Environmental Knowledge and Attitude of Coastal Community in Decision Making to Participate in Mangrove Rehabilitation in Sinjai District South Sulawesi Indonesia

Abstract

Adversity in the past has provided lessons, information, and understanding of coastal communities about the importance of adequately conserving and managing mangrove forests and encouraged their attitude towards mangrove rehabilitation. The study aims are to analyse the influence of knowledge and attitude of coastal communities on the decision to participate in mangrove rehabilitation in Tongke-Tongke village, Sinjai district, South Sulawesi. A household survey was conducted in August 2019. Structured questionnaires were administered to 150 respondents who were selected through random sampling. The socioeconomic demographic characteristics of households were described using qualitative descriptive statistics, and a multiple regression equation examined the decision to participate with a logit model estimation. The majority of the coastal communities have a low-level education and rely on fishing and shrimp farming as their primary source of income. Knowledge and attitude play a critical role in determining their understanding and behaviour concerning mangrove rehabilitation, with positive and significant effects.