Giving and reciprocity in natural resource management and consensus building: An application of economic anthropology to understanding the clearwater basin forest collaborative

Abstract:

Literature on collaborative planning and adaptive co-management often proclaims that well-managed processes of discovering shared interests enable consensus among conflicting groups on resource management plans. However, fundamental differences in identity-based values can derail such agreements. Through participant observation, we examine the Clearwater Basin Collaborative (CBC), a voluntary group representing 24 divergent interests in the management of the Nez Perce and Clearwater National Forests and surrounding areas. Despite renowned success at civic discourse and relationship building, the CBC has yet to reach consensus on wilderness designations and solutions to county economies affected by timber sales. The paper demonstrates how concepts from economic anthropology for gifting and exchange increase the understanding of how collaborative processes address intractable conflicts through social relationships, thus contributing to collaborative and communicative planning theory and practice.

Año de publicación:

2013

Keywords:

• Idaho
• Regional planning
• economic anthropology
• collaborative resource management
• Social exchange theory
• forests
• wilderness

Fuente:

scopus