Joanna Cent

What counts? Volunteers and their organisations in the recording and monitoring of biodiversity

There is a pressing need for volunteer amateur naturalists to participate in data collection for biodiversity monitoring programmes in Europe. It is being addressed in some countries, but less so in others. This paper discusses the results from qualitative research using semi-structured interviews, focus groups and participant observation within nine Participatory Monitoring Network (PMN) organisations in six European countries. The paper examines the features that facilitate recruitment, retention and motivations of volunteers to participate in biodiversity monitoring, including the social and cultural milieus in which they operate. The paper concludes that volunteers place a high degree of significance on their social experience within PMNs. Successful creation and management of PMNs thus requires that similar levels of attention be paid to social aspects of the organisation as are paid to the generation and management of data.

Expansion of Nature Conservation Areas: Problems with Natura 2000 Implementation in Poland?

In spite of widespread support from most member countries’ societies for European Union policy, including support for the sustainable development idea, in many EU countries the levels of acceptance of new environmental protection programmes have been and, in particular in new member states, still are considerably low. The experience of the countries which were the first to implement union directives show that they cannot be effectively applied without widespread public participation. The goal of this study was, using the example of Poland, to assess public acceptance of the expansion of nature conservation in the context of sustainable development principles and to discover whether existing nature governance should be modified when establishing new protected areas. The increase in protected areas in Poland has become a hotbed of numerous conflicts. In spite of the generally favourable attitudes to nature which Polish people generally have, Natura 2000 is perceived as an unnecessary additional conservation tool. Both local authorities and communities residing in the Natura areas think that the programme is a hindrance, rather than a help in the economic development of municipalities or regions, as was initially supposed. This lack of acceptance results from many factors, mainly social, historic and economic. The implications of these findings for current approach to the nature governance in Poland are discussed.

Roles and impacts of non-governmental organizations in Natura 2000 implementation in Hungary and Poland

The ecological network of Natura 2000, an European Union (EU) initiative to halt biodiversity loss across Europe, has dominated biodiversity governance in the new EU member states in recent years, as implementation was a condition of accession. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have generally assisted Natura 2000 implementation. In two Central and Eastern European countries (Poland and Hungary), NGOs became involved in different ways; this paper seeks to analyse and explain these national differences by researching the theoretical background of policy networks and advocacy coalitions in both countries. In Hungary, NGOs worked closely with governmental authorities and contributed significantly to site selection. In Poland, NGOs initially opposed government plans, but later moved toward close cooperation with public institutions; this resulted in a significant expansion in the area and number of designated Natura 2000 sites. In both countries, NGO influence increased during the Natura 2000 process owing to the establishment of multi-level policy networks with the European Commission and public institutions, based on resource dependencies and shared beliefs. In post-socialist countries, the progression from government-monopolized biodiversity conservation implies a growing importance and contribution of NGOs, and their ability to use resources appropriately in the new governance contexts.

Governance rescaling and the neoliberalization of nature: the case of biodiversity conservation in four EU countries

In this paper, we investigate how processes of rescaling biodiversity governance downwards, upwards and outwards are interlinked with the increased global and European trends toward the neoliberalization of nature conservation. We furthermore explore who wins and who loses from this interrelationship. We focus on the European Union and specifically on England, Finland, Greece, and Poland, and we pay particular attention to the effects of the ongoing economic crisis. We draw on Marxist-influenced political ecology and geography literatures and use primary empirical data obtained through focus groups and interviews as well as analysis of legal and policy documents. Our analysis shows that EU states have mobilized a range of political strategies intended to expand and intensify the alignment of conservation with capitalist interests within a distinctively neoliberal framework. However, the variation in governmental strategies in the case study countries reveals that variegated neoliberalizations are intertwined with variegated rescaling processes. Thus despite the increasing homogenization of conservation, the historical evolution of governance forms and their legacy as well as differing socioeconomic and political contexts play a pivotal role in current dynamics. We argue that unraveling the different roles of the rescaling of biodiversity governance is crucial in exposing the contradictions inherent in the relationship between conservation and capitalism and in showing that the consensus-driven neoliberal rhetoric is increasingly lapsing into authoritarian governance in the era of one of the most severe capitalist crises.

