Adaptive collaborative management of community forests in Asia ...
Adaptive collaborative management of community forests in Asia ...
Adaptive collaborative management of community forests in Asia ...
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88 • Cynthia McDougall, Hemant Ojha, Raj Kumar Pandey, Mani Ram Banjade and Bishnu Hari Pandit<br />
boundaries are not always a perfect fit with de facto and traditional uses <strong>of</strong> <strong>forests</strong>,<br />
the formation process <strong>of</strong> CFUGs (and their ongo<strong>in</strong>g membership processes) face<br />
challenges.<br />
11 Nurse and Malla (2005: 4) <strong>in</strong> fact suggest that ‘There are further <strong>in</strong>dications<br />
that only one-fourth <strong>of</strong> all [C]FUGs function effectively and manage the resources<br />
actively and equitably, while <strong>in</strong> the rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g three-fourths, the poorest and most<br />
dependent members may actually be worse <strong>of</strong>f’.<br />
12 In tackl<strong>in</strong>g these objectives, the research project acknowledged that some<br />
other actors and organisations were also recogniz<strong>in</strong>g these underly<strong>in</strong>g problems and<br />
address<strong>in</strong>g them by promot<strong>in</strong>g strategies such as CFUG-CFUG l<strong>in</strong>kages, <strong>community</strong><br />
animation and other <strong>in</strong>itiatives. This potential synergy re<strong>in</strong>forced the need for an<br />
<strong>in</strong>tegrated as well as <strong>collaborative</strong> approach to the research.<br />
13 The comparative case studies focused on assessment <strong>of</strong> exist<strong>in</strong>g CFUG<br />
approaches, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g processes and arrangements, and on their outcomes, successes<br />
and challenges. The case studies were Sharada Devi CFUG, Kavre District; Rani<br />
CFUG, Makwanpur District; Raktamala CFUG, Saptari District; Bhadaure Pakha<br />
CFUG, Terhathum District; Judhabir CFUG, Parbat Distrct; Koidim CFUG, Tanahu<br />
District; Barandgi Kohal CFUG, Palpa District; and Janaki CFUG, Dadeldhura<br />
District. These span regions from the Terai (i.e., the pla<strong>in</strong>s), lower-middle to uppermiddle<br />
hills and from the eastern, to central, to mid- and far-western regions.<br />
14 Through advisors and other l<strong>in</strong>kages, the project also engaged <strong>in</strong> numerous<br />
formal and <strong>in</strong>formal partnerships with other <strong>in</strong>stitutions, such as FECOFUN, and<br />
<strong>in</strong>dividuals. Although these collaborators are too numerous to identify here, it is<br />
important to note that any success the project achieved <strong>in</strong> meet<strong>in</strong>g its goals was<br />
directly l<strong>in</strong>ked to this web <strong>of</strong> partnerships.<br />
15 In all cases, while researchers generally had an <strong>in</strong>itial ‘action’ <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d when<br />
they began (i.e., host<strong>in</strong>g a CFUG self-monitor<strong>in</strong>g workshop), specific subsequent<br />
actions were planned only as processes and learn<strong>in</strong>g unfolded over time. As they<br />
worked with local stakeholders and jo<strong>in</strong>tly planned and reflected on options, research<br />
teams tried to ensure that <strong>in</strong>novations cont<strong>in</strong>ued to be guided by the ACM elements<br />
(Chapter 2). Thus ‘they had the ACM elements <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d as “beacons” but were mak<strong>in</strong>g<br />
their own paths’ (McDougall et al. 2002: 90).<br />
16 The ‘elite’ are not a homogeneous group, just as ‘the poor’ are also not<br />
homogeneous, as Hobley (2007) po<strong>in</strong>ts out. She usefully suggests view<strong>in</strong>g the elite <strong>in</strong><br />
categories accord<strong>in</strong>g to their relationship with the poor: patron-client elites, neutral<br />
elites and propoor elites.<br />
17 This lesson aligns with the suggestion <strong>of</strong> the French philosopher Bourdieu<br />
that a substantial cultural core <strong>of</strong> beliefs, ideologies and schemes <strong>of</strong> perceptions and<br />
thought (‘doxa’) <strong>in</strong>scribe learn<strong>in</strong>g and human action (Ojha 2006).<br />
18 By ‘ACM-related’ activities, we refer to the nature <strong>of</strong> the process or activity<br />
rather than its source <strong>in</strong>stitution. In other words, we <strong>in</strong>clude both those directly<br />
emerg<strong>in</strong>g from the ACM project and those that were ACM-related but <strong>in</strong>itiated from<br />
other partners. For example, the UK Livelihoods and Forestry Project catalysed the<br />
multistakeholder meso-level plann<strong>in</strong>g process <strong>in</strong> Sankhuwasabha, <strong>in</strong> which the ACM<br />
researchers and local partners participated. It was ACM-related because it focused on<br />
<strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g social learn<strong>in</strong>g and collaboration across CFUGs.