Tropentag, October 5 - 7, 2011 in Bonn "Development on the margin"

Public Participation in Environmental Management: Joint Forest Management in Developed and Developing Countries - A Review

¹Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Institute for Co-operative Studies, Germany
²Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Dept. of Agricultural Economics and Social Sciences, Germany

Abstract

Public participation is a process-oriented activity. It is a two way process, where both the agency and the public can learn and gain the benefits and is viewed as a movement to attain equity and sustainability in environmental Management. The Secretary's of public participation policy Statement defines public participation as “open, ongoing, two-way communication, both formal and informal, between government and its Stake holders-those interested in or affected by its actions (USDE, 1998). World Commission on Environment and Development (1987) defines Environmental Management as “the field that seeks to balance human demands upon the earth's natural resource base with the natural environmental ability to meet these demands on a sustainable basis. The objectives of the paper are, to study the concepts and models of public participation in environmental management and to know the public participation role in Forest Management through review the case study of developed and developing countries.
The Present paper attempted to spotlight the notion of Public participation in Environmental Management. In this Globalized Era, it is crucial that, we compare, exchange our views and experiences of public participation across the continents. The case study from India on Joint Forest Management as a case study from developing country and Joint Agency-Public (community) decision making from (Queensland parks and wildlife service) from Queensland as a case study from developed country are reviewed focussing the objectives of the paper. The study has come up with meaningful conclusions and recommendations. Increasing the social responsibilities for local governments and on the Public is an important part in achieving success in environmental management through public participation process. At the outset, public participation in environmental management is vital to strike a fundamental chord in assessing democratic governance for the sustainable success of the programmes in the present and for the future.

Keywords: Environmental management, India, joint agency-public, joint forest management, public participation

Contact Address: Saikumar C. Bharamappanavara, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Institute for Co-operative Studies, Luisenstrasse-53, D-10099 Berlin, Germany, e-mail: saikumarbcgooglemail.com