Volume 13, Issue 1 (3-2025)
Ecol Iran For 2025, 13(1): 133-145 |
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Pourhossein H, Akbari H, Firozjaeian A A, Lotfalian M, Fallah A. (2025). Contextual Analysis of Timber Smuggling in the East of Mazandaran Province. Ecol Iran For. 13(1), 133-145. doi:10.61186/ifej.2024.555
URL: http://ifej.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-555-en.html
URL: http://ifej.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-555-en.html
1- Department of Forest Science and Engineering, Sari University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Sari, Iran
2- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Mazandaran University, Babolsar, Iran
2- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Mazandaran University, Babolsar, Iran
Abstract: (864 Views)
Extended abstract
Background: Destruction of environmental resources is one of the serious challenges in today's societies. However, some of these resources seem to be more destructed in developing countries. Forests are constantly being destroyed as one of the environmental resources, especially in our country, and wood smuggling is considered one of the common methods for deforestation, especially in the forests of the north of Iran. The unauthorized cutting of forest timber and its smuggling phenomenon are among the complex problems of natural resources in Iran. Since forest destruction through wood smuggling has irreparable consequences for other parts of the environment, investigating the areas that lead to wood smuggling is of particular importance. However, considering the importance of wood smuggling and subsequent forest destruction, it can be concluded that this issue has cultural, social, and economic contexts, and knowing these factors and contexts paves the ground for proper planning to preserve and improve forest resources. In this research, therefore, an attempt was made to provide an analysis of the status and quantity of wood trafficking in the east of Mazandaran Province by emphasizing a hybrid approach while identifying the factors affecting wood smuggling in Mazandaran Province (eastern region).
Methods: This research was carried out in the east of Mazandaran Province using a qualitative and exploratory method. The present study method is qualitative research based on the interpretive paradigm with an emphasis on thematic analysis. Based on thematic analysis, descriptive coding was first followed by interpretive coding, and finally, comprehensive categories were extracted from the data. The main categories included the organizational-administrative, legal-control, economic, cultural, social, and political context of wood smuggling. The core categories were prioritized after identifying the main themes, core categories, and sub-categories. The categories were scored using a five-point Likert scale, including items of very low importance (1), low importance (2), medium importance (3), high importance (4), and very high importance (5). Research information was obtained through unstructured and face-to-face interviews with the main actors related to the issue of wood trafficking. The sampling method in qualitative field research is qualitative sampling, which is also called purposive sampling or theoretical sampling. In this sampling method, the number of interviewed people, or in other words, the sample size depends on the theoretical saturation of the investigated questions. Research information was collected from four groups of stakeholders related to wood trafficking, including local communities (forest dwellers and ranchers), employees of the Natural Resources Organization, wood buyers and sellers (stockholders and smugglers), and environmental activists through semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed through the thematic analysis technique. In the present study, various aspects were considered to achieve credibility. Three conventional techniques were used to reach the criterion of trustworthiness (Kval & Brinckman, 2009). After the interviews were implemented, the interview text was examined and evaluated by the participants (validation by members). Besides, the correctness of the codes and created themes was evaluated (analytical comparison) by constantly referring to the text of the interviews. Then, the supervisors and advisors acted as external inspectors in all stages of the research, and the final themes were evaluated by them (audit technique).
Results: The sentences from the interviews were re-examined at the beginning of the analysis and the coding stage. At this stage, an attempt was made to extract key categories from the sentences. At first, 49 categories were extracted from the key propositions, and according to the points of commonality, they were placed next to each other and grouped into 22 core categories. These categories were finally classified into six themes related to wood smuggling, including organizational-administrative context, legal-control context, economic context, cultural context, social context, and political-political context. The results related to the prioritization of the key categories of the main themes of wood smuggling in the east of Mazandaran Province showed that the categories "low punishment deterrence", "profitable economic activity", and "economic and income problems" with the averages of 4.2, 4, and 3.9, respectively, in the first to third priorities were among 22 core categories. Moreover, the categories "increasing demand for land in forest areas", "sale of barren land", and "weakness of environmental socialization" were ranked among the 22 core categories with averages of 2.1, 2.2, and 4.3, respectively.
