IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i6p5242-d1098500.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Study on Sustainability of Shelter Forest Construction and Protection Behavior of Farmers in the Sandstorm Area of Hexi Corridor, China

Author

Listed:
  • Yuzhong Zhang

    (College of Forest, Gansu Agriculture University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Xianying Xu

    (Gansu Desert Control Research Institute, Cultivation Base of State Key Laboratory of Desertification and Desertification Disaster Control in Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Hujun Liu

    (Gansu Desert Control Research Institute, Cultivation Base of State Key Laboratory of Desertification and Desertification Disaster Control in Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Li Wang

    (College of Forest, Gansu Agriculture University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Danni Niu

    (College of Forest, Gansu Agriculture University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

Abstract

An accurate assessment of farmers’ participation in shelter forest construction and protection behavior is of great practical significance for the renewal and restoration of degraded shelter forests, improvements in the ecological environment, and the sustainable development of agroforestry. This study was based on the theory of planned behavior and structural equation modeling. The cognition and behavior of farmers in typical wind and sand areas of the Hexi Corridor were constructed to measure their participation in the construction and protection of shelter forests from the “cognition-behavior” dimension. The results showed that all three dimensions of farmers’ perceptions had a significant positive effect on farmers’ participation in the construction and protection of shelter forests. The combined path coefficients of the three dimensions were behavioral attitudes (0.337), subjective norms (0.216), and perceived behavioral control (0.170), with farmers’ behavioral attitudes having a more pronounced effect on forest construction and protection behaviors. In the behavioral response to the construction and protection of shelter forests, farmers have a positive attitude toward compensation, management, and pest control, while the response to adjustment pattern, willingness to pay, and tree species replacement is relatively insignificant. It is suggested that the government should increase the publicity of shelter forest protection, improve the ecological compensation and reward and punishment mechanism, improve the management system, and strengthen the training of farmers’ professional knowledge and skills. These measures could increase farmers’ awareness of forest construction and protection to ensure that farmers actively participate in the construction and management of shelter forests.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuzhong Zhang & Xianying Xu & Hujun Liu & Li Wang & Danni Niu, 2023. "Study on Sustainability of Shelter Forest Construction and Protection Behavior of Farmers in the Sandstorm Area of Hexi Corridor, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-18, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:6:p:5242-:d:1098500
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/6/5242/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/6/5242/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rezaei, Rohollah & Ghofranfarid, Marjan, 2018. "Rural households' renewable energy usage intention in Iran: Extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 382-391.
    2. Ajzen, Icek, 1991. "The theory of planned behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 179-211, December.
    3. Daxini, Amar & Ryan, Mary & O’Donoghue, Cathal & Barnes, Andrew P., 2019. "Understanding farmers’ intentions to follow a nutrient management plan using the theory of planned behaviour," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 428-437.
    4. Anne V Bossange & Kandace M Knudson & Anil Shrestha & Ronald Harben & Jeffrey P Mitchell, 2016. "The Potential for Conservation Tillage Adoption in the San Joaquin Valley, California: A Qualitative Study of Farmer Perspectives and Opportunities for Extension," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(12), pages 1-21, December.
    5. Jianhua Wang & May Chu & Yuan yuan Deng & Honming Lam & Jianjun Tang, 2018. "Determinants of pesticide application: an empirical analysis with theory of planned behaviour," China Agricultural Economic Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 10(4), pages 608-625, July.
    6. Nunez Godoy, Cristina C. & Pienaar, Elizabeth F. & Branch, Lyn C., 2022. "Willingness of private landowners to participate in forest conservation in the Chaco region of Argentina," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    7. Arlixcya Vinnisa Anak Empidi & Diana Emang, 2021. "Understanding Public Intentions to Participate in Protection Initiatives for Forested Watershed Areas Using the Theory of Planned Behavior: A Case Study of Cameron Highlands in Pahang, Malaysia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-18, April.
    8. Ismet Boz, 2018. "Determinants of farmers’ enrollment in voluntary environmental programs: evidence from the Eregli Reed Bed area of Turkey," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 20(6), pages 2643-2661, December.
    9. Qianru Chen, 2022. "Analyzing Farmers’ Cultivated-Land-Abandonment Behavior: Integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior and a Structural Equation Model," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-17, October.
    10. Karppinen, Heimo, 2005. "Forest owners' choice of reforestation method: an application of the theory of planned behavior," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 7(3), pages 393-409, March.
