Mechanisms by which environmental regulation and social network embeddedness influence farmers’ ecological efficiency

Identifying the key drivers of ecological efficiency improvement among forest farmers is essential for advancing the reform of the collective forest tenure system and promoting the modernization of forestry. Based on survey data from 324 hazelnut farmers in Tieling City, Liaoning Province, this study developed an analytical framework that links external regulation, internal network embeddedness, and ecological efficiency. A super-efficiency Slack-Based Measure (SBM) model was employed to assess production efficiency, and the effects of environmental regulation and social network embeddedness on ecological efficiency were systematically investigated, along with their interaction mechanisms. The results showed that environmental regulation had a significant positive effect on ecological efficiency, with coercive regulation exerting the strongest influence, significantly exceeding that of incentive-based and guidance-based approaches. Social network embeddedness also significantly enhanced ecological efficiency, with degree centrality having the most significant impact, followed by betweenness and closeness centrality. Moreover, the interaction effects between environmental regulation and centrality indicators displayed heterogeneous characteristics. Based on these findings, the study proposes three policy implications: (1) the government should strengthen regulatory enforcement and fiscal incentives, complemented by awareness campaigns and technical training to improve farmers' environmental consciousness; (2) farmer cooperation and information-sharing platforms should be encouraged to enhance capacity building and optimize social network structures; (3) differentiated policy interventions should be developed according to interaction patterns to leverage network-driven spillovers, motivating farmers to act as role models in the green transition and improving regulatory effectiveness.