Forest land use and management conflicts : a review and evaluation of approaches for management.

Abstract

More effective means of resolving issues in dispute have recently become popular for certain conflicts as an alternative to litigation and its associated competitive outcomes. Emphasis is being placed on methods which are more cooperative in nature thereby deriving mutually beneficial outcomes. Conflict inherent to natural resource management and land use may be more effectively approached cooperatively. Upon understanding conflict fundamentals and necessary prerequisites to cooperative techniques, forest managers, administrators and planners will be better informed of the issues appropriately addressed cooperatively and the procedures utilized in alternative dispute resolution. Case examples have shown that alternative dispute resolution techniques are an effective tool to directly address substantive issues in forest resource conflict. An extensive literature review and in-depth interviews yielded information on conflict theory, prerequisites to cooperative/integrative conflict management applications, and the experience to date of implementing cooperative techniques in the effective management of forest resource disputes.