Majid Jalali; Mehdi Abedi; Abolbased Ghorbani; Farshid Memariani
Volume 31, Issue 2 , August 2024, , Pages 107-128
Abstract
Wild edible plants is an important part of the human diet throughout history and are still affordable and widely accepted in food security. Based on the results of the research, these plants are valuable for survival during times of food shortage, a supplement to the daily diet, providing a source of ...
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Wild edible plants is an important part of the human diet throughout history and are still affordable and widely accepted in food security. Based on the results of the research, these plants are valuable for survival during times of food shortage, a supplement to the daily diet, providing a source of income in developing populations, and as part of the identity of local communities. They can also be important genetic resources for obtaining new crops with better performance and taste. For natural ecosystems management, the value of preserving and exploiting medicinal and edible plants of rangelands is one of the most important values of rangelands. In this regard, the present study was conducted in order to identify and document the ethnobotanical knowledge related to the wild edible plants of Bastam rangelands, which are used in the social and economic life of local communities and a wide variety of these plants has taken a significant part of the diet among local communities. Materials and methodsThis research was done in order to record the wild edible plants of the Rangelands of Bastam district, which is one of the summer rangelands of Semnan province. Field surveys were carried out in 2021 and 2022, so that the botany knowledge of people was recorded using field observations, participatory observations and semi-structured interviews from 44 interviewees in 12 villages of the region during field work. The relative frequency of quotation index (RFC) and use value Index (UV) were used as quantitative indices for data analysis. ResultsThe results of this study showed that a total of 39 species of wild edible plants belonging to 16 families and 29 genera were identified in the study area. The largest plant species in the region are: Lamiaceae (7 plant species) followed by Asteraceae (6 species) and Amaryllidaceae and Apiaceae (each with 5 species). The dominant vegetative form of plants in the area was herbs. Among the used plant parts, young leaves (21 species) were the most used plant parts and then young aerial parts (16 species). Studies also showed that among different modes of consumption, most of the food species were cooked (30 species). On the other hand, Human age had a positive relationship with traditional knowledge in the use of wild edible plants in the studied area, and women have a higher level of native knowledge in using wild edible plants than men. Among the identified species, Sabi (Allium iranicum), Siyr kelagh (Allium umbilicatum), Shengi (Tragopogon graminifolius), Jiyjo (Lepidium draba) and Ghazeneh (Urtica dioica) had the highest use value (UV). ConclusionThe findings of this study can make a significant contribution to the identification, conservation and use of wild edible plants in the study area as a food source, and since no ethnobotanical study has been reported from Shahrud city, especially about wild edible plants. Therefore, it seems that the results of this study can provide valuable information about wild edible plants from the rangelands of this region. Also, the identification of these plants for conservation strategies and sustainable use requires close cooperation with local communities who are the main users of these plants.
Seifolhagh Gharavi; Bahareh Behmanesh; Aboulfazl Tahmasebi; Esmaeil Namvar
Volume 30, Issue 2 , September 2023, , Pages 302-317
Abstract
Background and objectives Dealing with rangeland degradation factors and rehabilitating these resources are fundamental and necessary steps toward sustainable development. So, decisions and protection programs can reduce land use change and tenure. In this regard, the present study has excavated ...
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Background and objectives Dealing with rangeland degradation factors and rehabilitating these resources are fundamental and necessary steps toward sustainable development. So, decisions and protection programs can reduce land use change and tenure. In this regard, the present study has excavated and analyzed strategies to prevent land use change and tenure of rangelands from the perspective of experts in Gonbad Kavous city of Golestan province. Methodology:This research is a descriptive-survey type in which the statistical population consists of 45 judges, experts, and conservation guards in the city. Forty individuals were randomly selected as a sample size based on the Krejcie Morgan table. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. Through five focus group interviews, we obtained items related to it. So that after removing the common and unrelated items, 25 items were summarized as protection solutions from the rangelands of the city. Based on that, a questionnaire was prepared and distributed. Each of the specified items was evaluated on a five-point Likert scale. The questionnaire validity was assessed using natural resources experts' opinions. The reliability was determined by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient, equal to 0.81. After collecting and analyzing the data, the mean and standard deviation were used to describe and prioritize the items in the SPSS25 software environment. An exploratory factor analysis technique was used to examine the internal correlation and categorize the protection strategies of land use change and rangeland tenure in the form of several strategies and to determine the amount of variance explained by each. After collecting and categorizing the data, descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the SPSS25 software environment. Results According to the results obtained from factor analysis, the values of KMO and Bartlett were respectively equal to 0.806 and 967.830, significant at 99% confidence. This indicated the appropriateness of the variables' correlation in the analysis. Based on this, five strategies were extracted that explained 71.74% of the total variance of the variables. The educational-cultural solution to preventing land use and land tenure change in the study area was ranked the highest, and the legal-control solution was ranked the lowest in importance. The results indicate that the items "culturalization and information in crime prevention" from the educational-cultural strategy, "creating job opportunities, empowerment and alternative sources of income for local communities and pastoralists" from the strategy support-service, "privatization of rangeland and handing it over to qualified pastoralists" from the management solution, "correct implementation of laws by executive organizations" from the legal-control solution and "using the potential of mobilizing local communities and their participation in rangeland conservation" from the collaborative approach, with the highest amount of factor load, had the greatest impact in different protection strategies on preventing rangeland tenure. The sample t-test results showed that the most effective strategy in preventing land use change and rangeland acquisitions was related to educational-cultural, and the least effective was related to participatory. Conclusion According to the research results, the focus is on culture and information using advancing communication technologies and social networks, monitoring and evaluating pastoralists, and creating a control process to neutralize crime in rangelands. This is proposed as the most effective prevention strategy. Developing a two-way comprehensive program, one side of which is related to government support and services, and the other side is related to the mobilization of local communities and their participation in the activities of conservation, restoration, improvement, and fundamental exploitation of rangelands, can be another recommendation to reduce rangelands degradation.
