How does perception at multiple levels influence collective action in the commons? The case of Mikania micrantha in Chitwan, Nepal

• Potential factors influencing collective action in common pool resource management are identified.
• A multilevel statistical model of potential factors influencing collective action is presented.
• The model supports that reliance on managed resources and perception of an issue influence collective action.

Collective action has played a vital role in managing common pool resources in numerous global contexts. This article explores the factors affecting collective action related to the removal of the mile-a-minute weed (Mikania micrantha, referred to as Mikania), an invasive plant, in community forests in the buffer zone region around Chitwan National Park in Chitwan, Nepal. Few studies have combined larger sample size quantitative data with greater generalizability and nuanced, qualitative data to explore what factors influence collective action or focused on how perception of the issue at multiple levels affects outcomes. This research employs household and community forest management survey data from 21 community forests in and near the buffer zone of Chitwan National Park in Nepal. Our multilevel econometric analyses, including an analysis examining geographic space using eigenvectors, investigate what influences local people's participation in Mikania removal and we contextualize the findings with case-study interview data. Our results indicate that reliance on community forest resources, perception of the issue, and neighborhood sizes influence are influential factors in their participation in Mikania removal. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of increasing the effectiveness of Mikania removal efforts and influencing collective action in relation to other global human-environment issues.