Context Of Natural Resource Management Research Articles

Trust and trustworthiness: conceptual distinctions and their implications for natural resources management

Few natural resource management (NRM) studies discriminate between trust and trustworthiness. However, this approach, which combines the attitude of one actor with the characteristics of another actor, is common in the organisational management literature. Our case study, set in a wildfire management context in Australia, sought to explore: (1) how community members and NRM staff defined trust and described trustworthiness; (2) how these trust definitions did, or did not, reflect conceptualisations in the literature; and, (3) whether explicitly differentiating between trust and trustworthiness is useful in an NRM context. Our findings suggest that participants defined trust in three main ways: as ‘having a good relationship’; as ‘being able to rely on others’ in a one-way manner; and, as ‘a relationship where parties rely on one another’ in a reciprocal manner. Our findings also suggest that participants differentiated these trust definitions from trustworthiness, that is, from the characteristics and actions which made an individual or agency worthy of trust. These findings suggest that it is useful to differentiate trust from trustworthiness, because it allows NRM managers and researchers to better understand both the trusting intentions of community members and the characteristics of the agency which contribute to that trust.

‘Are You Serious to Ask Me about Who Owns Wildlife?’ Politics of Autonomy over Wildlife Resources in the Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe

This article describes how a participatory action research project, the Zambezi Valley Advocacy Project, assisted the process of improving the autonomy of communities over wildlife management issues in the Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe. The project was based on the assumption that negligible conservation and development benefits realised from wildlife resources were both a policy and a management problem of the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE). Using a participatory analysis, we found that CAMPFIRE is a resilient programme despite the increase in poaching, unscrupulous hunting safari operators, continued destruction of crops by wildlife, reduced flow of financial benefits to producer communities, and economic decline which Zimbabwe has experienced since around the year 2000. This study demonstrates the value of participatory research, so much so that by the end of the project, stakeholders had already started implementing the findings to the hunting contract system, anti-poaching activities, and direct payment system. This represented a significant start to improving community autonomy over wildlife management. It also provided significant opportunities for both researchers and participants to collaborate and use their collective power to create political will for opening up greater decision-making, ownership wildlife resources, and benefit-sharing options for local communities. The lessons from this study are likely to be applicable to other community-based natural resource management contexts.

Making Sense of Human Ecology Mapping: An Overview of Approaches to Integrating Socio-Spatial Data into Environmental Planning

Ecosystem-based planning and management have stimulated the need to gather sociocultural values and human uses of land in formats accessible to diverse planners and researchers. Human Ecology Mapping (HEM) approaches offer promising spatial data gathering and analytical tools, while also addressing important questions about human-landscape connections. This article reviews and compares the characteristics of three HEM approaches that are increasingly used in natural resource management contexts, each focused on a particular aspect of human-environmental interactions. These aspects include tenure and resource use (TRU), local ecological knowledge (LEK), and sense of place (SOP). We discuss their origins, provide examples of their use, and identify challenges to their application. Our review serves as a guide for environmental managers, planners, and communities interested in gathering spatial data on aspects of human ecology important in ecosystem-based management and planning, and for scientists designing socioecological research.

Energy and utility management maturity model for sustainable manufacturing process

The manufacturing industry, one of the top consumers of natural resources, produces extensive carbon emissions that create the need for a sustainable manufacturing process, a topic of significant research interest. In the recent decades, the advancement of environmental technology and introduction of comprehensive environmental management systems have highlighted the intangible benefits of environmental management practices and their potential to drive organizational competitiveness. Accumulating evidence on the potential benefits of environmental protectionism has given rise to a series of environmental management practices and systems, such as energy informatics, environmental management standardization frameworks, and green supplier management and collaboration. However, existing literature lacks a clear conceptualization and a coherent theoretical framework of environmental management. In addition, no systematic framework exists for the design and implementation of environmental management practices that guide organizations in deciding on the practices or systems that they should implement given their organizational situations. Thus, this study aims to develop an energy and utility maturity framework for systematic measurement and management of natural resource consumption. Specifically, the proposed framework, energy and utility management maturity model (EUMMM), was designed based on the capability maturity model integration (CMMI). EUMMM has two major functions. First, it provides an assessment framework for analyzing the maturity level of energy and utility management in organizations. Second, it provides a progressive framework to guide organizational advancement in energy and utility management. A collaborative pilot study was conducted to validate the effectiveness, practicability, and convenience of the EUMMM. The results indicated that EUMMM successfully led the participating companies to move along the environmental management maturity path. Theoretically, this study extends the application of CMMI to the context of natural resource management and develops a progressive framework for energy and utility management maturation. Practically, this study provides a robust guideline for practitioners in analyzing and advancing energy and utility maturity levels to achieve a sustainable manufacturing process.

