The Impact of Livelihood Capital on Farmers’ Willingness to Participate in Wildlife Conservation: Evidence from the Communities Around the Jiyuan Macaque Nature Reserve in China

Changhai Wang, Junfeng Hao, Tamirat Solomon, Haifei Liu, Deqin Liu () and Youjun He ()
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Changhai Wang: School of Government, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing 102488, China
Junfeng Hao: School of Economics and Management, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
Tamirat Solomon: Department of Natural Resource Management, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo P.O. Box 138, Ethiopia
Haifei Liu: School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Deqin Liu: School of Economics and Management, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
Youjun He: Research Institute of Forestry Policy and Information, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 16, 1-22

Abstract: Understanding the impact and mechanisms of livelihood capital on farmers’ willingness to participate in wildlife conservation is crucial for enhancing the effectiveness of wildlife protection in nature reserves. Based on survey data from 186 farmers around the Jiyuan Macaque Natural Reserve in Henan Province, this study employs an ordered probit model to examine how livelihood capital on farmers’ willingness to engage in wildlife conservation. Additionally, mediating and moderating effect models are used to explore the mediating role of perceived living conditions and the moderating role of farmers’ policy cognition. The key findings are threefold: (1) Livelihood capital has a significant positive effect on farmers’ willingness to participate in wildlife conservation. (2) Perceived living conditions significantly mediate the relationship between capital and farmers’ willingness to participate. (3) Farmers’ awareness of ecotourism policies positively moderates the effect of livelihood capital on their willingness to participate, whereas awareness of wildlife damage compensation policies does not show a significant moderating effect. Therefore, it is recommended that the government should focus on enhancing farmers’ livelihood capital, improving their perceived living conditions, and strengthen policy publicity and awareness.

Keywords: livelihood capital; farmers’ participation; willingness to wildlife conservation; perceived living conditions; policy cognition; nature reserve (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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