Bridging the gap: recognising the role of community in natural resource management.

Abstract

This study illustrates the need for purposeful community engagement, the significance of social capital and governance and the need for landholders to participate in the decision-making process regarding natural resource management. It recognises that while the contribution of social science to community based natural resource management has been significant over recent times; consideration of the links between government discourse and the generally less than favourable outcomes of community based natural resource management has been at the most, minimal. The study consists of a comparative study of two contrasting communities and two natural resource management projects. One study focuses on the role of the regional NRM Board for the South Australian Arid Lands and its endeavour to engage with and assess outback communities in the region to undertake natural resource management. The second study examines the attempts of a government authority to engage with a rural community so as to administer a rehabilitation project of their lands. Buy undertaking a comparative study of these two communities this thesis examines (1) the belief that strong networks, trust and transparency are prerequisites for the management of community based projects, (2) community engagement and civic governance as prerequisites for the overall success of natural resource management, and (3) the notions of community and investigates the notion that if communities are to engage and work effectively for the purpose of natural resource management, then they must mean something to the people both inside and outside of those communities.