Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2013
Understanding 'successful' conflict resolution: Policy regime changes and new interactive arenas in the Great Bear Rainforest
Saarikoski, Heli; Raitio, Kaisa; Barry, JaniceAbstract
The paper seeks to shed new light on both the dynamics and possibilities for resolving complex land use conflicts by examining the development of the Great Bear Rainforest (GBR) Agreement in British Columbia, Canada. This agreement signalled a major policy change in the region by increasing the protection of old growth forests from 9% to 33% of the total planning area and by promoting more environmentally friendly logging practices though the establishment of ecosystem-based management. It also gave rise to new land use planning relationships between the Province and First Nations. Our analysis shows that 'success' in reaching agreement in land use conflicts can be better understood when political science's work on policy regimes and their background conditions is combined with planning theory's work on deliberative processes. We suggest that collaborative planning theory can complement the policy regime approach by highlighting how process design and the interactions that occur within policy arenas provide the physical and organisational spaces for dialogue, collaboration and policy change. The policy regime approach, on the other hand, helps draws attention to the dynamics of policy processes and consequent changes in governance relations that motivate actors to work together, instead of against each other. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Keywords
Collaborative environmental management; Land use conflicts; Policy regime approach; Forest policy; Deliberative planning; Environmental governancePublished in
Land Use Policy2013, volume: 32, pages: 271-280
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCI LTD
Authors' information
Saarikoski, Heli
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Urban and Rural Development
Barry, Janice
University of Sheffield
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG15 Life on land
SDG16 Peace, justice and strong institutions
SDG12 Responsible consumption and production
UKÄ Subject classification
Political Science (excluding Public Administration Studies and Globalization Studies)
Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
Publication Identifiers
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2012.10.019
URI (permanent link to this page)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/51110