Island country: Aboriginal connections, values and knowledge of the Western Australian Kimberley islands in the context of an island biological survey

Our paper describes Aboriginal connections, values and knowledge of the Kimberley islands and their resources in the context of a terrestrial biological survey of 24 islands, initiated by the Western Australian Government and coordinated by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC). The Kimberley islands represent part of the traditional lands of Aboriginal people in the region and hold great signifi cance and value for them. The Kimberley Land Council (KLC) facilitated the participation of 50 Aboriginal Traditional Owners in this survey, which spanned fi ve Native Title areas, three of which have now been determined (Bardi and Jawi, Wanjina Wunggurr Dambimangari and Wanjina Wunggurr Uunguu) and two of which are still in mediation (Balanggarra and Mayala). The KLC and DEC negotiated a research agreement that provided for managed access to sensitive cultural sites, data sharing, the participation of Traditional Owners in fi eld work alongside scientists and input by Traditional Owners in the fi nal publications and recommendations resulting from this survey. Our paper also places the island survey and its fi ndings into the broader context of Indigenous Natural and Cultural Resource Management (INCRM) in the Kimberley region, including the development of Indigenous Protected Areas and Indigenous Rangers, and other projects such as fi re abatement and tourism management, along with traditional management practices which operate independently from formal management programs.

Public Participation in Scientific Research: a Framework for Deliberate Design

Shirk, J. L., H. L. Ballard, C. C. Wilderman, T. Phillips, A. Wiggins, R. Jordan, E. McCallie, M. Minarchek, B. V. Lewenstein, M. E. Krasny, and R. Bonney. 2012. Public participation in scientific research: a framework for deliberate design. Ecology and Society 17(2): 29. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-04705-170229

A Moment of Mental Model Clarity: Response to Jones et al. 2011

Wood, M. D., A. Bostrom, M. Convertino, D. Kovacs, and I. Linkov 2012. A moment of mental model clarity: response to Jones et al. 2011. Ecology and Society 17(4): 7. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-05122-170407

The challenges and opportunities of participatory video in geographical research: exploring collaboration with indigenous communities in the North Rupununi, Guyana

Participatory video, a methodological approach with a history in social and community development, is increasingly being used in geographic research. In this paper, we reflect on the dual processes of research and participatory video and discuss some of the challenges, struggles as well as successes during the process of using participatory video as a means of creating and communicating geographical knowledge. Working within a natural resource management context with indigenous communities in the North Rupununi district of Guyana, we trace our participatory video research journey and highlight some of the tensions as well as opportunities arising through the participatory video process. We conclude that if an adaptive research approach is taken when doing participatory video research, it can engender greater enabling outcomes for research participants, while at the same time produce more nuanced and grounded academic research.

Public participation in British Columbia forest management

Conceptions and challenges of public participation in British Columbia are reviewed to identify those characteristicsof planning processes that serve to benefit or constrain the interests and needs of public stakeholders. Perspectives onpublic participation, including representative and participatory democracies, and approaches to incorporating publicperspectives in decision-making (i.e., shared decision-making, consensus-building, and interest-based negotiation) arepresented to demonstrate the different approaches (and their benefits and challenges) available for providing opportunitiesfor public participation. Lessons from other natural resource management contexts are distilled and used to evaluatethe BC context. Three principal forest planning and management frameworks (the Commission on Resources and theEnvironment, Land and Resource Management Plans, and sustainable forest management certification) are examinedin light of whether meaningful opportunities for public participation were provided.Key words: public participation, British Columbia, Commission on Resources and the Environment, Land and ResourceManagement Plans, sustainable forest management certification

Communicative Skills Development of Administrators: A Necessary Step for Implementing Participatory Policies in Natural Resource Management

In 2007, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) asked the authors to design and run a program for communicative skills development of Natural Resource Management (NRM) administrators and managers at SEPA and county administrative boards. This essay is based on our experiences with and reflections on the program. We first discuss basic assumptions about the situation of the administrators and their need for communicative skills development. Second, we provide a brief description of program implementation. Finally, we use our experiences to explore implications for a wider context of NRM. We conclude that initiating and supporting bottom-up processes within top-down structures is a delicate task that demands continuous training. Establishing professional learning teams at the administrators' places of work can facilitate continuous reflection and communicative competence development.

