate Professor, Department of Range and Watershed Management, Faculty of Natural Resources, Urmia University, Iran.

Abstract

In line with the evaluation and monitoring of the actions of the Lake Urmia Restoration Headquarters, this research was conducted with the aim of evaluating the socio-economic effectiveness of the actions of the Lake Urmia Restoration Headquarters and measuring the participation of local communities on the shores of Lake Urmia. In the current research, according to the nature of the subject and research objectives, qualitative survey research method was used. In order to carry out this research, three types of restoration actions were selected, including planting with Atriplex species in Azarshahr city, planting and with Tamarix, Nitraria and Atriplex species in Shabestar city, and constructing a non-living windbreak using Tamarix species in Ajabshir city. local communities are most willing to participate in the implementation of new irrigation systems in order to save water consumption, agriculture with less water demand, and participation in planning and formulation of revitalization plans with average scores of 3.41, 3.19 and 2.93 respectively. According to the results, from the point of view of the local communities, the actions of the restoration headquarters have a significant difference in terms of economic effectiveness, and the economic effects of constructing a non-living windbreak have been greater than the other two methods. It seems that we can hope for positive results of the actions of the restoration headquarters if the appropriateness of restoration measures is observed with the ecological conditions of the region and the participation of local communities. 

Keywords

Main Subjects


Abadi, B. (2019). How agriculture contributes to reviving the endangered ecosystem of Lake Urmia? The case of agricultural systems in northwestern Iran. Journal of Environmental Management, 236, 54-67.
Abdollahee, A., Valaei, M., & Farajzadeh, F. (2018). Investigating the possibility of decreasing the negative effects of drying of Urmia Lake on rural economy with an emphasis on alternative cropping pattern. Case study: (Marhamat Abad Conty, Miyandoab Township). Geography and Human Relationships, 1(1): 131-150 (In Persian). 
Azarbar, S., Mofidi-Chelan, M., & Sheidai-Karkaj, E. (2023). Evaluating the effects of Lake Urmia’s revival practices on the environmental resilience of local rural settlements. Journal of Environmental Science Studies, 8(2): 6704-6714 (In Persian).
Barani Pesyan, V., Porakrami, M., Fotouhi Mehrbani, B., & Fotouhi Mehrbani, B. (2017). The Investigation of Lake Urmia Drying Trend and Its Important Consequence on the Surrounding Settlements. Journal of Rural Research, 8(3), 438-453 (In Persian).
Cumming, G., Campbell, L., Norwood, C., Ranger, S., Richardson, P., & Sanghera, A. (2022). Putting stakeholder engagement in its place: How situating public participation in community improves natural resource management outcomes. GeoJournal, 87(Suppl 2): 209-221.
Dragan, I. M., & Isaic-Maniu, A. (2013). Snowball sampling completion. Journal of Studies in Social Sciences, 5(2): 160-177.
Fanni, Z., Maroofi, A. (2017). The Drought’s Effects of Urmiyeh Lake on Natural and Human Disasters/Vulnerability of Peripheral Areas. Environment and Interdisciplinary Development, 2(58), 1-16. (In Persian).
Ghasemi, M., Sahebi, S., & Mehrganmajd, J. (2020). Identify livelihood resilience strategies against drought risk from the point of view of rural households (case study: Dehestan Golmakan, Chenaran county). Environmental Sciences, 18(1), 117-136 (In Persian).
Hurlimann, A., Dolnicar, S., & Meyer, P. (2009). Understanding behaviour to inform water supply management in developed nations–a review of literature, conceptual model and research agenda. Journal of environmental management, 91(1), 47-56.
Karimi, K., & Karami Dehkordi, I. (2016). Participation of Rural Users in Pasture Management Plans and the Factors Effective on them in Mahneshan Township. Geography and Development, 14(45): 181-196 (In Persian).
Khashtabeh, R., Akbari, M., Kolahi, M., & Talebanfard, A. (2021). Assessing the effects of desertification control projects using socio-economic indicators in the arid regions of eastern Iran. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 23:10455-10469.
Kheirfam, H., & Asadzadeh, F. (2020). Feasibility of Mowing Sands Stabilization in the Dried-up Beds of Lake Urmia using Inoculation and Stimulation of Soil Native Cyanobacteria. Applied Soil Research, 8(1):31-43  (In Persian).
Mahdavi, D., Sojasi, H., & Mahmmodi, H. (2019). Analyzing Environmental Attitudes and Behavior of Nomadic Communities after the Implementation of Participatory Management Plan for Forest and Rangeland. Geography and Environmental Planning, 30(2): 135-156 (In Persian).
