Exploring the Functions of Different Forms of Trust in Collaborative Natural Resource Management

Successful natural resource management increasingly requires collaboration across boundaries and between diverse stakeholder groups, and trust is a key ingredient of successful collaboration. This study represents an early qualitative empirical attempt to understand how different forms of trust develop, function, and interact in collaborative natural resource management initiatives. We conducted case studies of four landscape-level initiatives in the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP). Our results suggest that three forms of trust, affinitive, rational, and procedural trust, were all important for successful collaboration, but different forms of trust appeared to function more powerfully during convening, recruitment, retention, and ongoing collaboration of stakeholders, with affinitive trust particularly important for convening, and rational and procedural trust gaining importance for recruiting and retention of members. We discuss the implications of the findings in both theoretical and practical terms.     

Voice,Perceived Fairness,Agency Trust,and Acceptance of Management Decisions Among Minnesota Anglers

Although researchers agree that public participation in natural resource decision making is critical to institutional acceptance by stakeholders and the general public, the processes to gain public perceptions of fairness, agency trust, and acceptance of management decisions are not clear. Using results from a mail survey of Minnesota resident anglers, we used structural equation modeling to examine how instrumental versus symbolic motives related to anglers’ perceptions of agency fairness, trustworthiness, and ultimately acceptance of fisheries management decisions. We applied laboratory research on relationships among procedural fairness, trust, and management acceptance, and then tested models incorporating anglers’ perceptions of voice for anglers and nonanglers in management decisions. Results suggested that trust fully mediated the relationship between procedural fairness and management acceptance. Angler perceptions of angler and nonangler voice both related to views of procedural fairness, but angler voice was more strongly related and was also significantly related to acceptance of management decisions.     

Can Distrust Enhance Public Engagement? Insights From a National Survey on Energy Issues in Canada

Research examining the relationship between trust, public engagement, and natural resource management asserts that trust fosters positive behavior and enhanced cooperation. Yet some scholars are finding that certain kinds of distrust are helpful in achieving democratic outcomes by providing would-be participants with the motivation to engage in issues of public concern. This article seeks to clarify this apparent disjuncture in the trust literature by examining the multidimensional nature of trust as it relates to public engagement on energy-related issues in Canada. Based on a national online survey (n?=?3000) we use a binary probit model to explore the connections between trust, knowledge, and public engagement. About 70% of respondents had participated in at least one form of public engagement over the last 3 years. Drawing on a two-dimensional conception of trust, we find that general trust on its own is not positively linked to public engagement. A combination of general trust and skepticism, however, is positively associated with public engagement and confirms our hypothesis that at least some concern regarding credibility, bias, and vested interest can motivate public engagement. In this sense, trust is not uniformly good for public engagement. These results signal a need to further refine our assumptions about the relationship between public trust, public engagement and environmental governance.     

Does Social Learning Lead to Better Natural Resource Management? A Case Study of the Modern Farming Community of Practice in Sweden

This study investigates whether social learning among large-scale farmers in central Sweden leads to better natural resource management in the agricultural landscape. Three different frames of social learning are first identified: social learning as a fundamental social phenomenon, social learning as collaborative learning, and social learning as deeper learning. This article investigates the role of social learning and other factors through semistructured in-depth interviews. Results show that learning among farmers is inherently social, but that this learning does not necessarily improve natural resource management or lead to better environmental governance. The article discusses when social learning can be expected to influence natural resources management, and finds that without the presence of policy, individual leadership, or facilitation, it is not an important factor. Furthermore, the call for social learning based on results from successful instrumental application risks obscuring findings indicating that both social learning and better natural resource management are conditioned on the same external factors.     

Trust,Trustworthiness, and Motivation in the Natural Resource Management Context

Trust is critical for natural resource management (NRM). In recognition of this, a noteworthy body of literature has investigated the construct but is, as yet, still developing. The current research proposes and tests an increasingly complete model that integrates the major advances in not only the NRM literature but in the social psychological literature addressing trust more generally as well. To that end, the current analyses were conducted with a large sample of Michigan hunters (n?=?23,954). The results suggest that, as hypothesized, the theoretical model is a statistically defensible account of trust in this context and suggest that both trustworthiness and motivation have important roles to play in driving cooperation intention and behavior. Thus, the current work suggests that although it is important for NRM institutions to attend to their trustworthiness, they should not ignore the motivation that arises from benefits they provide.     