Towards a Duty of Care for Biodiversity

The decline in biodiversity is a worldwide phenomenon, with current rates of species extinction more dramatic than any previously recorded. Habitat loss has been identified as the major cause of biodiversity decline. In this article we suggest that a statutory duty of care would complement the current mix of policy options for biodiversity conservation. Obstacles hindering the introduction of a statutory duty of care include linguistic ambiguity about the terms 'duty of care' and 'stewardship' and how they are applied in a natural resource management context, and the absence of a mechanism to guide its implementation. Drawing on international literature and key informant interviews we have articulated characteristics of duty of care to reduce linguistic ambiguity, and developed a framework for implementing a duty of care for biodiversity at the regional scale. The framework draws on key elements of the common law 'duty of care', the concepts of 'taking reasonable care' and 'avoiding foreseeable harm', in its logic. Core elements of the framework include desired outcomes for biodiversity, supported by current recommended practices. The focus on outcomes provides opportunities for the development of innovative management practices. The framework incorporates multiple pathways for the redress of non-compliance including tiered negative sanctions, and positive measures to encourage compliance. Importantly, the framework addresses the need for change and adaptation that is a necessary part of biodiversity management.

Using Traditional Knowledge to Adapt to Ecological Change: Denésoliné Monitoring of Caribou Movements

The Chipewyan Dene or Denésoliné have long been dealing with variability in the movements of barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus). Many generations ago, Denésoliné hunters learned that by observing caribou at key water crossings during the fall migration, they could obtain critical information about caribou health, population, and movement patterns. Systematic observation of these indicators by hunters strategically organized along the tree line enabled the Denésoliné to adapt their harvesting practices, including the location of family camps, to maximize harvest success. While this system of observation was developed for traditional subsistence harvesting, its techniques could be usefully applied today to other natural resource management contexts. In particular, such monitoring might help us understand how new bifurcation points created by mineral resource development may be affecting the Bathurst caribou herd. As governments, communities, and academics search for ways to include traditional knowledge in decision making for resource management, this paper recognizes that the Denésoliné and other indigenous peoples have their own systems of watching, listening, learning, understanding, and adapting to ecological change.

Teaching and Learning Guide for: Application of Virtual Globes in Education

Teaching and Learning Guide for: Application of Virtual Globes in Education

Integrating Natural Resource Management and Indigenous Cultural Heritage

This paper outlines an effective approach for the protection and control of cultural heritage places and landscapes that integrates customary protocols, community-driven initiatives, landscape management, and progressive intellectual property protocols. These components must work together to ensure effective cultural heritage management practice within a natural resource management context. This approach provides clear social, cultural, and environmental outcomes, and provides a platform for economic and social sustainability at the community level. A modeled approach is discussed using case studies of implemented as part of the “Restoring Connections Project.”

Cultural and Biological Heritage at Risk;The Case of the Rabai Kaya Forests in Coastal Kenya

In this paper we give an account of the threats facing the kaya forests, sacred forests of the Rabai people, a sub-group of the Mijikenda ethnic group of coastal Kenya. In this area economic, social, cultural and political forces over the last 150 years have had profound effects on the institutional context of natural resource management. The decrease in economic power of the Rabai, coupled with population increase, has led to increased pressure on all natural resources, including the communally owned kaya forests. At the same time the indigenous institutions responsible for controlling access to the forest resources have been weakened by the impacts of colonial rule, Islam, Christianity and most recently the policies of the independent Kenyan nation state. Despite this, many Mijikenda still have considerable respect for their indigenous value systems, and our paper draws on interviews with community members and local elders to describe some of the beliefs and practices which have ensured the survival of the sacred forests to the present day. We conclude with some recommendations for initiatives that could improve the local economies, strengthen community-based institutions, and enhance the chances of survival of these valuable elements of Kenya's natural and cultural heritage.

