Partecipatory processes for forest planning and management models: considerations and ideas

Arenzano 27-10-2011

Roberto Gianoglio

Forest planning: from Colbert to Lisbona

Participation and responsabilities

Forest planning and management: some hints

PRESENTATION STRUCTURE

FOREST PLANNINGFROM COLBERT TO LISBONA

Up to mid 19th Century…

Jean Baptiste ColbertIl consiglio dei 10

(francesco Hayez)

Heinrich Cotta

After the First World War…

Less interest in firewoodLess interest in timberPeople abandoning marginal areas and moving into urban areas

FOREST PLANNINGFROM COLBERT TO LISBONA

HIGH PLANNINGLOW FORESTRY MANAGEMENT

SUSTAINABLE FOREST PLANNINGFROM COLBERT TO LISBONA

Enviromental sustainability Economical sustainability Social sustainability

20th Century:

Third Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe Annex 2 of the 2-4 June 1998, Lisbon/Portugal

Maintenance and appropriate enhancement of forest resources and their contribution to global carbon cycles;

Maintenance of forest ecosystem health and vitality Maintenance and encouragement of productive functions of forests (wood

and non wood) Maintenance, conservation and appropriate enhancement of biological

diversity in forest ecosystems Maintenance and appropriate enhancement of protective functions in forest management (notably soil and water) Maintenance of other socio-economic functions and conditions

PARTICIPATION AND RESPONSIBILITIESFROM PLANNING TO MANAGEMENT

Participatory processes for forest planning, a long way…

1. Legitimation1. Institutional2. Real

2. Public participation

3. Players identification, animation and mobilization

4. Something to be decided…1. Need for top-down decisions2. Need for freedom to operate 3. Need for concrete and relevant problems to be solved

What is the aim of a participatory forest planning?

Players identification

Conflict minimitazion

PARTICIPATION AND RESPONSIBILITIESFROM PLANNING TO MANAGEMENT

Management Unit increase

Management Unit diversification

Strategy identification

Shared infrastructural need definition

Application of a management model

Associations fostering

PARTICIPATION AND RESPONSIBILITIESFROM PLANNING TO MANAGEMENT

Sabotage of participatory forest planning…

I know something you don’t know (asimmetria informativa - AI)

Didn’t tell you? o I would never have said that! (negazione del problema dell’AI)

Whoops I forgot! (sottovalutazione dell’AI)

The sinergy of an holistic approach (parlare chiaro)

Under new management o I have to check it with my boss (scaricare la responsabilità)

Rule maker - rule breaker (affermare un diritto di cambiare/adattare le regole a proprio piacimento in quanto gestore del processo)

I’ve changed my mind (cambiare/adattare le regole senza consenso)

I never changed my mind (mancanza di flessibilità)

Remote control (processo decisionale percepito come etero-diretto)

I quit (se il processo non va nella direzione che voglio, abbandono il tavolo)

(P.Michtell-Banks, 2004)

FOREST PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT: SOME HINTSFROM PLANNING TO MANAGEMENT

No active management can exist without economic interest.No/Few forest public services (protective function, C-sink, …) can exist without active management.

Local economic system important but often not really “clear”

Guarantees the conservation of resources but is not a real business

Interesting way for farmers to integrate their work and their capital

FOREST PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT: SOME HINTSFROM PLANNING TO MANAGEMENT

01 Management of small areas: coppicing (active but not continuous management)

Proper forest sector:

Availability of human resources and capital goods

Business development activities

Long term strategy plans

Competitive on the market

FOREST PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT: SOME HINTSFROM PLANNING TO MANAGEMENT

02 Management of large woodlands(active and continuous management)

In Italy…

40% of woodlands are public More than 95% of forests are under some constrain Forest area has constantly grown starting from 40s (+7%) Mean forest utilization is 1,2 mc/ha/y The presence of a strong, well-structured and organized

agricultural sector often impedes a new forest sector to grow

The forest sector impact on GDP is about 0.05% !

Forest associations are extremely limited

FOREST PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT: SOME HINTSFROM PLANNING TO MANAGEMENT

FOREST PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT: SOME HINTSFROM PLANNING TO MANAGEMENT

and in Liguria Region*…

387.170 Ha of woodlands (71,5% of total) 64% of forest are coppices (of which 36% aged) 30,2% of chestnut forest 87% of forest area is privately owned 61% of forest area is situated in areas with >40% slope Serious problem of forest fires and plant health conditions not

optimal* Report on state of forest 2010 – Regione Liguria

• Simple plans for incisive actions

Excessive overlap of complex planning tools does not help the realization of the planned actions; plans must be simple, concise and operative

Starting from simple actions and self-closing mechanisms to generate virtuous systems and overcome private owners resistance 

• External resources:

From concessions for hydroelectric or irrigation use of public waters

From muschrooming fees

From hunting

• Management models: appropriate size for active and continuous management 

Maximize the possibilities of creating stable employment  (1-2 jobs every 800-000 ha of forest production management)

Promote the associations in any possible way

FOREST PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT: SOME HINTS1

By providing services:

Wood selling by pubblic auction

Free advice on public register

Speed up of authorization process

Access to goverment grants

FOREST PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT: SOME HINTS2

By implementing disincentive policies

No-use tax ?

Reiterability of use for public utility

Coercive forms of association ?

• Involve private landowners and firms in planning but also in management

• Public policies

Promotion of inclusive decision-making processes must be sustained and addressed to implementation of models of strategic management of the resources

Maximization of wood use in public works through ad hoc price- list items 

Direct the production of energy from forest biomass (Think about chains!)

Natural resources maangement is a political matter! It must be dealt with policy instruments

Harmonization and regulatory simplification

FOREST PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT: SOME HINTS3

CONCLUSION

The application of participatory approaches to forest planning can be an important added value to the sustainable management of forest resources. 

The best way to put in action this contribution is to make it a starting point to identify the right management strategy.

Thank you !

Dott. For. Roberto Gianoglio

e. gianoglio@seacoop.comt. 011/3290001www.seacoop.com