Examining the Mediating Effect of the Rural Economic Dynamization between the Socio-Environmental Heritage and Sustainability of Protected Areas

Abstract

This study examines the mediating effect of rural economic dynamization between socio-environmental heritage and the sustainability of protected areas in the buffer zone of the Serranía de las Quinchas Regional Natural Park, located in the municipality of Otanche, Boyacá Department, Colombia. The study population includes families that are part of the productive units in this area. The methodological approach of this study is based on partial least squares structural equation modeling. The working unit was established in the regional protected areas of Colombia, specifically in the Serranía de las Quinchas Regional Natural Park. A sample of 172 participants was selected using a non-probabilistic intentional sampling method, covering academics, company representatives, social leaders, local authorities, and representatives of non-governmental organizations. The study variables were measured using a scale with satisfactory psychometric properties, which included 12 items for socio-environmental heritage, 17 items for rural economic dynamization, and 11 items for the sustainability of protected areas. These were structured into subcategories based on the ecosystem services approach (factors that demonstrate social and economic dynamics). Responses were collected using a five-point Likert scale. The sample was analyzed using SmartPLS 3.3.3 software, applying a reflective–reflective hierarchical component model to evaluate the first- and second-order relationships among the variables. The results demonstrate the importance of socio-environmental heritage for local communities as a strategic component that facilitates the rural economic dynamization of protected areas based on sustainability. This research contributes to understanding the relationship between socio-environmental heritage and the sustainability of protected areas, mediated by rural economic dynamization, highlighting the relevance of in situ conservation strategies and prospective planning of these territories to implement sustainability dynamics. It is concluded that rural economic dynamization acts as a significant mediator in the relationship between socio-environmental heritage and the sustainability of protected areas, emphasizing the need to integrate these dynamics into the management of natural resources and the promotion of sustainable development in rural communities.