University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) - Research portal
Selected Publication:
Enengel, B; Penker, M; Muhar, A; Williams, R; .
(2011):
Benefits, efforts and risks of participants in landscape co-management: an analytical framework and results from two case studies in Austria.
J Environ Manage. 2011; 92(4):1256-1267
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- Abstract:
- Participatory processes in general and also in relation to managing landscape issues are gathering importance mostly due to arguments surrounding legitimacy and effectiveness in decision-making. The main aim of this research, based on a transaction costs perspective, is to present an integrated analytical framework in order to determine individual efforts (time, money), benefits and risks of participants in landscape co-management processes. Furthermore a reflection on the analytical approach developed and arising lessons to be learned for landscape co-management are presented. In the analytical framework benefit-components comprise of factors such as 'contributing to landscape maintenance/development and nature protection', 'representing one's interest group', 'co-deciding on relevant topics', 'providing and broadening one's knowledge' and 'building networks'. The risks of participation are related to a lack of information and agreements, missing support and actual decision-making power. The analytical framework is applied to two case studies in Austria: an EU LIFE-Nature project and a Cultural Landscape Project of the Provincial Government of Lower Austria. Analysis of the effort-benefit-relations provides an indication for a more effective design of co-management. Although the processes are rated as quite adequate, there is a low willingness of participants to commit additional time to co-management processes. In contrast to the Cultural Landscape Project, in the LIFE-Nature project, professionally involved persons participate next to partly and full volunteers. These uneven conditions of participation and an unfair distribution of transaction costs, jeopardize the promising chances co-management bears for landscape governance. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
- Authors BOKU Wien:
- Enengel Barbara
- Muhar Andreas
- Penker Marianne
- Find related publications in this database (using NML MeSH Indexing)
- Adult;Aged;Austria;Community-Institutional Relations;Conservation of Natural Resources*/economics;Cost-Benefit Analysis;Decision Making, Organizational;Ecology/economics;Ecology/organization & administration*;Ecosystem;Environment Design*;Female;Humans;Male;Middle Aged;Organizational Case Studies;Questionnaires;Risk;
- Find related publications in this database (Keywords)
- Co-management
- Cultural landscape
- Landscape governance
- Transaction costs
- Local participation
- Time effort
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