Stakeholders-perceptions of participation in forest policy: A case study from Baden-Württemberg

• Autores: Carolin Maier, Theresia Lindner, Georg Winkel
• Localización: Land use policy: The International Journal Covering All Aspects of Land Use, ISSN 0264-8377, ISSN-e 1873-5754, Nº. 39, 2014, págs. 166-176
• Idioma: inglés
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• Dialnet Métricas: 1 Cita
• Resumen

  • German forest policy has traditionally been known for expert-based decision-making in which forest management is viewed primarily as a natural science and economics based task. Yet, this approach to forest policy has been challenged increasingly by civil society organizations who demand stronger consideration of non-timber production interests, and more participation of actors from beyond the traditional forest sector. The German federal state of Baden-Württemberg is a forerunner in response to such demands. In recent years, several forest-related policy processes in this state were designed to increase participation of non-governmental civil society groups.

    In this paper, we assess how this trend toward (and practice of) more inclusive, participatory decision-making in Baden-Württemberg's forest policy is viewed by forest policy stakeholders, and to what extent it has affected the relationship between actors associated with production and conservation interests. Our data set includes contributions to, first, a stakeholder workshop and, second, an online forum about the Forest Conservation Strategy Baden-Württemberg (Waldnaturschutzkonzeption Baden-Württemberg). In both processes, stakeholders provided comments on the issue of participation in forest policy. Third, we conducted 10 semi-structured interviews with forest policy stakeholders.

    We found a mix of perceptions and attitudes toward participation among different actor groups, with private forest owners being the most skeptical and nature conservation groups the greatest proponents of increased participation. Among the state forest service staff, perceptions differed greatly; with high-level bureaucrats being more positive than street level personnel. Yet, regardless of these perceptions, the increasing trend toward civil society participation in forest policy is seen as hardly affecting the ideologies and interests of the involved groups. Hence, no substantial mutual policy learning amongst stakeholders, or improvement of the overall relationship amongst actors representing production and conservation interests, is observed. Yet, we conclude the paper by pointing out that it is too early to assess the long-term effects of increased participation in forest policy-making.