Multi-Scalar Governance for Restoring the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: A Case Study on Small Landholdings in Protected Areas of Sustainable Development
Implementation of forest restoration projects requires cross-scale and hybrid forms of governance involving the state, the market, civil society, individuals, communities, and other actors. Using a case study from the Atlantic Forest Hotspot, we examine the governance of a large-scale forest restora...
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doaj-18e8bb311f7e4c39b5727b49242b93802020-11-24T23:01:20ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072014-04-015459961910.3390/f5040599f5040599Multi-Scalar Governance for Restoring the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: A Case Study on Small Landholdings in Protected Areas of Sustainable DevelopmentAlaine A. Ball0Alice Gouzerh1Pedro H. S. Brancalion2Yale University MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies, Henry R. Luce Hall, 34 Hillhouse Avenue, P.O. Box 208206, New Haven, CT 06520-8206, USADepartamento de Ciências Florestais, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz", Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Pádua Dias 11, 13418-260, Piracicaba-SP, BrazilDepartamento de Ciências Florestais, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz", Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Pádua Dias 11, 13418-260, Piracicaba-SP, BrazilImplementation of forest restoration projects requires cross-scale and hybrid forms of governance involving the state, the market, civil society, individuals, communities, and other actors. Using a case study from the Atlantic Forest Hotspot, we examine the governance of a large-scale forest restoration project implemented by an international non-governmental organization (NGO) on family farmer landholdings located within protected areas of sustainable development. In addition to forest restoration, the project aims to provide an economic benefit to participating farmers by including native species with market potential (fruits, timber) in restoration models and by contracting farmers in the planting phase. We employed qualitative methods such as structured interviews and participant observation to assess the effect of environmental policy and multi-scalar governance on implementation and acceptability of the project by farmers. We demonstrate that NGO and farmer expectations for the project were initially misaligned, hampering farmer participation. Furthermore, current policy complicated implementation and still poses barriers to project success, and projects must remain adaptable to changing legal landscapes. We recommend increased incorporation of social science methods in earlier stages of projects, as well as throughout the course of implementation, in order to better assess the needs and perspectives of participants, as well as to minimize trade-offs.http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/5/4/599smallholdersgood governancecivil societyenvironmental policyproject implementationincentivesparticipationtrade-offsEuterpe edulis |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Alaine A. Ball Alice Gouzerh Pedro H. S. Brancalion |
spellingShingle |
Alaine A. Ball Alice Gouzerh Pedro H. S. Brancalion Multi-Scalar Governance for Restoring the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: A Case Study on Small Landholdings in Protected Areas of Sustainable Development Forests smallholders good governance civil society environmental policy project implementation incentives participation trade-offs Euterpe edulis |
author_facet |
Alaine A. Ball Alice Gouzerh Pedro H. S. Brancalion |
author_sort |
Alaine A. Ball |
title |
Multi-Scalar Governance for Restoring the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: A Case Study on Small Landholdings in Protected Areas of Sustainable Development |
title_short |
Multi-Scalar Governance for Restoring the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: A Case Study on Small Landholdings in Protected Areas of Sustainable Development |
title_full |
Multi-Scalar Governance for Restoring the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: A Case Study on Small Landholdings in Protected Areas of Sustainable Development |
title_fullStr |
Multi-Scalar Governance for Restoring the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: A Case Study on Small Landholdings in Protected Areas of Sustainable Development |
title_full_unstemmed |
Multi-Scalar Governance for Restoring the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: A Case Study on Small Landholdings in Protected Areas of Sustainable Development |
title_sort |
multi-scalar governance for restoring the brazilian atlantic forest: a case study on small landholdings in protected areas of sustainable development |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Forests |
issn |
1999-4907 |
publishDate |
2014-04-01 |
description |
Implementation of forest restoration projects requires cross-scale and hybrid forms of governance involving the state, the market, civil society, individuals, communities, and other actors. Using a case study from the Atlantic Forest Hotspot, we examine the governance of a large-scale forest restoration project implemented by an international non-governmental organization (NGO) on family farmer landholdings located within protected areas of sustainable development. In addition to forest restoration, the project aims to provide an economic benefit to participating farmers by including native species with market potential (fruits, timber) in restoration models and by contracting farmers in the planting phase. We employed qualitative methods such as structured interviews and participant observation to assess the effect of environmental policy and multi-scalar governance on implementation and acceptability of the project by farmers. We demonstrate that NGO and farmer expectations for the project were initially misaligned, hampering farmer participation. Furthermore, current policy complicated implementation and still poses barriers to project success, and projects must remain adaptable to changing legal landscapes. We recommend increased incorporation of social science methods in earlier stages of projects, as well as throughout the course of implementation, in order to better assess the needs and perspectives of participants, as well as to minimize trade-offs. |
topic |
smallholders good governance civil society environmental policy project implementation incentives participation trade-offs Euterpe edulis |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/5/4/599 |
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