Stakeholder engagement in social learning to resolve controversies over land-use change to plantation forestry |
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Authors: | Andrea J Leys Jerome K Vanclay |
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Institution: | (1) School of Environmental Science and Management, Southern Cross University, PO Box 157, Lismore, NSW, 2480, Australia |
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Abstract: | Rapid land-use change arising from incentives for afforestation has created tensions in rural communities previously dominated
by agricultural enterprises. This paper reports on an innovative experiment with social learning that incorporated participatory
modelling to resolve community concerns in a case study of plantation forestry in the Upper Clarence catchment of north-eastern
NSW Australia. The development of a diagnostic framework helped identify socioeconomic and environmental issues within the
community for investigation by a self-selected participatory advisory committee (PAC) representing a diversity of views. Implementation
of a social learning exercise offered empathetic and intellectual engagement among PAC members that maintained interest, built
confidence, and improved problem-solving capacity while fostering group ownership over decision making. A shared understanding
of dynamic landscape problems helped empower participants to collaboratively develop solutions for improved management and
operational practices, and cooperate to explore further options for plantation industry development under existing policy
guidelines which are presented in this paper. As a result of frank discussions between diverse stakeholders in a mutually
respectful learning environment that combined local, scientific and expert knowledge, concerns dissipated and participants
developed a more favourable view of plantation forestry activity. |
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Keywords: | |
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