Mehri, A., Mazloomy Mahmoodabad, S.S., Morowatisharifabad, M.A., & Naderian, H. (2010). Determinants of helmet use behavior among employed motorcycle riders in Yazd, Iran, based on theory of planned behavior. Injury, 42(9), 864-869.
Mohammadiyeghani, B., Valaei, M., & Charaghi, M. (2013). The Effects of Water Level Decline on Agriculture of Rural areas around Urumia Lake. Case Study: Northern Marhamatabad County ,Miyandoab Township. Journal of Geography and Environmental Hazards, 2(1): 55-72 (In Persian).
Motamedi, J., Mofidi Chelan, M., & Khodagheli, M. (2019). The Effectiveness of Urmia Lake Resuscitation Measures from an Economic, Social and Environmental Perspective. Iran Nature, 4(5): 19-27 (In Persian).
Paknia, F., & Mahmoodi karamjavan, J. (2019). Analysis of elements of social capital and the willingness of farmers to participate in solving the Urmia Lake crisis. Two Quarterly Journal of Contemporary Sociological Research, 8(14):129-153 (In Persian).
Parsinejad, M., Rosenberg, D. E., Ghale, Y. A. G., Khazaei, B., Null, S. E., Raja, O.,... & Wurtsbaugh, W. A. (2022). 40-years of Lake Urmia restoration research: Review, synthesis and next steps. Science of The Total Environment, 155055.
Pouladi, P., Badiezadeh, S., Pouladi, M., Yousefi, P., Farahmand, H., Kalantari, Z.,... & Sivapalan, M. (2021). Interconnected governance and social barriers impeding the restoration process of Lake Urmia. Journal of Hydrology, 598, 126489.
Pourahmad, A., & Heydari, R. (2015). Investigation of environmental pollution in the countries of the Islamic world. Journal of Political Research in Islamic World, 6 (1): 143-170 (In Persian).
Rahmani, J., & Danesh-Yazdi, M. (2022). Quantifying the impacts of agricultural alteration and climate change on the water cycle dynamics in a headwater catchment of Lake Urmia Basin. Agricultural Water Management, 270: 107749.
Saemian, P., Elmi, O., Vishwakarma, B. D., Tourian, M. J., & Sneeuw, N. (2020). Analyzing the Lake Urmia restoration progress using ground-based and spaceborne observations. Science of The Total Environment, 739: 139857.
Salehnia, M., Hayati, B., & Molaei, M. (2018). Investigating the Viewpoints of Local Communities in Conservation and Reclamation of Urmia Lake: Application of Bayesian Approach for Analyzing Choice Test Data. Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development, 31(4), 332-343. doi: 10.22067/jead2.v31i4.66148.
Salimi-Torkamani, H. (2011). The Study of Environmental Degradation of Orumieh Lake from Environmental International Law Point of View. Strategy,20, 58(1):177-202 (In Persian).
Sayah Mofazli, A., Rahmati, F. (2016). The Experience of Iran's Wetlands Protection Project in Modeling the Participation of local Communities in the Restoration of Lake Urmia through the Establishment of Sustainable Agriculture. Mehr Sadegh Press, Tehran, 115 p (In Persian).
Schwarz, N., & Bohner, G. (2001). The construction of attitudes. Blackwell handbook of social psychology: Intraindividual processes, 436-457.
Shams Ghahfarokhi, M., & Moradian, S. (2023). Investigating the causes of Lake Urmia shrinkage: climate change or anthropogenic factors?. Journal of Arid Land, 15(4): 424-438.
Surya, B., Syafri, S., Sahban, H., & Sakti, H. H. (2020). Natural resource conservation based on community economic empowerment: Perspectives on watershed management and slum settlements in Makassar City, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Land, 9(4): 104:1-31.
Taherdoost, H. (2019). What is the best response scale for survey and questionnaire design; review of different lengths of rating scale/attitude scale/Likert scale. International Journal of Academic Research in Management 8 (1):1-10.
Taheri, H., Maleksaeidi, H., & Jalali, M. (2019). Factors Affecting Adoption of Water Management Project for Reclamation of Lake Urmia by Farmers in Naghadeh Township. Iran-Water Resources Research, 15(2): 265-277 (In Persian).
ULRP. (2015). Urmia Lake Restoration Program: Brief Report and Projects Outline. Urmia Lake Restoration Program and Sharif University of Technology. (In Persian).
Valizadeh, N., Bijani, M., & Abbasi, E. (2016). Pro-Environmental Analysis of Farmers’ Participatory Behavior toward Conservation of Surface Water Resources in Southern Sector of Urmia Lake’s Catchment Area. Iranian Agricultural Extension and Education Journal, 11(2), 183-201.
Yaghobi, J., & Molan- Nejad, L. (2017). Assessing Attitudes of Farmers to Participate in the Process of Preserving and Restoring Urmia Lake and Its Related Factors in Miandoab Township. Iranian Agricultural Extension and Education Journal, 13(1): 47-58(In Persian).