Governance and public involvement

 

Summary

Public involvement in environmental decision-making is one of the central themes of Sustainable Development (UNCED, 1992). Although participation is focused here on poverty alleviation, it also accords with late 20th century thought on governance and democracy, especially in relation to environmental problems. The failure of representative democracy to take full account of local views and needs, especially in relation to developments affecting the environment, has led to a preoccupation with deliberative democracy, in which people’s views are sought not in a simple vote, but through fair and well-informed debate.

Forest managers, just like managers in many other industries, have to respond to societal changes. Increasingly they are faced with demands from the public and expectations from policy makers to involve stakeholders in forestry decisions.

Research objectives

• To develop understanding of the implications of the adoption of Sustainable Development as a major policy objective for forestry governance practices
• To develop practical guidance for forest managers on how to plan for public involvement in forest and woodland planning and decision-making
• To assess the potential of public participatory tools and techniques.

Funders and partners

The Forestry Commission is funding research into governance and public involvement in forest planning under the social factors in forest design programme.

The European Union is also funding work exploring governance

Forestry Commission policy

The Foresty Commission is committed to listening and working with stakeholders such as local people and local and national organisations. It aims to ensure that their needs and concerns are accounted for in forest management.

Publications

Social Science in Forestry - Public participation and partnership
A review of Forestry Commission practice and governance in a changing political and economic context. ^{(PDF - 472K)}

Involving People in Forestry
A toolbox for public involvement in forest and woodland planning. Comprises an introductory booklet, a toolsheets contents page and 50 individual toolsheets.

Consultation and community involvement in forest planning
Research in Cranberry Chase and North Dorset. ^{(PDF - 1090K)}

Current Activities 

• A Critical Assessment of the Use of Computer Rendered Visualisation Technology as an Aid to Public Participation in Landscape Planning
  An MSc dissertation research study by Max Hislop (whilst working at Forest Research) assessed the strengths and weaknesses of 3D-visualisation technology of forest landscapes with potential end-users. The discussions of focus groups comprised of forestry contractors and forest recreational users from a case-study forest are being analysed for their reactions to the technology. This study contributed to the aims of ‘VISULANDS’ (see below).

• VISULANDS
  This 3-year EU-funded project aimed to develop visualization tools to support public involvement in the assessment of landscape change. This continued beyond the completion of an MSc study (above) and involved the inclusion and assessment of 3D visualisation tools in a public involvement process for the revision of Clashindarroch Forest Design Plan.

Past Activities

• A Decision Framework for Public Involvement in Forest Design Planning
  Max Hislop and Dr Mark Twery, US Forest Service developed understanding of the role of public involvement as described in Forest Enterprises guidance on forest design planning for forest planners (FMM30). The output was a decision framework which assists forest planners to consider: who should be involved; when should they be involved; how should they be involved, and; when they should be involved.
   
• Involving People in Forestry - A Toolbox for Public Involvement in Forest and Woodland Planning
  This publication resulted from the ‘Decision Framework’ described above. 50 public participatory tools and techniques were researched and described in the ‘toolbox’. It was published in April 2004

Contact

Liz O'Brien
Forest Research
Alice Holt Lodge
Farnham
Surrey GU10 4LH

Tel: 01420 526155
Fax: 01420 520558
Email: liz.obrien@forestry.gsi.gov.uk