Conclusion: In general, the results show that wood smuggling is affected by multiple factors, and all aspects must be considered to control and prevent it. The results of the current research provide detailed information in the field of policy and program adoption to managers and policymakers of the forest sector, which will have a positive result in the formulation and implementation of plans.
Background: Destruction of environmental resources is one of the serious challenges in today's societies. However, some of these resources seem to be more destructed in developing countries. Forests are constantly being destroyed as one of the environmental resources, especially in our country, and wood smuggling is considered one of the common methods for deforestation, especially in the forests of the north of Iran. The unauthorized cutting of forest timber and its smuggling phenomenon are among the complex problems of natural resources in Iran. Since forest destruction through wood smuggling has irreparable consequences for other parts of the environment, investigating the areas that lead to wood smuggling is of particular importance. However, considering the importance of wood smuggling and subsequent forest destruction, it can be concluded that this issue has cultural, social, and economic contexts, and knowing these factors and contexts paves the ground for proper planning to preserve and improve forest resources. In this research, therefore, an attempt was made to provide an analysis of the status and quantity of wood trafficking in the east of Mazandaran Province by emphasizing a hybrid approach while identifying the factors affecting wood smuggling in Mazandaran Province (eastern region).
Methods: This research was carried out in the east of Mazandaran Province using a qualitative and exploratory method. The present study method is qualitative research based on the interpretive paradigm with an emphasis on thematic analysis. Based on thematic analysis, descriptive coding was first followed by interpretive coding, and finally, comprehensive categories were extracted from the data. The main categories included the organizational-administrative, legal-control, economic, cultural, social, and political context of wood smuggling. The core categories were prioritized after identifying the main themes, core categories, and sub-categories. The categories were scored using a five-point Likert scale, including items of very low importance (1), low importance (2), medium importance (3), high importance (4), and very high importance (5). Research information was obtained through unstructured and face-to-face interviews with the main actors related to the issue of wood trafficking. The sampling method in qualitative field research is qualitative sampling, which is also called purposive sampling or theoretical sampling. In this sampling method, the number of interviewed people, or in other words, the sample size depends on the theoretical saturation of the investigated questions. Research information was collected from four groups of stakeholders related to wood trafficking, including local communities (forest dwellers and ranchers), employees of the Natural Resources Organization, wood buyers and sellers (stockholders and smugglers), and environmental activists through semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed through the thematic analysis technique. In the present study, various aspects were considered to achieve credibility. Three conventional techniques were used to reach the criterion of trustworthiness (Kval & Brinckman, 2009). After the interviews were implemented, the interview text was examined and evaluated by the participants (validation by members). Besides, the correctness of the codes and created themes was evaluated (analytical comparison) by constantly referring to the text of the interviews. Then, the supervisors and advisors acted as external inspectors in all stages of the research, and the final themes were evaluated by them (audit technique).
Results: The sentences from the interviews were re-examined at the beginning of the analysis and the coding stage. At this stage, an attempt was made to extract key categories from the sentences. At first, 49 categories were extracted from the key propositions, and according to the points of commonality, they were placed next to each other and grouped into 22 core categories. These categories were finally classified into six themes related to wood smuggling, including organizational-administrative context, legal-control context, economic context, cultural context, social context, and political-political context. The results related to the prioritization of the key categories of the main themes of wood smuggling in the east of Mazandaran Province showed that the categories "low punishment deterrence", "profitable economic activity", and "economic and income problems" with the averages of 4.2, 4, and 3.9, respectively, in the first to third priorities were among 22 core categories. Moreover, the categories "increasing demand for land in forest areas", "sale of barren land", and "weakness of environmental socialization" were ranked among the 22 core categories with averages of 2.1, 2.2, and 4.3, respectively.
Conclusion: In general, the results show that wood smuggling is affected by multiple factors, and all aspects must be considered to control and prevent it. The results of the current research provide detailed information in the field of policy and program adoption to managers and policymakers of the forest sector, which will have a positive result in the formulation and implementation of plans.
Keywords: Forest destruction, Forest protection, Forest policy, Illegal cutting of trees, Socioeconomic
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