Adaptive collaborative management of community forests in Asia ...
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Chapter 3: <strong>Adaptive</strong>ness and Collaboration <strong>in</strong> Community Forestry <strong>in</strong> Nepal • 77<br />
were rooted <strong>in</strong> social learn<strong>in</strong>g processes and experiences and supported<br />
by changes <strong>in</strong> CFUG structures, such as the development <strong>of</strong> toles and<br />
action groups. More specifically, the processes <strong>of</strong> jo<strong>in</strong>t vision<strong>in</strong>g and selfmonitor<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g explicit discussion <strong>of</strong> equity, helped ‘push’ power<br />
redistribution <strong>in</strong> decision mak<strong>in</strong>g and equity <strong>in</strong> outcomes, and the track<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>of</strong> benefits by wealth groups helped make this concrete. As marg<strong>in</strong>alised<br />
users became <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly aware <strong>of</strong> their rights and <strong>of</strong> the actual division <strong>of</strong><br />
rights and benefits <strong>in</strong> practice, they <strong>of</strong>ten became less will<strong>in</strong>g to accept the<br />
status quo. In some cases, explicit commitments to equity <strong>in</strong> the vision<strong>in</strong>g<br />
or goal sett<strong>in</strong>g or other plann<strong>in</strong>g processes could be used as leverage to hold<br />
the decision makers accountable, and this—comb<strong>in</strong>ed with marg<strong>in</strong>alised<br />
users’ ris<strong>in</strong>g levels <strong>of</strong> engagement, <strong>in</strong>formation and confidence—enabled<br />
them to better challenge unequal power relations <strong>in</strong> the CFUG.<br />
The ma<strong>in</strong> ‘pull’ towards shifts <strong>in</strong> attitude and power shar<strong>in</strong>g 20 appeared<br />
to be the realisation that more <strong>in</strong>clusive processes could have significant<br />
positive outcomes. For example, <strong>in</strong> a number <strong>of</strong> cases, as more users<br />
became <strong>in</strong>volved, their sense <strong>of</strong> ownership as well as knowledge <strong>of</strong> CFUG<br />
rules <strong>in</strong>creased, and executive committee members realised that they were<br />
fac<strong>in</strong>g fewer challenges (Box 3-4), as well as a lightened work load as toles<br />
and action groups took on more responsibilities.<br />
Box 3-4. Chang<strong>in</strong>g attitudes and practices <strong>in</strong> decision mak<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
conflict <strong>management</strong><br />
The chairperson <strong>of</strong> the Deurali-Bagedanda committee said, ‘When any<br />
conflict<strong>in</strong>g issues arises <strong>in</strong> the CFUG, we do not play the role <strong>of</strong> the Judge as<br />
we used to do previously, <strong>in</strong>stead we send the issues to the concerned toles<br />
and the tole people themselves manage the case and come to the committee<br />
with their resolution, and the conflict<strong>in</strong>g issues no longer rema<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> the CFUG.<br />
We came to know that people do not sometimes satisfy with the solutions<br />
if they do not have the sufficient <strong>in</strong>formation <strong>of</strong> the rules, regulations and<br />
the reality <strong>of</strong> the situations. After the ACM process, the <strong>community</strong> forest<br />
<strong>management</strong> system has been more participatory, the committee does not<br />
have any specific plans made only by its <strong>in</strong>volvement, the <strong>community</strong> forestry<br />
<strong>management</strong> plans or the <strong>management</strong> decisions that we have, are <strong>of</strong> the tole<br />
people. Now, they have the <strong>in</strong>formation <strong>of</strong> the reality <strong>of</strong> the exist<strong>in</strong>g forest<br />
conditions, availability <strong>of</strong> forest products … that they obta<strong>in</strong>ed the <strong>in</strong>formation<br />
from the assessment <strong>of</strong> the <strong>in</strong>dicators with the help <strong>of</strong> the moon phase self<br />
monitor<strong>in</strong>g tool. The stakeholders behave more friendly and become more<br />
supportive to resolve the conflicts and to implement the actions … relat<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
the <strong>community</strong> forestry <strong>management</strong> issues’. (Kaski ACM Team 2002: 7-106)