Volume 39, July 2014, Pages 166–176
Stakeholders’ perceptions of participation in forest policy: A case study from Baden-Württemberg
Highlights
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- We explore perceptions of participation among forest policy actors in Baden-Württemberg.
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- Conservation groups are most positive, private land owners most skeptical about participation.
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- Within the State Forest Service, the perception of participation differs between administrative levels.
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- We found no indication of improved relationships between forest and conservation actors through participation.
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- Results suggest significant roadblocks to future participatory efforts in forest policy.
Abstract
German
forest policy has traditionally been known for expert-based
decision-making in which forest management is viewed primarily as a
natural science and economics based task. Yet, this approach to forest
policy has been challenged increasingly by civil society organizations
who demand stronger consideration of non-timber production interests,
and more participation of actors from beyond the traditional forest
sector. The German federal state of Baden-Württemberg is a forerunner in
response to such demands. In recent years, several forest-related
policy processes in this state were designed to increase participation
of non-governmental civil society groups.
In this
paper, we assess how this trend toward (and practice of) more inclusive,
participatory decision-making in Baden-Württemberg's forest policy is
viewed by forest policy stakeholders, and to what extent it has affected
the relationship between actors associated with production and
conservation interests. Our data set includes contributions to, first, a
stakeholder workshop and, second, an online forum about the Forest
Conservation Strategy Baden-Württemberg (Waldnaturschutzkonzeption
Baden-Württemberg). In both processes, stakeholders provided comments on
the issue of participation in forest policy. Third, we conducted 10
semi-structured interviews with forest policy stakeholders.
We
found a mix of perceptions and attitudes toward participation among
different actor groups, with private forest owners being the most
skeptical and nature conservation groups the greatest proponents of
increased participation. Among the state forest service staff,
perceptions differed greatly; with high-level bureaucrats being more
positive than street level personnel. Yet, regardless of these
perceptions, the increasing trend toward civil society participation in
forest policy is seen as hardly affecting the ideologies and interests
of the involved groups. Hence, no substantial mutual policy learning
amongst stakeholders, or improvement of the overall relationship amongst
actors representing production and conservation interests, is observed.
Yet, we conclude the paper by pointing out that it is too early to
assess the long-term effects of increased participation in forest
policy-making.
Keywords
- Participation;
- Forest policy;
- Forest management;
- Germany
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