Analyzing the Perceptions of Local Communities and Tourists Regarding the Cultural Services of the Khamir-Qeshm Mangrove Forests

Sobhani, Parvaneh; Danehkar, Afshin

doi:10.30473/ee.2023.67830.2635

Analyzing the Perceptions of Local Communities and Tourists Regarding the Cultural Services of the Khamir-Qeshm Mangrove Forests

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Parvaneh Sobhani ¹
Afshin Danehkar ²

¹ Postdoctoral Student, Department of Environmental Science, Natural Resources ‎Faculty, ‎University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran‎

² Professor, Department of Environmental Science, Natural Resources Faculty, ‎University of ‎Tehran, Karaj, Iran.

10.30473/ee.2023.67830.2635

Abstract

Cultural understanding of societies is necessary to protect and utilize these ecosystems for a ‎sustainable benefit in the exploitation of cultural services. ‎In the mangrove forests of Khamir-‎Qeshm, cultural ‎services, especially tourism, play a very important role. Therefore, in this study, the ‎level of perception ‎of local communities and tourists was investigated regarding the biological ‎sensitivities and ‎cultural services of these forests. Data collection was conducted by a survey ‎method and ‎using questionnaires, interviews, and observation tools. The analysis of data and information was performed by a quantitative method, and descriptive and inferential statistical tests were used in SPSS software. The validity of the research was examined based on structural and formal methods, as well as its reliability using Cronbach's alpha (α = 0.9). The statistical population includes local communities and tourists, and the sample size was considered equal to 380 and 100 people, respectively. Sampling in this study was done by cluster method, taking into account the population share of each village for local communities and for tourists, in a systematic way, separating men and women. Comparing the average perception of local communities and tourists about the cultural services of the mangrove forests of Khamir-Qeshm demonstrated that the highest level of perception is related to the local communities due to their dependence on the mangrove forests in providing daily needs, and on the other hand, the sense of belonging to the place by living in the vicinity of these natural and valuable habitats. In addition, the cultural services dimensions examined in this study have a significant and direct relationship with the understanding of local communities and tourists, which indicates a significant difference between these dimensions. The direct or indirect results of cultural services dimensions also revealed that "sense of place and inspiration", "cultural diversity", and "social relations" dimensions have a positive and direct impact in both studied statistical populations. Accordingly, creating awareness and raising the stakeholders' understanding of the importance and biological sensitivities of these ecosystems can, while reducing the pressure on natural resources, improve their attitudes and tendencies toward preserving forest lands and provide more protection for these resources.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Environmental Education and environmental sensitivity

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