Process and Contextual Factors Supporting Action-Oriented Learning: A Thematic Synthesis of Empirical Literature in Natural Resource Management

Despite a long-term focus on learning in natural resource management (NRM), it is still debated how learning supports sustainable real-world NRM practices. We offer a qualitative in-depth synthesis of selected scientific empirical literature (N?=?53), which explores factors affecting action-oriented learning. We inductively identify eight key process-based and contextual factors discussed in this literature. Three patterns emerge from our results. First, the literature discusses both facilitated participation and self-organized collaboration as dialogical spaces, which bridge interests and support constructive conflict management. Second, the literature suggests practice-based dialogs as those best able to facilitate action and puts a strong emphasis on experimentation. Finally, not emphasized in existing reviews and syntheses, we found multiple evidence about certain contextual factors affecting learning, including social-ecological crises, complexity, and power structures. Our review also points at important knowledge gaps, which can be used to advance the current research agenda about learning and NRM.     

Spatial Social Network Analysis of Resource Access in Rural South Africa

Communities in the rural developing world often sit at the margin of market, migration, and technology exchanges. They are arguably becoming more interconnected and networked than ever before. This article seeks to expand on an understanding of natural resource access in the rural developing world by combining social network analysis (SNA) data and geographic position data obtained via Global Positioning System (GPS) and participatory mapping in rural South Africa. This work therefore utilizes a sociospatial framework in understanding natural resource use and access in a community-level analysis. Notably, in our study we find very little association among natural resource use, access, and social position with even the most tolerant measure but enough association so as not to dismiss the relationship completely. We believe that our results can inform investigations of both resource access and social network position and conclude that a subsequent possibilist approach to human–environmental interactions would be an ideal framework for this methodology and potentially for sociospatial studies more widely.     

基于SNA的全球电子信息制造业贸易网络演化特征及机理研究

基于ITC公布的2001、2007、2013年和2018年贸易数据,构建全球电子信息制造业贸易网络,采用社会网络分析法研究全球电子信息制造业贸易网络的演化特征及影响因素。结果表明：（1）电子信息制造业贸易总量增幅较大但增速放缓,贸易地区高度集中且贸易重心向发展中经济体偏移,但未出现明显“多极化”趋势;网络成员间联系渐趋紧密,中心性位居前列的成员基本稳定但整体地位下降;子群内部成员变动较大,尚未出现明显的派系林立现象;网络存在核心-半边缘-边缘结构,核心区与半边缘区内发达经济体地位下降,东亚与东南亚部分经济体的地位上升;中国大陆在网络中已占据重要位置,但中心性仍有较大提升空间,且尚未形成稳定的“朋友圈”。（2）经济规模差异、技术差异、文化差异、劳动力数量差异、陆地接壤对电子信息制造业贸易网络具有较大程度的正向影响,地理距离与物流绩效差异显示较小程度的显著负向影响,需求差异近年来具有较小程度的显著正向影响,制度差异未产生明显的影响。研究结果显示要素禀赋理论与技术差距理论对全球电子信息制造业贸易网络特征有较好的解释力,需求相似理论的解释力比较有限,全球电子信息制造业贸易兼具产业内与产业间的贸易特性。     

Participatory GIS to inform coral reef ecosystem management: Mapping human coastal and ocean uses in Hawaii

Sociospatial information is critical to marine and coastal ecosystem management. The Hawaii Coastal Uses Mapping Project used a participatory geographic information systems (PGIS) methodology to gather local knowledge regarding the location and intensity of coastal human activities in Hawaii's priority sites for coral reef management. PGIS provided an efficient and effective means of obtaining information in a data-poor context, particularly at a scale and location where considerable local knowledge is held by community members and resource users. We detail the PGIS methods developed to collect sociospatial data on human uses in the project regions and discuss important considerations regarding the practice of PGIS that emerged from the mapping process, as well as implications for the production and documentation of spatial knowledge. Key themes include: issues of scale and appropriateness in using PGIS as a method for mapping human coastal and marine activities; data validity, authority, and the nature of local knowledge; community trust, engagement, and collaboration; and utility for coral reef management. While several factors limit local agencies' ability to use this spatial information to date, natural resource managers found the participatory mapping process to be highly valuable for stakeholder identification and engagement, and the maps provide a resource to state and federal managers to better understand the human implications of future management scenarios.     

Foreign Direct Investment,Ecological Withdrawals,and Natural-Resource-Dependent Economies

This article examines the relationships between foreign direct investment (FDI) and natural resource depletion and natural resource rents for a longitudinal (2005–2013: N?=?125 nations) sample of less developed countries (LDCs). Theoretically, we argue that FDI contributes to increased ecological withdrawals and dependence on the natural resource sector for economic growth within countries. We hypothesized that LDCs with higher levels of FDI would also have higher levels of natural resource depletion and income (i.e., rents). We assess whether this hypothesized relationship holds across nations in our sample for four different natural resource depletion and rents measures (energy, forest, mineral, and total natural resources). We find strong support for our hypotheses regarding natural resource depletion and resource rents, with the exception of energy rents. The outcome lends support to the ecological withdrawal and ecostructural theory of foreign investment dependence perspectives.     

