Community Socio-Economic Model for Environmental Conservation in Post-Coal Mining Fragmented Forests

Abstract

Coal mining causes significant environmental degradation and socio-economic impacts, necessitating a sustainable approach to post-mining conservation. This study develops a community-based socio-economic model for environmental conservation in fragmented post-mining forests using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results show that perceptions of environmental conservation have a significant positive impact on socio-economic conditions (+0.740, p = 0.000), while expectations for area management and socio-economic challenges are not significant (-0.013, p = 0.886). The model explains 54.2% of the variation in socio-economic conditions, with external factors such as education and environmental experiences also playing a role. Aligning policies with local community interests is crucial for successful conservation. This study highlights the importance of a multisectoral approach integrating environmental and socio-economic policies to support sustainable community well-being.