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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Chapter 3: <strong>Adaptive</strong>ness and Collaboration <strong>in</strong> Community Forestry <strong>in</strong> Nepal • 83<br />
Reflections: challenges, <strong>in</strong>sights and prelim<strong>in</strong>ary<br />
lessons<br />
The positive changes <strong>in</strong> forest governance and <strong>management</strong> practices<br />
observed <strong>in</strong> the four CFUGs dur<strong>in</strong>g the first phase <strong>of</strong> the research project<br />
(1999–2002) suggest that an adaptive <strong>collaborative</strong> <strong>management</strong> approach<br />
could add significant value to <strong>community</strong> forestry <strong>in</strong> Nepal. The transaction<br />
cost identified--time cost <strong>in</strong>creases--appear to be acceptable to CFUG<br />
members. The surfac<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> latent conflicts was ultimately positive, and<br />
potential <strong>in</strong>creases <strong>in</strong> protectionism were <strong>of</strong>fset through the feedback loops<br />
on equity. At the same time, challenges rema<strong>in</strong>. The first is that a successful<br />
ACM approach, and positive outcomes from it, relies on the ability <strong>of</strong> forest<br />
users and other actors to be critically reflective upon their own attitudes and<br />
capacities and their result<strong>in</strong>g behaviours and governance and <strong>management</strong><br />
practices. Furthermore, they need to be able to respond to this learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />
by, for example, shift<strong>in</strong>g attitudes or behaviours or policies identified as<br />
unconstructive. Thus, hav<strong>in</strong>g ‘structural’ and even process aspects <strong>of</strong> an<br />
ACM approach <strong>in</strong> place, such as tole divisions and self-monitor<strong>in</strong>g, is not a<br />
sufficient basis for a CFUG to function optimally; <strong>in</strong>tangible elements, such<br />
as attitudes, must drive the approach. The Manakamana CFUG was a case<br />
<strong>in</strong> po<strong>in</strong>t. This CFUG had tole divisions and, briefly, a form <strong>of</strong> (nonlearn<strong>in</strong>gbased)<br />
monitor<strong>in</strong>g prior to the ACM research project, but these were<br />
essentially <strong>in</strong>active and/or <strong>in</strong>effective. It took the development <strong>of</strong> a greater<br />
understand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong>, and <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong>, learn<strong>in</strong>g and <strong>in</strong>clusive <strong>management</strong> to<br />
br<strong>in</strong>g about some mean<strong>in</strong>gful shifts <strong>in</strong> governance <strong>in</strong> that CFUG.<br />
The key <strong>in</strong>sight regard<strong>in</strong>g this challenge is that the critical reflection, and<br />
the related collaboration and learn<strong>in</strong>g-oriented attitudes, capacities and<br />
behaviours, do not need to be <strong>in</strong> place prior to start<strong>in</strong>g an ACM approach;<br />
they can be generated by it. Specifically, the process <strong>of</strong> m<strong>in</strong>dfully engag<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong> an ACM approach—with effective facilitation—appears to provide<br />
‘breaks’ <strong>in</strong> th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g that occur through shared critical reflection on patterns<br />
<strong>of</strong> perception and behaviour. This reflection is based on the CFUGs’ own<br />
experiences and processes and is sparked through <strong>collaborative</strong> <strong>in</strong>terface<br />
with facilitators or other actors, such as members’ social networks. This<br />
<strong>in</strong>terface, as experienced <strong>in</strong> the research project, can <strong>in</strong>troduce different<br />
worldviews, outside perspectives on a situation, and critical questions<br />
or observations. The <strong>in</strong>terface may reveal latent conflicts or power<br />
imbalances that need to be addressed for the CFUG to progress <strong>in</strong> its<br />
desired direction.