An assessment of transactive planning and principled negotiation as natural resource conflict resolution conflict techniques : a case study of the Carmanah Valley Forest Management Advisory Committee
Date
1993
Authors
Ward, Jeffrey Richard Eric
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Abstract
Land use planning conflicts, particularly those relating to timber harvesting, forest management practices and the establishment of protected areas have intensified over the past two decades. These conflicts are environmental, economic and social planning issues. In short, these conflicts are essential between environmental protection on the one hand, and economic development and growth on the other. These conflicts result from many sources; different interests and objectives, divergent values and world views, shrinking land base, unrestrained economic development, loss of natural areas, stress between economic development and environmental protection, a more active and aware public and the traditional land-use planning paradigm.
Traditionally, land use planning conflicts have been resolved through legislative, administrative or judicial means. These methods are considered inadequate and ineffective for addressing complex natural resource planning issues where the outcome will affect people's lives and communities, where divergent values are at issue, and where there are many parties involved. The public oppose the traditional decide announce-defend planning paradigm. In response to this approaches were introduced in the early 1970's and 1980's that focus on consensus decision-making and the consultĀ decide jointly-implement together paradigm.
Transactive Planning and Principled Negotiation are two approaches that offer an alternative to traditional planning methods. The elements of the two approaches are used as a basis to examine the decision-making process of the Carmanah Valley Forest Management Advisory Committee (CVFMAC). In this context, the research focuses on examining the effectiveness of the two approaches from the perspective of a multi-party and multi-interest advisory committee reaching agreement on a forestry planning and management issue.
The elements of Transactive Planning and Principled Negotiation did occur in the decision-making process of the CVFMAC and were considered effective for reaching agreement. However, the CVFMAC did identify four issues that were considered a weakness of the decision-making process and limitations of multi-party advisory committees. The four issues are participation/representation, time/cost, non binding nature of recommendations and information/objective criteria.
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UN SDG 15: Life on Land