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The effectiveness of rangeland management plans from the viewpoints of beneficiaries, experts, and managers

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Abstract

This study aimed to research variables affecting rangeland management plans (RMPs) in four provinces of Lorestan, Ilam, Kurdistan, and Kermanshah. The statistical population of the study consisted of RMPs approved within the period 1991–2017 of the four provinces, which are considered supported identities and audits. Three special questionnaires, i.e., managers, experts, and beneficiaries, were prepared to realize the goal of the study. Examination of the logistic unit (logit) model results for beneficiaries showed that the variables of deficiency within the preparation of RMPs by experts (consulting firms), lack of continuous supervision over the right implementation of RMPs, lack of coaching classes for beneficiaries, shortage of state funding, control of ranchers’ grazing licenses, restoration operations, the balance between livestock and long-term grazing capacity, the acceptance level of rural governors and councils of rangeland RMPs, were effective within the effectiveness of RMPs. The effectiveness, ineffectiveness, and negative impacts of RMPs were declared by 40, 34, and 25% of beneficiaries. A total of 13% of experts believe that it had a negative effect. A total of 65% of beneficiaries and 47% of experts are against renting pastures to nomadic and non-rural pastoralists. Overall, the prevailing RMPs within the study area were not sufficiently effective because of socio-economic technical problems, necessitating reconsideration during this regard. Thus, socio-economic technical issues should be considered more seriously within the preparation of the latest RMPs. Moreover, plans designed following socio-economic ecological conditions should be implemented consistent with the number, quality, and schedule of every project.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the personnel of the forests, range, and watershed management organization of Markazi province to supply the secondary meteorological data and help us with data preprocessing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Natural Resources, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran

    Mehrdad Baharvandi, Nurollah Abdi, Abbas Ahmadi, Hamid Toranj Zar & Saeed Gholam Rezaei

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  1. Mehrdad Baharvandi
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  2. Nurollah Abdi
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  3. Abbas Ahmadi
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  4. Hamid Toranj Zar
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Correspondence to Abbas Ahmadi.

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Responsible Editor: Amjad Kallel

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Baharvandi, M., Abdi, N., Ahmadi, A. et al. The effectiveness of rangeland management plans from the viewpoints of beneficiaries, experts, and managers. Arab J Geosci 15, 699 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-022-09952-0

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