Confronting and coping with uncertainty in biodiversity research and praxis

There are many techniques to deal with uncertainty when modeling data. However, there are many forms of uncertainty that cannot be dealt with mathematically that have to be taken into account when designing a biodiversity monitoring system. Some of these can be minimized by careful planning and quality control, but others have to be investigated during monitoring, and the scale and methods adjusted when necessary to meet objectives. Sources of uncertainty include uncertainty about stakeholders, who will monitor, what to sample, where to sample, causal relationships, species identifications, detectability, distributions, relationships with remote sensing, biotic concordance, complementarity, validity of stratification, and data quality and management. Failure to take into account any of these sources of uncertainty about how the data will be used can make monitoring nothing more than monitoring for the sake of monitoring, and I make recommendations as to how to reduce uncertainties. Some form of standardization is necessary, despite the multiple sources of uncertainty, and experience from RAPELD and other monitoring schemes indicates that spatial standardization is viable and helps reduce many sources of uncertainty.

Who is responsible for Natura 2000 in Poland? ? a potential role of NGOs in establishing the programme

This paper concerns the involvement and the potential role of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in establishing the Natura 2000 programme in Poland. Research carried out amongst members and volunteers of these organisations shows the great importance of the programme for their work. NGOs are readily taking part in discussions on the form of Natura 2000 in Poland and demonstrating their willingness to help establish it. As a result of the lack of partnership relations with the bodies directly responsible for this programme, the role of NGOs in the implementation of Natura 2000 has not yet been clearly defined. NGOs form a base of experts, experience and information on local nature and communities, which may prove to be very useful in achieving the aims of the Natura 2000 programme in Poland.

Volunteers on the political anvil: citizenship and volunteer biodiversity monitoring in three postcommunist countries

We present comparative ethnographic material on volunteer biodiversity monitoring from environmental organisations in three postcommunist countries: Poland, Slovenia, and Lithuania. We chart and discuss aspects of the heritage from socialism and communist rule in terms of their effect on the present-day running and operations of four case-study organisations in these countries, focusing particularly on challenges posed by the legacy of compulsory volunteering, inherited organisational cultures, economic reorganisation, and internationalisation of the volunteering sector. In closing we indicate certain key differences between our case-study organisations, focusing on factors that influenced their ability to operate in the postcommunist nongovernmental organisation sector, and offer some observations of more general relevance.

Cooperation in the Polish national parks and their neighborhood in a view of different stakeholders – a long way ahead?

National parks, among other forms of conservation, have a national importance and so-called “national ownership”. This has been used as both an argument and a counterargument for their protection. Regardless of their environmental goals, their existence influences not only wildlife, but also neighboring communities. In this way, national parks are the common ground that connects many groups: local communities, local governments, hunters, foresters and national park employees. They live, use and manage the same or neighboring land. Different perspectives of stakeholders arise owing to the conflicting positions certain people and groups hold, together with their specific backgrounds and goals. The goal of this paper is to show these perspectives and the potential for future cooperation in the area of two national parks in Poland. The study shows that, over 20 years after transition, historical conditions and perception of the change still influence relations between national parks and local people.

Can public participation increase nature conservation effectiveness

It is not possible to develop guidelines on how to involve communities in nature conservation in countries with no experience in this area without drawing on the experience of experts in public participation and the human dimension, especially where changes in environmental management must be made in a relatively short time and in the most effective manner. This paper presents the results of a study on the practical application of the public participatory approach in nature, particularly biodiversity conservation, conducted among American decision-makers with expertise in providing consultation and involving communities in the management of natural resources. A critical presentation of the functioning of the public participatory approach has been related to the need for its application in European Member States.