Conflict in the Utilization of Natural Resources in the Watershed of Borujerd township: A Causal Analysis

Background and Goal: More than three-fourths of Iran's land area is comprised of natural resources, considered as the foundation for food security and production in the agricultural sector. However, conflicts in the utilization of these resources have led to the decline of this blessing. Apart from differences among stakeholders, the management of natural resources by the government sector is in conflict with the beneficiaries living within its customary systems. Among these, the role of stakeholders and the emergence of their environmental behaviors leading to conflicts can play a significant role in managing disputes and fostering better cooperation in the conservation and sustainable utilization of natural resources. The Gousheh Mohsen-Ben-Ali watershed in Borujerd township holds a considerable share of all cases formed by the governmental sector in terms of conflicts with the rural stakeholders. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze the root causes of conflicts in the utilization of natural resources in the Gousheh Mohsen-Ben-Ali watershed.
Materials and Methods: This applied research with a quantitative viewpoint was conducted using a descriptive-correlational and causal-relational research method, employing survey techniques. The sample size included 359 stakeholders from the Gousheh Mohsen-Ben-Ali watershed in Borujerd township, with 400 questionnaires distributed among them to account for potential non-responses. In this study, descriptive data analysis was performed on the stakeholders in the region, comprising 13 villages, and for testing the validity of the theoretical research model, Smart PLS4 software was utilized.
Results and Discussion: Findings indicated that the predominant conflict among natural resource stakeholders in the study area is of a “latent” nature. Therefore, to manage it effectively, preventive measures against the extension and perpetuation of this deep-rooted conflict are necessary. Additionally, planning for the management of natural resource conflicts should consider the aging population of stakeholders and their dependency on the intended livelihood of animal husbandry. Focusing on providing good services to villagers and compensating for deficiencies and negative experiences of stakeholders in government interventions, given their predominantly “past-oriented” perspective, should be the cornerstone in resolving conflicts. Moreover, the variable of “place attachment” of villagers was considered as an intervening factor, alongside enhancing stakeholders' environmental awareness and knowledge through practical training and promoting eco-friendly norms to foster appropriate environmental behaviors. Finally, based on the proposed conceptual framework, centered around the core of the value-belief-norm theory, the results of the causal analysis of conflicting behaviors of stakeholders in the face of natural resources were presented in a causal chain.
Conclusion: The results indicated that “latent conflict” is prevalent in the study area, with stakeholders showing a “good” spatial attachment to their living environment. Furthermore, the predominant temporal attitude of stakeholders was “past-oriented,” and their environmental values were “friendly.” Their environmental norms were also reported as “good.” In the causal analysis, “place attachment” and “time perspective” had a significant impact on conflicting behaviors in natural resource utilization, while “environmental norms” had no influence on stakeholders' conflicting behaviors. These findings, within an ethical framework based on the value-belief-norm theory, suggest that stakeholders' conflicting behaviors towards natural resources reflect an environmental perspective. Therefore, the derived causal model can be utilized by decision-makers and policymakers for sustainable natural resource management planning.