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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148 • Eva Wollenberg, Ramses Iwan, Godw<strong>in</strong> Limberg, Moira Moeliono, Steve Rhee and Made Sudana<br />
are not limited by people’s cognitive and organisational skills (diZerega<br />
2000).<br />
Such cooperation is self-organised <strong>in</strong> a way similar to hot groups (Lipman-<br />
Blumen and Leavitt 1999). Hot groups do not constitute a structural<br />
unit <strong>in</strong> an organisation. People come together spontaneously because <strong>of</strong> a<br />
common mission and dedication to a task. Be<strong>in</strong>g flexible, such groups have<br />
the advantage <strong>of</strong> be<strong>in</strong>g able to organise themselves quickly and have high<br />
motivation and capacity for <strong>in</strong>novation. The hot group focuses more on<br />
ideas and work, and less on the emotionality <strong>of</strong> relationships.<br />
Understand<strong>in</strong>g how these spontaneous forms <strong>of</strong> cooperation work <strong>in</strong> Mal<strong>in</strong>au<br />
is precisely what gave us and, more importantly, the villagers the space to<br />
manoeuvre. We can move easily from one current <strong>of</strong> actors and activities to<br />
converge with another <strong>in</strong> the system rather than seek<strong>in</strong>g to mechanically<br />
eng<strong>in</strong>eer changes to these flows outside it. The ma<strong>in</strong> requirement for mak<strong>in</strong>g<br />
this work is excellent channels <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>formation to recognise the possibilities<br />
for convergence. In our case we achieved this through a local presence<br />
and high social embeddedness (shar<strong>in</strong>g local values, participat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> local<br />
events and build<strong>in</strong>g strong personal relationships).<br />
Facilitat<strong>in</strong>g by muddl<strong>in</strong>g through: reflections<br />
James Scott (1998: 313) suggests that where authoritarian states coexist<br />
with a ‘prostrate civil society’, social change needs to take place through<br />
<strong>in</strong>stitutions that are ‘multifunctional, plastic, diverse and adaptable’, shaped<br />
by practical skills and <strong>in</strong>telligence <strong>in</strong> response to a chang<strong>in</strong>g environment.<br />
These processes should occur <strong>in</strong> ‘small steps’ favor<strong>in</strong>g small-scale learn<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
reversibility and accommodation <strong>of</strong> surprises and human <strong>in</strong>ventiveness<br />
(Scott 1998: 345). In this way, weaknesses <strong>in</strong> governance to cope with<br />
change can be overcome.<br />
As the discussion above <strong>in</strong>dicates, Scott’s tenets were central to our<br />
facilitation strategy <strong>in</strong> Mal<strong>in</strong>au. We used adaptive methods <strong>in</strong> Mal<strong>in</strong>au as<br />
an approach to facilitation rather than as a reflective process <strong>of</strong> learn<strong>in</strong>g by<br />
local forest users. <strong>Adaptive</strong> methods made it possible for us to work with<br />
the exist<strong>in</strong>g spontaneous order <strong>of</strong> cooperation.