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Contextual Factors Influencing Collaboration Levels and Outcomes in National Forest Stewardship Contracting
Author(s) -
Mattor Katherine M.,
Cheng Antony S.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
review of policy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.832
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1541-1338
pISSN - 1541-132X
DOI - 10.1111/ropr.12151
Subject(s) - stewardship (theology) , agency (philosophy) , business , context (archaeology) , collaborative governance , situational ethics , corporate governance , environmental resource management , natural resource management , forest management , stewardship theory , natural resource , process management , political science , principal–agent problem , forestry , sociology , economics , finance , geography , social science , archaeology , politics , law
The number of policies promoting collaborative processes in national forest management has increased considerably over the past decade but do mandates alone increase the levels of collaboration in national forest management? Collaborative governance literature identifies the importance of the situational context for the emergence and performance of collaboration but does not identify the role of specific attributes and processes. This article presents a comparative case‐study analysis of factors influencing levels of collaboration in USDA Forest Service stewardship contracting processes. Incorporating concepts from the collaborative governance literature and Institutional Analysis and Development framework we found policy and administrative guidance alone will not increase the use of collaborative processes associated with stewardship contracts. A combination of existing agency‐community planning efforts, leadership, and agency support were essential for collaboration to materialize. Top‐down policy direction meant to increase the use of collaboration to achieve natural resource management objectives must incorporate opportunities to establish these conditions.