Collaborative governance networks: exploring governance success in large-scale conservation

Abstract

Inclusive and equitable collaboration of actors has increasingly been recognized as an essential element for successful governance in large-scale biodiversity conservation. However, there is still limited empirical evidence of the role of collaboration arrangements in establishing and maintaining governance, especially in megadiverse tropical landscapes. Social network analysis was applied to map the collaborative network between the actors involved in the governance of a mosaic of protected areas in Brazil and test whether the network displayed relational patterns favorable to good governance. The network is dense and diversified, containing a variety of actors and horizontal collaboration arrangements between groups. These structural aspects are consistent with a network promoting inclusive and equitable engagement. The analysis also identified some risks and challenges that provide useful information to improve governance effectiveness.