Adaptive collaborative management of community forests in Asia ...
Adaptive collaborative management of community forests in Asia ...
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84 • Cynthia McDougall, Hemant Ojha, Raj Kumar Pandey, Mani Ram Banjade and Bishnu Hari Pandit<br />
The second challenge—or dilemma—relates to the role <strong>of</strong> the facilitator<br />
<strong>in</strong> an adaptive <strong>collaborative</strong> <strong>management</strong> approach. Facilitators appeared<br />
to be critical to trigger<strong>in</strong>g and support<strong>in</strong>g the feedback loop and changes<br />
described above. What would happen <strong>in</strong> their absence <strong>in</strong> the absence<br />
<strong>of</strong> the externally-led (i.e., researcher) facilitation team? The followup<br />
ACM project (2004–2007) sought to answer this question and ascerta<strong>in</strong><br />
the long-term utility and appropriateness <strong>of</strong> an adaptive <strong>collaborative</strong><br />
<strong>management</strong> approach by assess<strong>in</strong>g the changes <strong>in</strong> process and outcome<br />
that occurred <strong>in</strong> 2002–2004, when there was no <strong>in</strong>tervention or facilitation<br />
(i.e., <strong>in</strong> the gap between the first and the followup research phase). If the<br />
adaptive collaboration cont<strong>in</strong>ued dur<strong>in</strong>g this time, it would have been<br />
under the direction <strong>of</strong> the CFUGs themselves and thus an <strong>in</strong>dication <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>stitutionalisation <strong>of</strong> the approach.<br />
Interim assessments <strong>in</strong>dicate that the CFUGs did <strong>in</strong>stitutionalise and<br />
cont<strong>in</strong>ue to use the processes and arrangements triggered by the approach,<br />
especially vision<strong>in</strong>g, self-monitor<strong>in</strong>g, and tole committees as a l<strong>in</strong>k to<br />
the CFUG committee. In the assessments, CFUG members and other<br />
<strong>in</strong>formants <strong>in</strong>dicated that the <strong>collaborative</strong> and learn<strong>in</strong>g-oriented attitudes<br />
and capacities developed dur<strong>in</strong>g the project appeared to have been<br />
generally ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed or slightly <strong>in</strong>creased dur<strong>in</strong>g the gap period. F<strong>in</strong>ally,<br />
<strong>in</strong> terms <strong>of</strong> outcomes, most action plans <strong>in</strong>itiated dur<strong>in</strong>g the first phase<br />
project cont<strong>in</strong>ued. For example, the low-caste group members <strong>of</strong> Deurali-<br />
Bagedanda CFUG who had planned for a sawmill dur<strong>in</strong>g the first research<br />
phase cont<strong>in</strong>ued discuss<strong>in</strong>g the plans, although they could not beg<strong>in</strong><br />
implementation until they secured f<strong>in</strong>ancial support <strong>in</strong> 2006. Moreover, a<br />
nursery that was established <strong>in</strong> Bamdibhir CFUG cont<strong>in</strong>ued through the<br />
gap <strong>in</strong>to the second phase. In both cases, this represents more activeness<br />
and success than the CFUGs had generated prior to their develop<strong>in</strong>g an<br />
ACM approach.<br />
However, although the overall approach was ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed dur<strong>in</strong>g the gap<br />
between project phases, as described above, the cont<strong>in</strong>uous feedback and<br />
improvement cycle l<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g shared learn<strong>in</strong>g processes, governance structures,<br />
and outcomes seemed to ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> as much momentum. Processes and<br />
activities cont<strong>in</strong>ued, but the more essential s<strong>of</strong>t elements and attitudes<br />
plateaued and—<strong>in</strong> our view—may not have been fully <strong>in</strong>stitutionalised. One<br />
<strong>in</strong>dication <strong>of</strong> this was that the time <strong>in</strong>vested <strong>in</strong> CFUG processes by members<br />
and facilitators dropped <strong>in</strong> all sites between research phases. For example,<br />
the frequency <strong>of</strong> tole meet<strong>in</strong>gs dropped from monthly to approximately<br />
every six months. Some users suggested that because so many major issues