Journal of Rangeland

---

 Social capital is one of the important criteria in relation with social system. In this study, we used social capital for Adaptive Co-management. We applied social network analysis and indices in the whole network level of “Goormomenin” common rangeland, Kalateh Roudbar region in Damghan city. The level of social capital in co-management procedures was evaluated. The density, centrality, reciprocity, transitivity, geodesic distance, and core- periphery in actor’s level were calculated based on trust and cooperation metrics. The results revealed that the degree of trust, collaboration, social cohesion, and social capital among rangeland stakeholders network was poor. The rate of trust and collaboration ambulation was measured as poor to average. According to the core-periphery index, central and peripheral actors and the group’s solidarity were identified. For adaptive Co- management with stakeholder’s social situation, we must preferment social capital based on social network principal indices.

 

---

Rangeland ecosystems play important role in human life. Participation is a key element to protect natural resources and achieve sustainability. High level of social capital leads to better participation and successful collaborative programs. In this research social relation of rangeland beneficiaries in traditional boundary of Gorgoo-e- Aghaei   in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province was studied using social network analysis with emphasize on trust and cooperation (as principal dimensions of social capital). Results showed that cohesion and social capital was poor in the study area. Relation stability and network balance was also poor and trust and cooperation ties were not suitably adjusted. More than a half of actors were peripherally placed and trust and cooperation circulation speed was low, hence it affects collaboration of rangeland mangers negatively. It can be concluded that enhancing trust and cooperation among people assist social empowerment, increases social capital and decrease social conflicts in the region.

---

      Community-based approach proved increasingly important in land management since it involves full participation of stakeholders in all stages of planning and implementation of land management programs. Since this approach has a dramatic impact upon the improvement of social capital, this study aimed to analyze and assess bridging social capital of rangeland users at Rostam Abad-e-Alicharak village, in Rigan district. The assessment was carried out in two phases of prior and post-project using social network analysis and questionnaire of network analysis because RFLDL community-based management project is practiced in this village. Trust ties and participation were assessed using macro network indices (e.g. density, reciprocity, transitivity, and geodesic distance). Results indicated that these indices were increased since the implementation of RFLDL project in the study area. Implementing this project led to enhance trust building and reinforcement of participation and cooperation of the head of groups and improve bridging social capital. This finding verifies the desired effect of community-based approach in land management for enhancing social capital of rangeland users.
 

---

Participation activates network relations among rangeland users and it can enhance range condition. Since high social capital leads to higher participation and consequently the success of collaborative projects, present study was an attempt to analyze the structural characteristics of social capital of 28 rangeland users in Nardin traditional boundary in Mayamey County of Semnan province. Network analysis was used to assess bonding trust and participation ties in rangeland management activities and macro-level indicators of rangeland user networks. Results indicated that although there is moderate social capital among the users in the study area, their sustainability of relations and network balance are rather weak. Furthermore, trust and participation ties among actors were not optimum. Low speed of trust and participation tie exchange and lack of unity among users were other main challenges in participatory management in this region. According to the findings, reinforcement of social capital along with trust building in the network, and enhancing willingness to participate among users in this traditional boundary can facilitate successful rangeland participatory management in rangelands of the study area.
 

---

Rangeland destruction has been exacerbated by the economic poverty and the weakening of the social capital of rural residents in recent years. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explain the role of economic poverty and social capital of beneficiaries in rangeland degradation of Bijar protected region. The statistical population of the study included 1124 rural households residing in Bijar Protected Area. According to Cochran formula, 287 households were selected as statistical sample and proportionally divided between the villages. Data gathering tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of demographic characteristics, economic assets (household income and cost), social capital, and rangeland degradation. After confirming the validity of questionnaire by the experts' opinion, the reliability of social capital and rangeland destruction questionnaire are obtained 0.83 and 0.79 respectively that showed the appropriate reliability of researcher-made questionnaires. The viewpoints of beneficiaries regarding rangeland degradation were studied in three parts including factors related to livestock and animal husbandry, cutting and harvesting and land use change. Data were analyzed using chi-square, paired t-tests and Pearson correlation coefficient using SPSS 16 software. Relative poverty line was used to separate the poor and the non-poor and 66% of total monthly household expenditure was used to calculate it. According to the results of the study, the per capita relative poverty line in the study area was estimated 2130000 Rials in 1398, that 24.7% of studied rural residents were poor. The mean score of social capital for beneficiaries is estimated 3.12 in a moderate manner. There was a significant relationship between variables such as age, educational level, occupation, household dimension and income with poverty of beneficiaries. According to the beneficiaries' viewpoint, conversion of rangelands to agricultural land, long grazing and competition in livestock grazing with the mean of 4.14, 3.62 and 3.24 are the most important causes of degradation of rangelands, respectively. According to the results of the study, the average rate of rangelands degradation by poor respondents was significantly higher than non-poor respondents. Also, from the viewpoint of beneficiaries with higher social capital, factors related to livestock and animal husbandry and cutting and harvesting have a greater effect on rangeland degradation. There was no significant difference between poor and non-poor beneficiaries in the aspect of social capital, although the average scores of social capital was higher among non-poor respondents. Therefore, by improving the economic condition and reducing the economic and social poverty of rural residents, one can expect a reduction in the rangelands destruction of Bijar protected region.