The multiple criteria analysis tool (MCAT): A new software tool to support environmental investment decision making

This article describes a decision support software system referred to as the multiple criteria analysis tool (MCAT). MCAT identifies a portfolio of decision options that return a maximum aggregated benefit under a constrained budget. Benefits scores of decision options – which we will refer to as projects – are computed using multiple criteria analysis whereas in a subsequent step, binary combinatorial optimisation is employed to identify the combination of projects that return a maximised aggregated benefit subject to a constraint. MCAT has primarily been developed to be used in natural resource management contexts. Though we illustrate MCAT through three Australian natural resource management case studies its use is explicitly not restricted to environmental decision problems. Wherever multi-criteria analysis (MCA) is regarded to be a suitable approach to evaluate decision options subject to a budget constraint, MCAT can be applied. We therefore believe that MCAT has potential for widespread application. It can help improve the transparency, analytic rigour and auditability of investment decisions.

Trust factors in community–water resource management agency relationships

A number of indicators suggest that trust is becoming a major issue for natural resource managers and planners desiring to maintain or enhance community–agency relationships. Public distrust, especially local community distrust, can have severe implications for the quality and durability of natural resource policy and management decisions. This article addresses the research problem of understanding factors of community trust in a water resources management agency. To describe trust factors in this context, a descriptive, interpretive qualitative case study approach was applied. Specifically the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and key communities nearby or adjacent to water resources managed by the Corps within the Kaskaskia River Watershed in central Illinois were examined. Trust between the communities and the Corps was the focus of analysis. This research is pertinent and practical because planners, managers, engineers, policy makers, and community stakeholders in many natural resources management situations are seeking better ways of working together that produce sustainable agency–community relationships. The findings suggest that local community trust factors relevant to the Corps are complex and critical to understanding the social context of natural resources management in the Kaskaskia River Watershed. The management significance of this research is a series of suggestions for improving relationships between communities, agencies, and agency managers based on the different factors of trust. Both formal and informal mechanisms are available to address important factors of trust.

Livelihood Change and Livelihood Sustainability in the Uplands of Lembang Subwatershed, West Sumatra, Indonesia, in a Changing Natural Resource Management Context

This paper analyzes livelihood change and livelihood sustainability of households in the upland part of the Lembang subwatershed, West Sumatra, in response to changes in the natural resource management context during the last decade. Using the sustainable livelihood framework (SLF), we measured livelihood changes at two separate points in time, 1996 and 2006, and assessed their environmental, economic, social, and institutional sustainability. We found that people with a low income had less access to capital assets than people from middle- and high-income groups. Our analysis revealed, however, that access to capital assets increased over time, and that poor households experienced economic improvement, indicating an overall increase in economic sustainability. Environmental sustainability, however, is threatened by intensive agricultural practices such as high agrochemical input and intensive soil tillage on steep slopes, leading to pollution and soil erosion. Social sustainability is also a matter of concern: while social exclusion has been reduced, income inequity has increased. Institutional sustainability is likely to remain uncertain, as local institutions for natural resource management are still weak, despite the fact that decentralization has been implemented during the last 8 years. External facilitation is needed to improve the livelihood of upland people while, at the same time, enhancing the sustainability of watershed management. Strengthening local institutions, conserving natural resources, and promoting environmentally sound agricultural practices are the three most important policies to be promoted within the watershed.

Functional design of games to support natural resource management policy development

This article works toward a conceptual framework for designing games to support policy development for managing natural resources. The point of departure for this framework is a typology for functions of games in support of policy. This typology consists of six classes of functions of a policy game: research and analyze policy contexts as systems, design and recommend alternative solutions to a policy problem, provide advice to a client on what strategy to follow in the policy process, mediate between di ferent stakeholders, democratize policy development by actively bringing in stakeholder views, and clarify the values and arguments pertinent to the policy discourse. These functions are illustrated using specific examples of games that have been used in the domain of natural resource management (NRM). The framework discussed in this article may help game designers to match specific game properties (players, roles, rewards, and representations of the NRM context) with the intended function of the game in the policy-development process.

Perspectives on the art of facilitation: a Delphi study of natural resource management facilitators

The new regional arrangements for natural resource management (NRM) in Australia have been built upon a premise of community-based management, reflecting the increase in participatory approaches and citizen involvement within NRM. Given this increase there is still a paucity of literature regarding the field of facilitation for researchers and practitioners currently working within participatory frameworks in NRM. A Delphi survey technique was used to conduct an Australia-wide study on NRM facilitation. The study highlighted that NRM facilitators often preformed a multiplicity of potentially conflicting roles (e.g. facilitator and change agent). Many challenges were also identified by study participants, such as institutional dysfunction and overloading community volunteers. However, a number of facilitation strategies were also identified, such as stakeholder mapping and capacity audits, as a means to combat the challenges. While the facilitation challenges were framed within the context of NRM, the stra...