Examining the Influence of Positionality in Evaluating Collaborative Progress in Natural Resource Management: Reflections of an Academic and a Practitioner

In this paper, we present a reflexive examination of how and why we, an academic and a practitioner, arrive at different evaluations of collaborative progress in natural resource management. We situate this examination in our long-standing involvement in designing, adaptively managing, and participating in the Uncompahgre Plateau collaborative forest restoration project in western Colorado, USA. Drawing on the concept of “positionality” in qualitative social science research, we disclose our respective motivations, assumptions, roles, and power relative to the collaborative process. The differences in evaluating collaborative progress stem from our respective professional positionality. For the academic, the guiding interest was to test theory and promote success for his applied research institute; for the practitioner, the motivation was to build trust to allow her field staff the flexibility to implement management actions and demonstrate effectiveness as an agency line officer. These epistemological differences draw attention to the importance of transdisciplinary approaches to producing knowledge from shared practice, starting with efforts to explicitly disclose and honor differing interests, assumptions, and frames of reference stemming from each party’s personal and professional biographies and institutional norms. This reflexivity is essential to advancing knowledge about collaboration in natural resource management.     

The Research and Practice of Professional Knowledge Sharing and Service: A Case Study of the Geography,Resources,and Ecology Knowledge Service System

Knowledge Sharing and Service is one effective way to eliminate knowledge poverty and promote social development. Existing knowledge sharing and service is mainly provided in some organizations or specific social groups. Besides, a knowledge sharing and service system about geography, natural resources and ecology has not been reported. We proposed a public welfare professional knowledge-sharing and service platform for all members of society in geography, natural resources and ecology. The construction of a knowledge-sharing and service platform is based on five aspects of work: analysis of user requirements, setting standards and drafting policies, aggregating knowledge resources, the technical realization and the maintenance of service. Knowledge resources can be aggregated by using a “two-step” strategy. A knowledge-sharing and service system can be implemented by using “four-tier” structures that are comprised of resources, resource access, application and service, based on the Hadoop-distributed cluster architecture. It has been proven that adhering to the idea of co-building and co-sharing, and using the mechanism of “payment is equal to benefit” can effectively promote the gathering of knowledge resources, and arouse the enthusiasm of all members of society to participate in knowledge sharing and service, to achieve the objective of narrowing the knowledge gap between social groups.     

Biodiversity,land degradation,and climate change: Participatory planning in Romania

This paper considers the role of stakeholder participation in drawing together the three Rio Conventions, exploring how participatory activities to combat desertification in southern Romania can both support and hinder efforts to conserve biodiversity and mitigate the effects of climate change. It suggests that Romania's growing civil society sector has a potentially vital role to play in promoting synergy through participation, and that participatory processes act as an important mechanism for harnessing multiple benefits. The paper argues that participation needs to be further institutionalised within the Romanian context and in doing so, should emphasise empowerment, equity, trust and learning, integrating different knowledge bases to allow the development of sustainable and synergistic environmental solutions.     

It’s Time To Learn About Learning: Where Should the Environmental and Natural Resource Governance Field Go Next?

This Commentary reflects on the state of the scholarship on learning for environmental and natural resource policy and governance. How have we been learning about learning? We highlight theoretical and empirical advancements related to learning, as well as areas of divergence between learning theories and frameworks, and underdeveloped knowledge around processes and outcomes. To address these limitations and improve progress in both theory and practice, we offer recommendations for learning scholarship by focusing on how to collectively engage in ‘learning about learning’.     

The demonstration effect: Natural resources, ethnonationalism and the Aceh conflict

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami brought Aceh's long-drawn separatist conflict back to international attention. Yet, the precise way in which the different aspects of the conflict entangled with resource-related grievances have remained poorly understood. Taking a political ecology approach, this paper sets out to understand the role of natural resource grievances within the complex and shifting set of mutually implicated factors leading to and sustaining the conflict from the early days of Indonesia's independence. The paper argues that the management of Aceh's natural resources – especially the rich gas and oil reserves – was not the sole or primary causal factor. Rather, state managed exploitation of natural resources had a demonstration effect, exemplifying other grievances and supporting the articulation of a separatist discourse naturalizing 'Acehnese' conceptualizations of resource entitlement. Comparing Aceh with other separatist conflicts, the paper suggests that, as conflict unfolds at the intersection of a shifting set of concerns, it is increasingly difficult to separate the underlying issues of identity, resource entitlements and human rights.     

