Comparison of Experts and Rangers’ Opinions on Prioritizing Barriers in Participation of Rangers in Range Plans (Case Study: Tehran Province- Lar Moor)

Abstract

There are some barriers for rangers to take part in range plan projects and<br />evaluation. Their participation is very useful for range managers to plan and provide solutions<br />for solving problems. This study aims at comparing barriers of participating from rangers and<br />experts point of view in Lar moor rangelands, Tehran, Iran. In this research, data were<br />collected based on documentation-library and field working. The statistical populations of the<br />study were 410 rangers and 43 experts that arranged based on Cochran formula, 178 rangers<br />and 35 experts had answered the distributed questionnaires. Validity and reliability of<br />questionnaires were assessed by a preliminary test using SPSS software and Cronbach alpha<br />coefficient. The results of Mann-Whitney U test showed that the opinions of two groups on<br />both the effects of legislative initiatives, economic, social-cultural and educational barriers and<br />non-participating rangers in the range projects of Lar moor are the same. But comparing the<br />experts and rangers` opinions on the effects of management factors on non-participating<br />rangers showed that the experst`s view of on the effects of this factor are more agreeable than<br />those of rangers. Also, the results of this test showed that participation rate of rangers in range<br />projects is the same in terms of both ranger and expert groups. Prioritizong results showed that<br />from the viewpoint of rangers, economic, legal, educational, social and cultural barriers have<br />contributed to non-participation of rangers in the range projects. But from the viewpoints of<br />experts, legal, educational, administrative, socio-cultural and economic barriers are the reasons<br />of rangers' non-participation.