How Cadre Capacity and Eco-Policy Cognition Affect Rural Residents’ Eco-Conservation Willingness? Evidence From Hainan, China

To fully promote rural ecological revitalization and address the governance dilemma where “the government acts while residents watch,” the key is to effectively encourage rural residents’ willingness to participate in ecological conservation. As the “guiding force” in rural governance, what role do village cadres play? How does their capacity influence residents’ willingness to engage? Our study uses micro-level survey data from 824 rural residents in Hainan Province, China, to empirically examine how cadre capacity affects residents’ willingness to participate in eco-conservation and to analyze the mechanisms through which eco-policy cognition, digital literacy, and neighborhood interaction influence this process. The study finds: First, cadre capacity has a significant positive impact on rural residents’ eco-conservation willingness. Second, local eco-policy cognition functions as a key transmission channel, through which cadre capacity indirectly boosts conservation willingness by improving residents’ understanding of local ecological policies. Third, digital literacy and neighborhood interaction have significant positive moderating effects, respectively strengthening the influence of capacity on willingness through individual empowerment and social interaction. Based on these findings, we recommend a multi-faceted approach to encourage residents’ active participation in ecological conservation: strengthening village cadre capacity, improving residents’ understanding of ecological policies, activating neighborhood networks, and enhancing digital literacy. Future research could focus on long-term dynamic tracking and multi-regional comparisons to deepen understanding of governance capacity development and behavioral response mechanisms.