Title: Engaging local communities in wildlife management area planning: an evaluation of the Lake Ontario Islands search conference
Abstract:Public participation in wildlife management has grown. Public hearings, historically a common approach to public participation in governmental decision-making, often proved unsatisfactory to both citi...Public participation in wildlife management has grown. Public hearings, historically a common approach to public participation in governmental decision-making, often proved unsatisfactory to both citizens and managers. Many wildlife agencies have moved beyond public hearings to more inquisitive approaches (e.g., public meetings, scientific surveys of stakeholders, focus groups) that solicit input during development of a management plan. Often, however, managers still find themselves stuck in the middle, conveying the values of every stakeholder group to every other group. Seeking an alternative that would engage stakeholders directly with one another and promote greater collaboration with local communities, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) cooperated with Cornell University in an innovative approach to wildlife management area (WMA) planning. Using a participatory planning process called a search conference, NYSDEC engaged a diverse range of stakeholders from local communities in planning for the Lake Ontario Islands Wildlife Management Area (LOIWMA), located in New York's Eastern Lake Ontario Basin. Planning occurred within a climate of ongoing controversy over management of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus). Evaluation comments from search conference participants, including fish and wildlife managers, suggested that the event increased understanding among stakeholders, elicited input from stakeholders with diverse interests and concerns, strengthened relationships, enhanced agency credibility, and identified concrete actions for the LOIWMA plan and for broader community initiatives. Implementation of community-based actions has been limited, however, by lack of a democratic structure for continued collaboration. We describe the design and implementation of the Lake Ontario Islands Search Conference and discuss themes that emerged from our experience with this method of stakeholder involvement: purpose, participation, conflict, and transferability to other situations.Read More
Publication Year: 2001
Publication Date: 2001-04-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 21
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