Due to the shortcomings of hierarchical natural resource governance, theorists have been increasing focus on the decentralization of power to local organizations. Although decentralization is associated with real participation, what level of participation do locals prefer in forest governance? Given the lack of research on forest governance in the Middle East, this study focused on rural councils in Iran as examples of local organizations with regulatory authority to govern forests and other natural resources. The perception of local council members about forest governance in Chehel-Chay Watershed Region in northern Iran was analysed. Despite the appropriate collaborative structure of rural councils and a favourable attitude of council members towards public participation, there was not a strong tendency for rural councils to engage in participation concerning local forest governance. Council members expressed a preference for closed co-management arrangements in which governmental and non-governmental actors work together to govern forests. To move away from the dominant top-down, centralized mode of forest governance, enabling actions combined with supportive factors, such as involving rural councils in forest governance and delegating authority for local legislation, are recommended as a step towards more effective decentralization which enhances public participation in the sustainable management of natural resources.

中文翻译：

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农村委员会参与式森林治理的看法和实践：伊朗 Chehel-Chay 的封闭式共同管理

由于分级自然资源治理的缺点，理论家越来越关注权力下放给地方组织。尽管权力下放与真正的参与有关，但当地人更喜欢在森林治理中的参与程度如何？鉴于缺乏对中东森林治理的研究，本研究将伊朗农村委员会作为具有监管森林和其他自然资源的监管权力的地方组织的例子。分析了地方议会成员对伊朗北部 Chehel-Chay 流域地区森林治理的看法。尽管农村委员会具有适当的协作结构，并且委员会成员对公众参与持积极态度，农村委员会参与地方森林治理的趋势并不强烈。理事会成员表示倾向于政府和非政府行为者共同管理森林的封闭式共同管理安排。建议摆脱自上而下、集中的森林治理主导模式，将扶持性行动与支持性因素相结合，例如让农村委员会参与森林治理和下放地方立法权，作为迈向更有效的权力下放的一步，从而增强公共利益。参与自然资源的可持续管理。