    11. Isaac Tebogo Rampedi & Ayodeji Peter Ifegbesan, 2022. "Understanding the Determinants of Pro-Environmental Behavior among South Africans: Evidence from a Structural Equation Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-14, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ting Zhang & Jia Li & Yan Wang, 2023. "Effects of Livelihood Capital on the Farmers’ Behavioral Intention of Rural Residential Land Development Right Transfer: Evidence from Wujin District, Changzhou City, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-16, June.
    2. Jing Hou & Bo Hou, 2019. "Farmers’ Adoption of Low-Carbon Agriculture in China: An Extended Theory of the Planned Behavior Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-20, March.
    3. Bagheri, Asghar & Teymouri, Ali, 2022. "Farmers’ intended and actual adoption of soil and water conservation practices," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    4. Wood, Liza & Lubell, Mark & Rudnick, Jessica & Khalsa, Sat Darshan S. & Sears, Molly & Brown, Patrick H., 2022. "Mandatory information-based policy tools facilitate California farmers’ learning about nitrogen management," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    5. Saif Ullah & Ali Abid & Waqas Aslam & Rana Shahzad Noor & Muhammad Mohsin Waqas & Tian Gang, 2021. "Predicting Behavioral Intention of Rural Inhabitants toward Economic Incentive for Deforestation in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-17, January.
    6. Nketiah, Emmanuel & Song, Huaming & Cai, Xiang & Adjei, Mavis & Adu-Gyamfi, Gibbson & Obuobi, Bright, 2022. "Citizens’ intention to invest in municipal solid waste to energy projects in Ghana: The impact of direct and indirect effects," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PC).
    7. Yadav, Rambalak & Giri, Arunangshu & Chatterjee, Satakshi, 2022. "Understanding the users' motivation and barriers in adopting healthcare apps: A mixed-method approach using behavioral reasoning theory," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    8. Riffat Ara Zannat Tama & Md Mahmudul Hoque & Ying Liu & Mohammad Jahangir Alam & Mark Yu, 2023. "An Application of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to Examining Farmers’ Behavioral Attitude and Intention towards Conservation Agriculture in Bangladesh," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-22, February.
    9. Abdullah Al Mamun & Syed Ali Fazal & Muhammad Mehedi Masud & Ganeshsree Selvachandran & Noor Raihani Zainol & Quek Shio Gai, 2020. "The Underlying Drivers of Underprivileged Households’ Intention and Behavior towards Community Forestry Management: A Study Using Structural Equation Modelling and Artificial Neural Network Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-26, September.
    10. Muhammad Yaseen Bhutto & Yasir Ali Soomro & Hailan Yang, 2022. "Extending the Theory of Planned Behavior: Predicting Young Consumer Purchase Behavior of Energy-Efficient Appliances (Evidence From Developing Economy)," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(1), pages 21582440221, February.
    11. Yu Hao & Yingting Wang & Qiuwei Wu & Shiwei Sun & Weilu Wang & Menglin Cui, 2020. "What affects residents' participation in the circular economy for sustainable development? Evidence from China," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(5), pages 1251-1268, September.
    12. Li, Fuduo & Zhang, Kangjie & Ren, Jing & Yin, Changbin & Zhang, Yang & Nie, Jun, 2021. "Driving mechanism for farmers to adopt improved agricultural systems in China: The case of rice-green manure crops rotation system," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    13. Serenari, Christopher & Bosak, Keith & Attarian, Aram, 2013. "Cross-cultural efficacy of American low-impact programs: A comparison between Garhwal guide beliefs on environmental behavior and American outdoor travel norms," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 50-60.
    14. Yaghoubi, Jafar & Yazdanpanah, Masoud & Komendantova, Nadejda, 2019. "Iranian agriculture advisors' perception and intention toward biofuel: Green way toward energy security, rural development and climate change mitigation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 452-459.
    15. Liobikienė, Genovaitė & Miceikienė, Astrida, 2022. "The role of financial, social and informational mechanisms on willingness to use bioenergy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C), pages 21-27.
    16. Halder, Pradipta & Pietarinen, Janne & Havu-Nuutinen, Sari & Pöllänen, Sinikka & Pelkonen, Paavo, 2016. "The Theory of Planned Behavior model and students' intentions to use bioenergy: A cross-cultural perspective," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 627-635.
    17. Lijing Gao & J. Arbuckle, 2022. "Examining farmers’ adoption of nutrient management best management practices: a social cognitive framework," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(2), pages 535-553, June.
    18. Börger, Tobias & Hattam, Caroline, 2017. "Motivations matter: Behavioural determinants of preferences for remote and unfamiliar environmental goods," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 64-74.
    19. Bull, Lyndall & Thompson, Derek, 2011. "Developing forest sinks in Australia and the United States -- A forest owner's prerogative," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(5), pages 311-317, June.
    20. Primmer, Eeva & Karppinen, Heimo, 2010. "Professional judgment in non-industrial private forestry: Forester attitudes and social norms influencing biodiversity conservation," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 136-146, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:6:p:5242-:d:1098500. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.