Epsilon Open Archive

Abstract

Sustainable development (SD) as a process and ultimately sustainability as a goal are key challenges for humanity. There are many policies that support the shift to more sustainable natural resource management. While many different concepts and approaches have been proposed, few practical ways to implement SD and sustainability have succeeded on the ground in real landscapes. To consider a larger geographical area, and to include both social and ecological systems and their interactions, is termed landscape approach. I define and operationalise the landscape approach and its five core features; (1) a geographical area, (2) collaboration among stakeholders, (3) a commitment to sustainable development, (4) knowledge production, and (5) sharing of knowledge and experiences. The five papers in this thesis investigated different features of the landscape approach. Paper I concludes that both Biosphere Reserve and Model Forest (MF) qualify as landscape approaches. In paper II the Kovdozersky MF in NW Russia was evaluated with the aim to support its development. The MF was mainly driven by forest sector actors and a model for local participation was under development. In addition they were influenced by Nordic forestry because they perceived it being a role model for sustainable forest management. In paper III the motivation for initiation of two Russian and two Swedish MF initiatives were studied, and a framework for analysis of local partnerships was presented. Motivations for initiation were diverse and included conservation of pristine forests, to create a Russian model for intensive industrial forest management, rural development, and to prevent conflicts between the forest industry and conservationists. In paper IV I presented a simple model based on natural forest disturbance regimes to identify forest site types where alternatives to clear-felling would be feasible for ecological reasons. In paper V a model for transdisciplinary knowledge production as a collaborative learning process was presented, and a transdisciplinary research programme was analysed. I conclude that the landscape approach can contribute to SD and that collaboration among stakeholders and activities that produce real outcomes on the ground are needed.