---

Background and purpose: Exploitation and grazing of livestock is the most important human activity on the rangelands. The importance of how to manage the ranch units of each and every rangelands is  one of the management challenges of rangelands in the country. Rangelands need basic management and planning for keeping resources (water, soil and plants) safe and livestock grazing continuity. Therefore, the importance of proper use of rangeland has made it as one of the most vital issues in the field of conservation, rehabilitation, improvement, and development of rangelands. In this regard, the present research has investigated the willingness of ranchers towards the individualization of rangeland among the ranchers of Gamishan city in the northwest of Golestan province.
Materials and Methods: The present research is field in terms of data collection, descriptive in terms of variable control, and survey in terms of implementation strategy. The statistical population of the research consists of 200 rangeland households from three ranch units in Gomishan city of Golestan province. So that 127 of them were selected as the sample size based on Krejcie Morgan table. Sampling was random as well as the classification. The data collection tool was a questionnaire that was systematically developed according to the purpose of the research and based on the background of the research as well as interviews with experts and experienced ranchers based on the focused group method and extracting a set of relevant components. To determine the willingness of ranchers towards the individualization of rangelands, 44 items in the form of 7  components economic, social, water and soil, rehabilitation and protection, livestock and animal husbandry, welfare and management were used. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of experts and ranchers. To ensure its reliability, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated, which averaged 0.805, which indicates the acceptable reliability of the questionnaire. Statistical calculations in this research were performed using SPSS25 software in two descriptive and inferential sections.
Results: The results of the research showed that ranchers had a greater willingness to individualize their rangelands with a numerical value of 2.76. The results indicated that, the individualization of rangelands from economic dimension was depend on "creating investment in livestock and rangeland" and "improving livestock income". Reducing violations and crimes in rangeland was the most important issue in the social dimension.  And " optimum use of surface water in the pasture" and "Prevention of soil erosion and loss of surface soil" in water and soil dimension were pointed out. Avoiding non-native ranchers from entering the rangeland "and "rehabilitation of rangeland lands through plantation and integrated methods" were found important in the dimension of rangeland restoration and protection. Grazing system in the rangeland and creating a suitable space for providing livestock drinking in the dimension of livestock and animal husbandry were named. Development of clean energy such as solar panels in the rangeland and access to suitable facilities for family life in the welfare dimension, improvement in creativity and innovation in rangeland management and organizational support and access to government services in the management dimension were focused on. In addition, the dimensions of "management" and "livestock and animal husbandry" in the individualization of rangelands and "social" dimension in the exploitation of collective were the most important cases.  Also, the results obtained from a single sample t test showed that the willingness of ranchers in choosing the type of exploitation at the level of 99% confidence are in all criteria except "water and soil" had a significant effect.
Conclusion: Considering that sustainable rangeland management faces serious challenges of degradation, so choosing the type of exploitation for better rangeland management is one of the most important priorities. As the results showed, the willingness of ranchers in the study area has been towards individualization of rangelands needs changing the traditional perceptions of ranchers towards the collective exploitation of the land. The research results show that in collective exploitation, trust, responsibility acceptance, empathy and participation are good.

---

Background and objectives: The role of sustainable development in society is widely acknowledged, emphasizing the importance of proper investment, particularly in social capital, which thrives on trust and collaboration. This study employs social network analysis to assess the impact of an empowerment project on local communities in Ghaleganj County, analyzing social effectiveness before and after project implementation.
Methodology: The study utilizes social network analysis to assess the performance of the local community empowerment project in Ghaleganj County. Social network positions were analyzed before the establishment of rural microcredit funds and after the project's implementation. Key social network indicators such as Density, Reciprocity, Transitivity, and Geodesic Distance were examined. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 164 members of local microcredit funds in Azadshahr, Aliabad, and Zirabad villages, employing a full network method.
Results: The density index increased in all studied villages for both trust and collaboration ties after the empowerment project, with the highest density observed in Zirabad village (95.08%). Reciprocity index also increased post-project implementation, indicating enhanced bilateral and mutual relations in trust and collaboration bonds, leading to increased social capital and participation in rural development funds. The study revealed a medium level of social capital before the project, which increased significantly with the establishment of microcredit funds.
Conclusion: The study concludes that increased social capital enhances adherence to norms, fosters a sense of belonging, and encourages responsibility among villagers. The formation of a microcredit fund and associated social structures in the village have positively impacted trust, collaboration, and empowerment. Membership in a social network enhances communication, influences trust in knowledge sources, and ultimately contributes to the empowerment of villagers.
 

---

Background and objectives: Sustainable rural development necessitates capacity building and social empowerment of local communities. Understanding and enhancing social capital (SC) facilitates participatory planning and program implementation. This study analyzes the structural characteristics of SC in villages of Dastjerd, Dazuk, and Sohrani (Ghaleganj County, Iran) within the framework of landscape-community based management (LCBM). Social network analysis (SNA) was employed in two phases: before and after the implementation of an LCBM empowerment project.
Methodology: SNA was used to assess the project's impact on local community empowerment and SC structure within rural microcredit funds. Four key network indicators were investigated: density, reciprocity, transitivity, and geodesic distance. Data collection utilized structured questionnaires administered to all 262 members of the microcredit funds in the three villages (full network method).
Results: Following the project, the density index increased in all villages for both trust and collaboration ties. The reciprocity index also rose, indicating stronger mutual relationships among members, thereby enhancing SC and enabling participation in local development initiatives. The transitivity index suggests a more stable network structure, improving resilience against economic and environmental challenges. The geodesic distance index revealed increased unity and coordination among stakeholders, potentially facilitating collaborative activities and further empowerment.
Conclusion: The project fostered a more stable and cohesive network. Relationships, emotional support, shared interests, and access to resources contribute to building and strengthening social ties. This, in turn, enhances SC and strengthens trust and collaboration within the network. Comparing pre- and post-project conditions suggests the project's effectiveness in fostering inter-village relations. Improved communication and collaboration hinge on enhanced SC, which also promotes inclusion. By providing integrated management indicators, this research empowers managers and planners for more effective interventions.