Hamidreza Vejdani; Shahbakhti Rostami; Mostafa Taleshi; Esmaiel Ali Akbari; Mahmoud Jomepour
Volume 26, Issue 4 , December 2019, , Pages 800-808
Abstract
Ranges are considered as the natural and renewable resources, despite being in renewable resources group, due to inappropriate exploitation in many parts of the world, they have been destabilized and destroyed. The purpose of this study was to find ways to protect rangelands in Hamadan province. General ...
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Ranges are considered as the natural and renewable resources, despite being in renewable resources group, due to inappropriate exploitation in many parts of the world, they have been destabilized and destroyed. The purpose of this study was to find ways to protect rangelands in Hamadan province. General approach of this research is descriptive and analytical, it has mainly used qualitative methods and emphasized on the participatory approach to increase the accuracy and depth of the results. Due to the ability in providing a reasonable framework for developing solutions the "SWOT" analysis method has been used in the research study. In many studies, to identify SWOT factors (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) and determining strategies only depends on previous studies or researcher's views, but in this research to determine the elements or factors of SWOT and identification of approaches a set of methods was used, including: "brainstorming" holding in a session, "Participatory rural appraisal" (PRA) workshop in 8 session, and 15 questionnaires completed by experts. In the next step, factors of SWOT quantified by "AHP" method and completing of 18 questionnaires of paired comparison in Saaty's scale was done by experts, this method is the combination of SWOT with AHP. Accordingly, in the matrix of SWOT analysis 20 strategies were introduced. The most important factors of the strategies which have presented based on need for comprehensive participation and views of the people, restore confidence in the government and nation in terms of natural resource management, using the power of NGOs, use of new techniques and social networking for conservation of ranges, power sharing and decentralization for make decision about natural resources and suitable distribution of operational experts to office centers in smaller areas (Dehestan). It also has proposed creating the"engineering supervisor of natural resources" and the supporting of the specific service companies of rangelands.
Mehdi Ghasemi; esmael karami dehkordi
Volume 24, Issue 1 , May 2017, , Pages 39-56
Abstract
Natural resources are mostly considered as a common property of different relevant actors that may have different and competitive interests. In many cases, these stakeholders may have conflicts over natural resources due to their livelihood needs or other interests. Managing these conflicts is an important ...
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Natural resources are mostly considered as a common property of different relevant actors that may have different and competitive interests. In many cases, these stakeholders may have conflicts over natural resources due to their livelihood needs or other interests. Managing these conflicts is an important element of natural resources management. The purpose of this paper is to explore the actors and their interests and resources in the Dorahan and Cheshme Ali Watersheds, located in the Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, as well as to illustrate the conflict pattern among them. A multiple case study methodology with multiple units of analysis was utilized. These two watersheds, comprising six villages, had various natural resources with different private and nationalized land properties. There was some reports showing property conflicts between rural people and the Natural Resources and Watershed Management Administration of this province. The data were collected using qualitative techniques such as observation, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, mapping and diagrams. The data were finally analyzed using the Conflict Pattern Assessment technique. The external actors and rural and nomadic communities had different interests in the watersheds, which caused conflicts among them. Moreover, these conflicts were at different levels. The highest level of conflict was identified between the communities and natural resources conservationists, while the conflict with other external actors was in a form of dissatisfaction of the services received. In addition, the conflict was reported inside the communities; between the households and rural organizations such as cooperatives and councils. The most important consequences of these conflicts have been weakening rural households' livelihoods, increasing rural – urban emigration and decreasing social capital. Despite the negative impacts, the conflict has had some short-term positive impacts on improving rangelands vegetation due to prohibiting rural livestock early grazing.