Interpreting the willingness and ability of rural producers to engage in conservation efforts in the Chaco forest of Argentina

Forests, while crucial ecosystems for ecosystem services provision, face challenges such as deforestation and degradation, resulting in adverse social and ecological consequences. The Gran Chaco, a deforestation hotspot and vast dry forest in South America urgently demands landholder engagement in forest conservation. Innovative solutions, such as sustainable management practices are essential for long-term forest conservation and landholders' well-being. Landholders hold responsibility for extensive forested areas, and little is known about their diverse motivations and capabilities to engage in conservation within sustainable management practices. We used the Qmethod to investigate landholders' decision to allocate an exclusive area for conservation within their farmlands. Our results revealed four perspectives on their decision-making process: (a) Chaco forest appreciation and farmland residency, (b) farmland infrastructure and social support, (c) local roots and residence stability, and (d) external rewards. Understanding landholders' decision-making process might aids policymakers in designing effective forest conservation policies and promoting sustainable practices.