Introduction: Mangrove forests, as strategic coastal ecosystems, play a critical role not only in carbon sequestration and coastal protection, but also as the main foundation of livelihood and cultural identity of local communities. However, in recent years, these ecosystems on Qeshm Island have faced increasing pressure driven by unsustainable exploitation, industrial development, and climate change. The lack of institutionalized participation by local communities in decision-making processes is one of the key challenges in managing these resources. This study was conducted to move from traditional management toward a social forestry model and to provide an operational roadmap for the sustainable management of mangroves on Qeshm Island.
Method: This study was conducted using a descriptive-analytical approach and multi-criteria decision-making methods. In the first step, through a review of library sources and expert interviews, internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) and external factors (opportunities and threats) were identified. Subsequently, by constructing Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) and External Factor Evaluation (EFE) matrices, the current situation was analyzed. In the next step, management strategies were formulated via a SWOT matrix, and finally, using the Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM), the strategies were prioritized according to their attractiveness and feasibility in the region’s specific conditions.
Results: The results of the IFE and EFE analyses, with scores of 3.44 and 2.99, indicate a desirable level of internal capacity and the presence of suitable environmental opportunities for the development of social forestry in Qeshm. The SWOT analysis placed the region’s strategic position in the aggressive (SO) quadrant, suggesting the need to make maximum use of internal strengths to take advantage of external opportunities. The QSPM results showed that the three highest-priority strategies are, respectively: developing community-based tourism (6.52), developing education and empowerment programs for local communities (6.51), and establishing operational mechanisms for participatory management (6.26).
Conclusion: The findings of this study emphasize that mangrove management in Qeshm should not be limited to a purely protective–governmental approach; rather, through a social forestry approach, local communities must be integrated as the primary stewards of mangrove resources throughout the value chain. In this regard, the higher priority assigned to community-based tourism can be attributed to the region’s simultaneous economic, social, and ecological capacities—particularly the dependence of local communities’ livelihoods on tourism and fisheries, the unique ecological outlook of mangrove ecosystems, and the increased motivation for investment in tourism. The success of this approach depends on establishing participatory mechanisms and conservation-based economic opportunities, such as responsible ecotourism, while also strengthening the educational capacity of local communities. A limitation of this study is its reliance on expert perceptions and prevailing regional conditions, which may influence the priority of strategies if economic, social, and environmental circumstances change. It is recommended that regional policymakers, by prioritizing community-based tourism, education and empowerment for local communities, and the implementation of participatory management mechanisms, move away from purely prohibitive measures and toward synergy between local livelihoods and ecological sustainability.