Collaborative Governance and Conflict Management: Lessons Learned and Good Practices from a Case Study in the Amazon Basin

Abstract

Given the linkages between natural resources and social conflicts, evidence increasingly shows that successful natural resource management requires conflict mitigation and prevention. However, there may be a gap in practice between knowing what processes and tools need to be used to manage conservation conflicts and how to actually implement them. We present learning from a practice-based case study of conflict management in the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve in the Peruvian Amazon that aimed to develop natural resource governance institutions and build stakeholder capacity, including of indigenous groups, to navigate existing conflict resolution mechanisms. Through applying good practices in conservation conflict management and collaborative governance, we generated important lessons on the practical considerations involved in collaborative conservation. These lessons, while specific to our case, could be applied to a variety of protected areas facing complex social-ecological systems dynamics and wicked problems.     

地理、网络与信任:金融危机背景下的生产网络演化

网络演化是演化经济地理学研究的重要内容和新近热点之一。在当前的理论探讨中主要强调路径依赖和惯例对网络演化的强化作用,对于信任这个关键要素缺乏深入探讨。本文通过深度访谈和问卷调查相结合的方法,对比金融危机前后广东省纺织服装行业生产网络的空间结构,揭示信任与生产网络演化之间的互动机制。研究发现:信任是维系生产网络稳定性的基本要素之一,信任的强弱程度主要受合作类型(市场关系)、地理接近(空间关系)和社会文化接近根植性(社会关系)等因素影响。金融危机作为一种负面外部冲击,重构了广东省服装行业的生产网络。在这个过程中,较强信任关系的网络连结(潮汕地区)得以保留,并在危机过后进一步强化;而部分较弱信任关系的网络连结(珠三角地区)发生断裂,且在经济回暖之后被潮汕地区的网络所取代。     

Sociodemographic characteristics,cultural biases,and environmental attitudes: An empirical application of grid-group cultural theory in Northwestern China

Natural resource-management studies have become increasingly attentive to the influences of human factors. Among these,cultural biases shape people's responses to changes in natural resource systems. Several studies have applied grid-group cultural theory to assess the effects of multiple value biases among stakeholders on natural resource management. We developed and administered a questionnaire in the Heihe River Basin(n = 364) in northwestern China to investigate the appropriateness of applying this theory in the Chinese context of natural resource management. The results revealed various cultural biases among the respondents. In descending order of prevalence, these biases were hierarchism(46.98%), individualism(26.65%), egalitarianism(18.96%), and fatalism(2.78%), with the remaining respondents(4.67%) evidencing no obvious bias. Our empirical study revealed respondents' worldviews and the influence of sociodemographic characteristics on cultural biases, as theoretically posited. Among the variables examined, age had a positive and significant effect across all biases except individualism. The correlation of income to all cultural biases was consistently negative. Only education had a negative and significant effect across all biases. Women were found to adhere to egalitarianism, whereas men adhered to individualism and hierarchism. Thus, grid-group cultural theory was found to be appropriate in the Chinese context, with gender, age, education, and income evidently accounting for cultural biases. Relationships between environmental attitudes and cultural biases conformed with the hypothesis advanced by grid-group cultural theory. This finding may be of value in explaining individuals' environmental attitudes and facilitating the development and implementation of natural resource-management policies.     

中国资源规制对区域经济发展的有效性检验——基于省级面板数据(英文)

本文通过分析资源规制对经济发展的作用机理,厘清资源规制的影响机制,并基于全国31个省(区、市)2000–2009年的省级面板数据,运用LR检验和Hausman检验方法来选择模型估计的形式。检验结果显示,固定效应模型均比OLS混合模型和随机效应模型更有效。运用该模型构建了资源规制与区域经济总量和质量的固定效应回归模型,检验资源规制对经济发展的有效性。面板数据模型的回归结果表明:(1)资源规制对于调控区域经济发展是有效的;(2)资源规制对区域经济规模起抑制作用,资源规制强度每增加1个单位,地区生产总值将减少246亿元;(3)资源规制对于区域发展质量起促进作用,资源规制强度每增加1个单位,地区经济发展质量指数将提高0.022个单位。研究结果支持用资源规制来调控区域经济规模、转变经济发展方式的思路,验证了资源规制的有效性。     

Fishing in the Amazonian Forest: A Gendered Social Network Puzzle

We employ social network analysis (SNA) to describe the structure of subsistence fishing social networks and to explore the relation between fishers’ emic perceptions of fishing expertise and their position in networks. Participant observation and quantitative methods were employed among the Tsimane’ Amerindians of the Bolivian Amazon. A multiple-regression quadratic assignment procedure was used to explore the extent to which gender, kinship, and age homophilies influence the formation of fishing networks. Logistic regressions were performed to determine the association between fishers’ expertise, their sociodemographic identities, and network centrality. We found that fishing networks are gendered and that there is a positive association between fishers’ expertise and centrality in networks, an association that is more striking for women than for men. We propose that a social network perspective broadens understanding of the relations that shape the intracultural distribution of fishing expertise, as well as natural resource access and use.