Governance in the current context demands a plurality of actors in decision making drawn from the spheres of state, civil society and business. There is an inherent assumption of harmony among these spheres leading to complementary outcomes in 'good governance'. In the real world, however, conflict ...

This chapter recounts the past water resource development in the lower Jordan River basin (LJRB) - defined as the Jordanian part of the Jordan River basin, downstream of Lake Tiberius - and dwells on the specific relationships between water, local culture and national/regional politics. The...

Sustainable development, comprised of interrelated social, economic and ecological components, is a core value of the global community. We need jobs in rural and urban communities, commodities to support life processes, and a healthy environment inclusive of our heritage of plant and animal...

Decision-support systems (DSS) have been extensively used in the management of natural resources for nearly two decades. However, practical difficulties with the application of DSS in real-world situations have become increasingly apparent. Complexities of decision making, encountered in the...

This chapter examines the involvement of Australian farm women in natural resource management and their engagement in developing more sustainable production methods. The chapter draws on the findings of a large scale 2002 survey, as well as on interview, questionnaire and focus-group studies. It is ...

This chapter investigates the contribution of the concept of social capital to understanding the development of (rural) civil society and the establishment of enabling conditions in which all stakeholders can have a voice in decentralized decision making. This analysis highlights the quality of...

This chapter begins with an overview of the participatory landscape/lifescape appraisal (PLLA), a method for participatory rural appraisal that goes beyond the village level to the more inclusive landscape scale. This is followed by a description of how it was used to gain an initial understanding...

This chapter examines the role that science and, more specifically, the social sciences play in the natural resource decision making process. Other issues such as the current trends surrounding the use of science in natural resources, are also discussed. Another issue explored is the presence of...

This chapter addresses three specific questions essential for effective management of natural resources and the implementation of integrated resource and environmental management (IREM) process. The questions addressed include: (i) how are decision made in natural resource management agencies and...

This chapter examines the meaning and implications of various dimensions of 'natural resource management' and also considers a number of key ideas and theories that explain the background for natural resource policy decision making. Initially, this chapter explains the fundamental concepts and...