Synergisms for the intricate system of biodiversity and society Title in the conservation management of IRAN( Digest_要約 ) Author(s) Kolahi, Mahdi Citation 京都大学 Issue Date 2013-09-24 URL https://doi.org/10.14989/doctor.k17922 Right 学位規則第9条第2項により要約公開 Type Thesis or Dissertation Textversion none Kyoto University SYNERGISMS FOR THE INTRICATE SYSTEM OF BIODIVERSITY AND SOCIETY IN THE CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT OF IRAN A Thesis Presented by Mahdi Kolahi to Department of Social Informatics, Graduate school of Informatics of Kyoto University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Specializing in Biosphere Informatics Kyoto, September 2013 Doctoral Thesis Series of Biosphere Informatics Laboratory Department of Social Informatics, Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University Copyright 2013 Mahdi Kolahi OurAtlas2000 @ gmail.com TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................. i LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ iii LIST OF ANNEXES ............................................................................................................ v ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................... vii ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................................... ix ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................ xi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 1 1.1. Problem Statement ..................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Objectives of the Research ........................................................................................ 3 1.3. Thesis Overview ......................................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER 2: POTENTIALS AND CHALLENGES OF BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN IRAN ............................................................................................... 7 2.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................. 7 2.2. Biodiversity in Iran ..................................................................................................... 9 2.3. Designation of PAs ................................................................................................... 10 2.4. Iranian Policy on PAs............................................................................................... 13 2.5. Policy Implementation Issues in Iranian PAs ......................................................... 18 2.6. Discussion and Recommendations .......................................................................... 19 2.6.1. Active management:............................................................................................ 19 2.6.2. Management of local communities and comanagement: .................................. 22 2.6.3. Education, planning and monitoring: ................................................................. 24 2.6.4. Other actions for enhancing protection: ............................................................. 25 CHAPTER 3: ASSESSMENT OF THE MANAGEMENT EFFECTIVENESS IN IRAN’S PROTECTED AREAS ........................................................................................ 27 3.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................... 27 3.2. Method ...................................................................................................................... 29 3.2.1. Study Area ........................................................................................................... 29 3.2.2. Assessment Tool.................................................................................................. 30 3.2.3. Data Collection and Analysis ............................................................................. 32 3.3. Results ....................................................................................................................... 32 3.3.1. General Information ............................................................................................ 32 3.3.2. Threats .................................................................................................................. 33 3.3.3. Strengths and Weaknesses of Management and Solutions ............................... 34 3.3.4. Assessment Index ................................................................................................ 37 3.4. Discussion and Recommendations .......................................................................... 38 3.4.1. Funding ................................................................................................................ 40 3.4.2. Building Capacity and Facility Improvement ................................................... 41 3.4.3. Participation of Local and/or Interested People ................................................ 41 3.4.4. Adaptive Management ........................................................................................ 43 CHAPTER 4: ECOTOURISM CHARACTERISTICS AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS IRAN’S NATIONAL PARKS AND PARTICIPATORY CONSERVATION.............. 45 4.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................... 45 4.2. Methods ..................................................................................................................... 47 4.2.1. Study areas ........................................................................................................... 47 4.2.2. Survey approach and Statistical analysis ........................................................... 47 4.2.3. Contingent valuation method and payment option ........................................... 48 4.2.4. Logit regression models ...................................................................................... 50 4.2.5. Model specification for measuring WTP ........................................................... 50 4.3. Results ....................................................................................................................... 51 4.3.1. Sample characteristics ......................................................................................... 51 4.3.2. Environmental activities and attitudes ............................................................... 54 4.3.3. Regression for WTP estimation ......................................................................... 56 4.3.4. Estimating logit model for relationship between local people and ecotourism ......................................................................................................................................... 57 4.3.5. Measuring use value of Iran’s national parks .................................................... 58 4.4. Discussion ................................................................................................................. 58 4.4.1. Conditions of National Parks and Management ................................................ 58 4.4.2. Information about Biodiversity Conservation and National Parks .................. 59 4.4.3. Ecotourism as a Tool for Conservation and Local Development .................... 59 4.4.4. The Potential of People’ Participation in National Park Management ............ 60 CHAPTER 5: SOCIAL CAPITAL IN THE BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION OF IRAN .................................................................................................................................... 63 5.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................... 63 5.2. Methods ..................................................................................................................... 65 5.2.1. Case studies and survey approach ...................................................................... 65 5.2.2. Contingent valuation method and payment option ........................................... 66 5.2.3. Logit regression model ....................................................................................... 66 5.2.4. Model specification for measuring WTP ........................................................... 67 5.3. Results ....................................................................................................................... 68 5.3.1. Sample characteristics ......................................................................................... 68 5.3.2. Environmental activities and attitudes ............................................................... 69 5.3.3. Regression for WTP estimation ......................................................................... 71 5.3.3. Regression for volunteer measures .................................................................... 72 5.3.4. Measuring use value of Iran’s national parks .................................................... 73 5.4. Discussion ................................................................................................................. 73 5.4.1. Management Problems .......................................................................................