An analysis of rangeland beneficiaries' perceptions of participatory governance in rangelands (Case study: rangelands of Aq Qala city, Golestan province)

The need to decentralize government at the local level can guarantee the participation of rangeland beneficiaries. So the present study has analyzed the perceptions of rangeland beneficiaries of participatory governance in Incheh salt marshes in Golestan province. The research is descriptive-survey and statistical population consists of 120 beneficiaries, 92 of whom were selected as the sample size. The questionnaire was the main tool of data collection and participatory governance was evaluated with 32 items in the form of 9 components. The validity of the questionnaire was obtained by experts and its reliability was obtained by calculating the Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Statistical calculations based on SPSS25. The results showed that the "implementation" and "conflict resolution" with the highest and "planning" and "coordination" with the lowest were at the highest and lowest levels of governance index, respectively. On the other hand, according to the average obtained in the participatory governance index (3.58), the tendency of governance is toward community-oriented management. There was a positive and significant relationship between the variables of livestock history, number of livestock, age, annual income and the tendency to rule in the rangeland. According to the obtained results and also the importance of rangeland governance, the involvement of beneficiaries in the preparation of rangeland plans and projects and the use of their rich native knowledge, holding classes in line with the cooperative activities of beneficiaries with the Department of Natural Resources and Watershed Management as a representative of the government are the most important suggestions of this research.