Angela Wardell-Johnson

Governance in integrated coastal zone management: a social networks analysis of cross-scale collaboration

The Integrated Coastal Zone Management protocol of the Barcelona Convention sets governance objectives for countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. This protocol emphasizes collaborative approaches to acknowledge the role of local people in coastal management. Evaluating the quality of governance processes is critical if coastal zone values are to be effectively managed in times of global climate change. This study examined the structure and attributes of collaborative governance networks in two Mediterranean deltas, the Camargue (France) and Gediz Delta (Turkey). A deliberative social catchment sampling was used to target actors with physical, cultural, social or economic ties. Forty-five different organizations/professions were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire to identify the frequency and quality of contacts, information flows, and subject matter relevant to natural resource management. There were higher levels of degree centrality and reciprocal ties in the Camargue, while the Gediz Delta had a greater homogeneity of actors, with one centralized influential actor. Civil society played a greater role in the Camargue network, and government organizations were more central in the Gediz Delta. The differences between the two sites call into question the use of the same integrated management strategies and suggest the need to acknowledge the importance of existing governance models and relationships within local contexts.

Re-framing values for a World Heritage future: what type of icon will K'gari-Fraser Island become?

K’gari-Fraser Island, the worlds largest barrier sand island, is at the crossroads of World Heritage status, due to destructive environmental use in concert with climate change. Will K’gari-Fraser Island exemplify innovative, adaptive management or become just another degraded recreational facility? We synthesize the likely impact of human pressures and predicted consequences on the values of this island. World-renown natural beauty and ongoing biological and geological processes in coastal, wetland, heathland and rainforest environments, all contribute to its World Heritage status. The impact of hundreds of thousands of annual visitors is increasing on the islands biodiversity, cultural connections, ecological functions and environmental values. Maintaining World Heritage values will necessitate the re-framing of values to integrate socioeconomic factors in management and reduce extractive forms of tourism. Environmentally sound, systematic conservation planning that achieves social equity is urgently needed to rectify historical mistakes and update current management practices. Characterizing and sustaining biological refugia will be important to retain biodiversity in areas that are less visited. The development of a coherent approach to interpretation concerning history, access and values is required to encourage a more sympathetic use of this World Heritage environment. Alternatively, ongoing attrition of the islands values by increased levels of destructive use is inevitable.

Future of an icon: K'gari-Fraser Island, climate change and social expectations

Fraser Island was listed with World Heritage (WH) status in 1992 for the outstanding value of its natural phenomena and continuing ecological and biological processes (Hockings 1998). This island is one of 41 listed sites in Australia, and one of 7 listed Queensland sites (Australian Government 2015). WH recognition of iconic biophysical values has raised the island’s profile and changed the way in which this iconic island is valued, used and managed beyond the national context (Harrison & Hitchcock 2005). UNESCO’s designation of WH indicates Australia’s responsibility for protecting the Island’s values for all humankind and all generations to come (Dahlström 2003). In an acknowledgement of Indigenous native title, the name K’gari-Fraser Island is used here. The journey to WH listing is a recognition of natural heritage through cultural valuing. These cultural values have co-evolved with the natural environment over deep time and through contemporary socio-environmental influences. The dynamic processes impacting at a global scale, through social and environmental changes, have potentially far-reaching consequences for the way in which this park is valued. It is timely, in preparation for the 25-year milestone of K’gari-Fraser Island’s WH declaration, to assess the listing values, and the management of those values. The broad range of socioecological landscape values identified in K’gari-Fraser Island National Park through this special issue provide an insight for people who use, manage, plan and research the island. This special issue is a collaboration of disciplinary approaches that include geomorphology, environmental engineering, coastal studies, ecology, conservation planning, geography, environmental sociology, eco-psychology, policy studies, cultural studies and a host of other perspectives. To address human values and commitments as they impact on natural environments, we apply post-normal science to account for uncertainty, value loading and the plurality of perspectives (Funtowicz & Ravetz 2003). Physical and biological phenomena are subject to significant environmental and social interpretation requiring interdisciplinary collaboration (Frazier 2007). Values develop through ecological and social learning to provide a heightened emphasis on the consequences for governance and social goals in future management (Reed & Massie 2013).

Adapting international conservation strategies to local context: perceptions of biodiversity values and management responsibility in two Mediterranean deltas

The declining state of biodiversity is of global significance with conservation strategies driving conventions and agreements that cross national boundaries. Environmental management is a reflection of the socio-cultural values underpinning the way in which biodiversity is valued. Understanding these social values is essential for successful management. This study focused on two Mediterranean deltas that apply the same international conservation convention. We identified and compared the way in which biodiversity is perceived and valued at a landscape scale. A deliberative sampling methodology collected a total of 93 perspectives from actors involved in environmental management through survey-questionnaires. Values were linked to ecosystem services in both samples. Differences in samples were identified by using a full range of landscape values. Biodiversity, recreation and aesthetics values were the highest ranked in the Rhone sample. The Gediz sample highlighted the future, recreation and intrinsic values. Further differences were identified including perceived responsibility for biodiversity. Rhone participants identified cross-scale responsibility and Gediz participants identified responsibility for biodiversity at the macro and meso social scales. The way in which biodiversity is valued and perceptions of who is responsible has a consequence for the translation of international conservation treaties into environmental management and participation in the local context.