10.57647/JRS.2026.1603.22

An Interpretive Structural Model for Balancing between Biodiversity Protection and Local Livelihoods in the Almabolaq Protected Area, Hamadan Province, Iran

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  • Aminollah Sahab Mahmoodi1,
  • Mohammad Reza Gili1,
  • Iman Saeedi*1,
  1. Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Malayer University, Malayer, Iran

Received: 2025-08-02

Revised: 2025-10-31

Accepted: 2025-10-31

Published in Issue 2026-09-30

Copyright (c) 2026 Aminollah Sahab Mahmoodi, Mohammad Reza Gili, Iman Saeedi (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Sahab Mahmoodi, A., Gili, M. R., & Saeedi, I. (2026). An Interpretive Structural Model for Balancing between Biodiversity Protection and Local Livelihoods in the Almabolaq Protected Area, Hamadan Province, Iran. Journal of Rangeland Science, 16(3). https://doi.org/10.57647/JRS.2026.1603.22
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Abstract

Protected areas worldwide face hard trade-offs between biodiversity conservation and supporting local livelihoods. This study was conducted to integrate the Fuzzy Delphi and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) to evaluate socio-economic threats in Almabolaq protected area, Hamedan province, Iran, in 2023. This research was based on expert input from 16 specialists, who identified 10 key threats, including overgrazing, land-use changes, burning of shrubs, and the use of pesticides, which substantially contributed to biodiversity loss. The fuzzy Delphi analysis of 21 factors using triangular fuzzy numbers (Definite Value threshold = 3.65) revealed that among the 10 threats, overgrazing, with a value of 4.58 ± 0.14, accounted for 11.6% of the total threats, had the highest rank. The ISM modeling organized these threats into a four-tier strategy: Level 1: prioritize education and awareness. Level 2: had focused on strengthening legal oversight and managing population pressures. Level 3: emphasized enhanced management practices and social awareness, and Level 4: emphasized specific conservation interventions, such as determining grazing boundaries and promoting sustainable practices. Notably, community engagement emerged as the most influential strategy, effectively linking conservation objectives with local socio-economic needs.By explicitly addressing these trade-offs, our study provides actionable recommendations for policymakers and protected area managers, offering a practical framework to balance ecological integrity with sustainable human development.

Keywords

  • Biodiversity Conservation,
  • Iran,
  • Environmental Modeling,
  • Socio-economic Drivers,
  • Sustainable Development
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