TY - JOUR
T1 - High stakes
T2 - Lessons from stakeholder groups in the biodiversity conservation network
AU - Mahanty, Sango
AU - Russell, Diane
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - Research in common property, participatory resource management, and community development points to the central importance of organizational arrangements in conservation and development interventions. The dilemma facing contemporary conservation practitioners is how best to assist and facilitate such arrangements in support of participatory resource management and sustainable livelihoods, given the range of organizations, societal processes, and structures in which interventions might engage. This article presents some key findings from a study of stakeholder groups at 4 project sites, with information from a further 16 sites, in the Biodiversity Conservation Network: (1) Longstanding organizations had an established community niche, but could become bogged down in bureaucratic procedures; (2) poor communication between organizations was common and could undermine resource management; and (3) charismatic individuals and local elite interests could dominate groups, diminishing their representativeness. Based on these findings, the article argues that conservation professionals need to build their capacity as facilitators and negotiators, paying greater attention to how stakeholder groups form and function, their links to wider arenas, and the aims and positions of groups and individuals.
AB - Research in common property, participatory resource management, and community development points to the central importance of organizational arrangements in conservation and development interventions. The dilemma facing contemporary conservation practitioners is how best to assist and facilitate such arrangements in support of participatory resource management and sustainable livelihoods, given the range of organizations, societal processes, and structures in which interventions might engage. This article presents some key findings from a study of stakeholder groups at 4 project sites, with information from a further 16 sites, in the Biodiversity Conservation Network: (1) Longstanding organizations had an established community niche, but could become bogged down in bureaucratic procedures; (2) poor communication between organizations was common and could undermine resource management; and (3) charismatic individuals and local elite interests could dominate groups, diminishing their representativeness. Based on these findings, the article argues that conservation professionals need to build their capacity as facilitators and negotiators, paying greater attention to how stakeholder groups form and function, their links to wider arenas, and the aims and positions of groups and individuals.
KW - Biodiversity
KW - Institution
KW - Participation
KW - Stakeholder
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036168798&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/089419202753403346
DO - 10.1080/089419202753403346
M3 - Article
SN - 0894-1920
VL - 15
SP - 179
EP - 188
JO - Society and Natural Resources
JF - Society and Natural Resources
IS - 2
ER -