Nature's Keepers: civil society actors and the neoliberalisation of conservation in the Rouge Park

Abstract

This paper examines the roles and actions of civil society actors and state agencies in the establishment and management of the Rouge Park (Ontario, Canada), a large greenspace approximately 46 km 2 . This paper takes the stance that neoliberalism is more than just a simple derivative of capitalism, but also a continually evolving process that has explicit links to nature and its management. I use qualitative data to investigate how the governance framework put in place by the province of Ontario amounts to the neoliberalisation of conservation, where a disproportionate amount of the day-to-day management and operation of the park is completed by civil society actors and their respective volunteers. I examine how the management structure of the Rouge Park has resulted in what amounts to neoliberal conservation policy yet, despite its apparent and upfront shortcomings, this governance scheme has also resulted in some notable developments. In particular, it has provided an increase in opportunities for civil society actors to become key agents in both park planning and conservation.

Past, Present And Possible: Toward An Integrated Approach For Natural Heritage Conservation

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