Stakeholders’ perceptions of participation in forest policy: A case study from Baden-Württemberg
Stakeholders’ perceptions of participation in forest policy: A case study from Baden-Württemberg
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DOI：
10.1016/j.landusepol.2014.02.018
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发表时间：
2014-07
期刊：
影响因子：
7.1
通讯作者：
C. Maier;T. Lindner;G. Winkel
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
C. Maier;T. Lindner;G. Winkel
德国的森林政策历来以专家为基础的决策而闻名，其中森林管理主要被视为一项基于自然科学和经济学的任务。然而，民间社会组织越来越多地对这种森林政策方针提出挑战，它们要求更有力地考虑非木材生产利益，并要求传统森林部门以外的行为者更多地参与。德国的联邦巴登-符滕贝格州是响应这种要求的先行者。近年来，该州的一些与森林有关的政策进程旨在增加非政府民间社会团体的参与。森林政策利益攸关方认为巴登-符滕贝格森林政策中更具包容性和参与性的决策（和做法），以及它在多大程度上影响了与生产和保护利益有关的行为者之间的关系。我们的数据集包括贡献，第一，利益相关者研讨会，第二，关于森林保护战略巴登-符滕贝格（Waldnaturschutzkonzeption巴登-符滕贝格）的在线论坛。在这两个进程中，利益攸关方就参与森林政策问题提出了意见。第三，我们对森林政策的利益相关者进行了10次半结构化的访谈，发现不同行为者群体对参与的看法和态度是混合的，私人森林所有者是最持怀疑态度的，自然保护团体是增加参与的最大支持者。在国家林业局工作人员中，看法差异很大;高层官员比基层人员更积极。然而，不管这些看法如何，民间社会越来越多地参与森林政策的趋势被认为几乎不会影响有关群体的意识形态和利益。因此，没有观察到利益相关者之间的实质性相互政策学习，或代表生产和保护利益的行为者之间的整体关系的改善。然而，我们在文件的最后指出，现在评估更多地参与森林决策的长期影响还为时过早。
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.