Charles Breen

Resilient Social Relationships and Collaboration in the Management of Social–Ecological Systems

This paper proposes and articulates a social relationships perspective of collaboration in the management of social–ecological systems (SESs). It provides a conceptual premise for understanding the dynamics of long-term social relationships that underlie collaborative processes. We argue that a resilience approach offers a better perspective for the study of change in long-term relationships. A conceptual framework based on the theories of resilience and social relationships is developed for analyzing the evolution of collaborative schemes. The essence of the framework is to facilitate understanding and building of resilient social relationships for effective collaboration through interpreting and managing relational change. We suggest that an analysis of resilient social relationships requires an understanding of the complexity and extent of relational change. The elements of a behavioral approach to relationships theory are discussed as a foundation for resilient social relationships. By incorporating the models of Holling (1995) and Cousins (2002) into a behavioral approach to relationships theory, the framework we propose can be used to determine the potential for change based on the amount of relational capital and the degree of relational connectedness in long-term social relationships.

A Typology of Benefit Sharing Arrangements for the Governance of Social-Ecological Systems in Developing Countries

This study explores and interprets relevant literature to construct a typology of benefit sharing arrangements for the governance of social-ecological systems in developing countries. The typology comprises three generic categories of benefit sharing arrangements: collaborative, market-oriented, and egalitarian. We contend that the three categories provide a useful basis for exploring and classifying the different societal arrangements required for governance of social-ecological systems. The typology we present is founded on a related set of explicit assumptions that can be used to explore and better understand the linkages among ecosystem services, benefit sharing, and governance. Issues that are strongly related to sustainability in developing countries form the core basis of our assumptions. Our aim is not to write a definitive exposition, but to spark debate and engage ongoing dialogue on governance and benefit sharing in the field of social-ecological systems.

A Framework for Exploring Integrated Learning Systems for the Governance and Management of Public Protected Areas

This article discusses how the concept of integrated learning systems provides a useful means of exploring the functional linkages between the governance and management of public protected areas. It presents a conceptual framework of an integrated learning system that explicitly incorporates learning processes in governance and management subsystems. The framework is premised on the assumption that an understanding of an integrated learning system is essential if we are to successfully promote learning across multiple scales as a fundamental component of adaptability in the governance and management of protected areas. The framework is used to illustrate real-world situations that reflect the nature and substance of the linkages between governance and management. Drawing on lessons from North America and Africa, the article demonstrates that the establishment and maintenance of an integrated learning system take place in a complex context which links elements of governance learning and management learning subsystems. The degree to which the two subsystems are coupled influences the performance of an integrated learning system and ultimately adaptability. Such performance is largely determined by how integrated learning processes allow for the systematic testing of societal assumptions (beliefs, values, and public interest) to enable society and protected area agencies to adapt and learn in the face of social and ecological change. It is argued that an integrated perspective provides a potentially useful framework for explaining and improving shared understanding around which the concept of adaptability is structured and implemented.

The spread and maturation of strategic adaptive management within and beyond South African national parks

Natural resource management is embedded within social-ecological environments and requires decisions to be taken within this broad context, including those that pertain to protected areas. This realization has led to South African National Parks adopting a strategic adaptive management approach to decision making. Through narrative, we show why and how this practice has progressively spread and evolved both within the organization and beyond, over the past two decades. A number of catalytic events and synergies enabled a change from reactive tactical management approaches to more inclusive forward-looking approaches able to embrace system complexity and associated uncertainty and change. We show how this long period of innovation has lead to an increased appreciation for the heterogeneous social-ecological system, and for the importance of constructing relationships and colearning, such that organizational transformation has enabled more legitimate and effective operation within an expanding and diversifying constituency.

Performance of community-based natural resource governance for the Kafue Flats (Zambia).

The performance obstacles surrounding community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) in southern Africa have much to do with understanding of environmental governance systems and how these are devolved. CBNRM appears to be failing because of flawed environmental governance systems compounded by their ineffective devolution. A case study in Zambia is used to illustrate why and how one CBNRM scheme for the most part faltered. It draws on practical experiences involving the devolution of decision-making and benefit-distribution processes on a floodplain wetland known as the Kafue Flats. While this CBNRM scheme was designed to facilitate the devolution of key components of an environmental governance system, the resultant efforts were largely unsuccessful because of the poor social relationships between government actors and local rural communities. It is argued that in Zambia, at least from an environmental governance system perspective, CBNRM has mostly failed. While generally bringing some marginal improvements to local communities, the construction and execution of an effective environmental governance system have been largely flawed.

Legal, Policy, and Institutional Provisions for Community Participation and Empowerment in Transfrontier Conservation in Southern Africa

Today, the concepts of community participation and transfrontier conservation are firmly part of the conservation discourse and practice in southern Africa. The need for community participation in transfrontier conservation is reflected in the various treaties, policies, and conventions establishing transfrontier conservation initiatives in the region. However, there is a concern that the law, policy, and institutional arrangements under which transfrontier conservation is being initiated, developed, and implemented in the region may act as a barrier to community participation, collaboration, and partnership in conservation. There is growing concern that the legal, policy, and institutional provisions for community participation are not securing the commitment from agencies involved with transfrontier conservation that are necessary to achieve empowerment of affected communities. This

Why Southern Africa Needs More than an Adaptation Strategy to Build Climate Resilient Floodplains: A Call for Transformative Water Security on the Kafue Flats of Zambia

This chapter seeks to illustrate why efforts to build climate resilient floodplains in Southern Africa require long-term transformative water security interventions. The authors argue that a transformative water security approach that is generative of change is needed to deal with the many adaptation challenges experienced by floodplain systems. They call for transformative water security that emphasises continuous experimentation and learning in an ongoing process of defining and balancing thresholds. This is particularly important given that most Southern African societies undeniably need to develop capacities to adapt to the impacts of climate change. The authors contend that societal efforts need to be directed towards building transformative capacities. This, however, will require a shift towards a functional balance between adaptation and transformation.

Organisational Culture as a Function of Adaptability and Responsiveness in Public Service Agencies

Public service agencies are increasingly expected to adapt effectively and respond to dynamic and discontinuous changes in their external environments. Organisational culture is often presented as a strong determinant of both adaptation and responsiveness. In this paper, we provide a descriptive analysis of this claim. We base the paper on the view that agencies involved in managing the use of ecosystems have strong organisational cultures partly because of their origins, which are rooted in certain ethical and moral precepts. We suggest examining assumptions — the core of organisational culture — as a critical starting point in seeking adaptation, responsiveness and managing for change in such agencies. Explicit analysis of assumptions is critical for securing support for, and reducing prospects of resistance to change. The examination of assumptions also has an important role in harmonising the goals of society, science and government.

The Kruger Experience: Ecology and Management of Savanna Heterogeneity

Island Press, 1718 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20009-1148, USA, www.islandpress.org 519pp, tables, maps, figures, index Cloth cover: ISBN 1-55963-981-4, US

Developing a protocol for managing the biophysical condition of a water management area: the Sabie catchment case study

75. Paperback: ISBN 1-55963-982-2, US