Conflict management as a means to the sustainable use of natural resources

Abstract

. Conflict management as a means to the sustainable use of natural resources. Silva Fennica 40(4): 687-728.Democratic societies' emphasis on individual rights and freedoms inevitably opens them up to political disputes. Conflict management should thus be seen as an integral part of democratic institutional design. The evolution and management of policy disputes concerning the use of different natural resources in Finland is analysed by using the theoretical models of frame analysis and strategic interaction. The studied disputes include lake fisheries, watercourse regulation, reindeer herding, and forestry. The institutional design in the case studies varies. Despite the differences, many common features are identified that could explain their successes or difficulties in achieving sustainable and cooperative use of the resources. Among these are problems involving complex and uncertain knowledge, differences in frames held by multiple users of a resource, and distrust between the users and other parties. The analysis concludes with preliminary conclusions on how various disputes related to sustainable resource use could be managed. These include addressing the knowledge and frame problems in order to initiate a learning process; establishing sub-processes in which mutual trust between the parties -including a managing authority or a third party -can emerge; giving explicit roles and a clear division of entitlement to the parties; and providing a credible alternative for co-operation that affects the parties' payoff assessments during the process. Finally, the conflict management process shouldn't be regarded as a distinct phase of dispute resolution, but as an essential aspect of ongoing co-management practices of resource use.

Effects of reindeer grazing and forestry on ground lichens in Finnish Lapland

“…They overlap geographically and share the natural resources provided by forests. The coexistence of these two livelihoods has not always been free from arguing and conflict (Kyllönen et al 2006;Roturier and Roué 2009;Mustajoki et al 2011). In fact, the roles of forestry and intensive reindeer grazing in the observed decline of ground-lichen pastures have been argued both in Finland and in Sweden (Berg et al 2008;Roturier 2009;Rytkönen et al 2013).…”

Applying a synthetic approach to the resilience of Finnish reindeer herding as a changing livelihood

“…This can marginalize reindeer herders by seriously questioning their credibility as neutral providers of policy-relevant knowledge on their livelihood (Sarkki et al 2013a). Thus, considering only internal Pressures and neglecting external Pressures is not an apolitical act, as shown by critiques of Hardin's (1968) tragedy of the commons thinking (Dietz et al 2003, Kyllönen et al 2006). On the other hand, forestry discussions are often based only on forestry's internal performance, not on its effects on other livelihoods as an external Pressure.…”

“…The middleman would http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol21/iss4/art14/ acknowledge the related concerns of herders and invite the other land users to the negotiation table. The problem in land use negotiations is often that concerns of reindeer herders are juxtaposed with the interests of other land uses, which leads to lock-in value conflict (e.g., Kyllönen et al 2006). However, a way out of such a general lock-in situation could be going into depths regarding site-specific solutions, which would allow small victories for each party, and thus increase the acceptability of also small loses (Sarkki and Heikkinen 2015).…”

Facilitating resolution of forest conflicts through understanding the complexity of the relationship between forest industry and environmental groups

“…Kyllönen et al 2006). However, deeply entwined in this are moral issues, such as the responsibilities of state related actors (Raitio andRytteri 2005, Raitio 2008) in regard to reindeer herding, and the rights of the indigenous people, Sámi, on one hand, and the local and regional employment in the forest and wood sector on the other (Vatanen et al 2006, Hallikainen et al 2008.…”

“…This often led to conflict where those that were suffering, as a result of their interests and values being ignored, attempting, through numerous methods, to get their voices heard. Often their cause finds support from ENGOs, for example, Greenpeace supporting the reindeer herders in Upper Lapland, Finland in their struggle against the Finnish State, in the form of its forestry enterprise the Finnish Forest and Park Service (Metsähallitus in Finnish) (e.g Kyllönen 2006, Lawrence 2007, Raitio 2008 and various groups (Friends of Clayoquot Sound, Greenpeace Canada, Greenpeace International, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, and Western Canada Wilderness Committee) opposing the operating practices of MacMillan Bloedel in Clayoquot Sound, Canada (e.g. Lertzman and Vredenburg 2005).…”