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. 2021 Jul;50(7):1394-1403.
doi: 10.1007/s13280-020-01475-w. Epub 2021 Jan 17.

Multilevel analysis of factors affecting participants' land reconversion willingness after the Grain for Green Program

Xutong Wu  1   2 , Shuai Wang  3 , Bojie Fu  4   5
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Multilevel analysis of factors affecting participants' land reconversion willingness after the Grain for Green Program

Xutong Wu et al. Ambio. 2021 Jul.

Abstract

Understanding the postprogram land use plans of participants is necessary for the sustainability of the conservation achievements from payments for ecosystem services (PES) programs. Previous studies have analyzed many individual factors affecting participants' reconversion plans after PES programs. However, whether the regional ecosystem services changes caused by PES programs affect reconversion willingness remains elusive. Here, we used the multilevel linear model to determine the effects of regional ecosystem services changes and individual characteristics on participants' land reconversion willingness after the Grain for Green Program (GFGP) in the Yanhe watershed of the Loess Plateau. We found that household income, ecological awareness, and employment changes negatively affected reconversion willingness, while nonfarm employment positively affected it at the individual level. At the regional level, the grain production and water yield changes could influence the reconversion willingness of respondents with different individual characteristics. With improved understanding of the factors affecting reconversion willingness, several suggestions to improve the sustainability of the GFGP were proposed. Our study provides a template for analyzing the multilevel factors that affect the sustainability of other PES programs.

Keywords: Grain for Green Program; Loess Plateau; Multilevel linear model; Payments for ecosystem services; Reconversion willingness.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Study area. a Location of the Yanhe watershed. b Land use and land cover map of the Yanhe watershed in 2000. c Land use and land cover map of the Yanhe watershed in 2015
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Attitudes of the respondents. Response scale “1” to “5” represent “strongly disagree”, “disagree”, “neutral”, “agree”, and “strongly agree”, respectively
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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