Does Grassland Ecological Compensation Policy Really Promote Herders' Collective Action in Community‐Based Grassland Conservation? Evidence From Northern China

ABSTRACT Herders' collective action in community‐based grassland conservation (CBGC), which merits attention in China's grassland management, has been proposed to address grassland degradation, protect herders' livelihoods, and support sustainable grassland ecosystems. As a pivotal initiative among China's payment‐for‐ecosystem services programs, the Grassland Ecological Compensation Policy (GECP) has significant effects on both the natural and social systems of grasslands. However, the impact of the GECP on herders' collective action in CBGC has received little attention. Using survey data from 510 herder households in Inner Mongolia, this study examined the effect of the GECP on herders' collective action in CBGC and investigated the mechanisms behind this effect by analyzing grassland rental and off‐farm labor allocation. The results show that the GECP negatively affects herders' collective action in CBGC. Additionally, the current GECP subsidy exceeds the threshold in the inverted U ‐shaped relationship between the GECP and herders' collective action in CBGC. This negative effect stems from both a reduction in operated grasslands through rentals and an increase in off‐farm labor moving to high‐skilled sectors. Grassland titling, herders' cooperation, and environmental cognition help mitigate the negative impact of the GECP on herders' collective action in CBGC.