Document Type : Research
Authors
1
Department of Rangeland and Watershed Management, Faculty of Natural Resources, Behbahan Khatam Alanbia University of Technology, Behbahan, Iran
2
Department of Rangeland and Watershed Management, Faculty of Natural Resources, Behbahan Khatam Alanbia University of Technology, Behbahan, Behbahan, Iran
3
, Faculty of Natural Resources and Geoscience, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran
10.22092/wmrj.2024.364399.1563
Abstract
Conservation of water and soil resources is necessary and inevitable for sustainable development. Planning is necessary to achieve such development both now and in the future. In this regard, the human relationship as a beneficiary of the natural ecosystem should be at the top of policies and comprehensive management of water resources. Based on this, the requirement for successful management of water resources is to change the approach towards cooperative management. The success of watershed projects entirely depends on people's participation in the decision-making, implementation, and protection of the projects. One of the main components in water resources management at the local level is the local stakeholders and their interactive relationship between them and the government institutions is necessary for forming a cooperative mechanism of water resources. In this regard, social networks can be effectively used in collaborative management.
In the current research, social network theory and its principles were used to investigate and analyze the pattern of relations between the stakeholders of water and soil resources in Ghale Seyed Moghim and Khaeiz villages. First, using a local survey and a questionnaire, trust, and participation data were collected based on the Likert scale (zero, very little, low, medium, high, and very high), and a matrix of trust and participation relationships was formed. and the matrix of trust and participation relations was formed. Then, different network indicators in macro (including density, concentration, and size of the network, degree of ambidexterity and transferability of links, average geodesic distance, and E-I index), meso (including indicators of peripheral center and density of subgroups) and micro (including input degree centralities, output and intermediate) levels were calculated and evaluated using UCINET software.
Based on the calculated indicators, the network of beneficiaries in both villages is stable and balanced, therefore, it is possible to plan to preserve water and soil resources well. The network of the stakeholders in Ghale Seyed Moghim village is more cohesive, which will be more effective in cooperative activities in the matter of local sustainable development. Also, they can interact with each other more quickly, and building trust as well as their collective activities takes place in less time.
Social network analysis provides managers with an effective tool to identify users and their relationships, making water resources management efficient. Considering the results of network cohesion in Khaeiz, non-key actors should be encouraged to create trust and partnership bonds. Also, through educational and promotional activities, the existing participation and trust in the networks should be maintained, and the opportunity to create new trust and participation of stakeholders should be provided.
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