Responding to Environmental Issues through Adaptive Collaborative Management

"Recent political and civil society interest in forests suggests that the time is right for significant changes in forest governance. Conventional forest institutions may no longer be "fit for purpose" and the calls for "evidence-based management" are countered by disagreement on how evidence is collected, to support what agenda and by whom. Determining the future of forests is going to be a blend of politics and art. The latest thinking of the ACM community suggests some interesting possibilities for changing direction."

Jeff Sayer, Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences

"Projects in Asia and Africa by CIFOR introduced the concept of adaptive collaborative management. This volume is over two decades in the making: it affords a rare opportunity to revisit those projects and contemplate experiences gained. Deep reflections on knowledge generated inform our future, with such approaches being needed now, more than ever."

Ryan Plummer, Ph.D,Professor and Director, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre

"Colfer and Prabhu pioneered the testing of adaptive collaborative management in forests twenty years ago and have seized a rare opportunity to produce this wonderful book to show how well their ideas have stood the test of time. Adaptive learning and cooperation in challenging, complex environments are more relevant than ever before in our current times of climate change, food system transformation and conflict. The experiences recounted here show that processes that foster learning may not always be institutionalized or sustained, but they can trigger a reset of critical relationships and communication patterns that support better forest management and human well-being. This kind of long-term follow-up on innovations is itself good learning for us all."

Lini Wollenberg, PhD, University of Vermont

"In this edited volume, Colfer, Prabhu, and their co-authors offer local lessons of great significance to the global challenge of climate change. Their contexts are forest communities surrounded by pressures of deforestation. The authors trace the effects over two decades of interventions informed by adaptive collaborative management approaches. While rooted in communities, ACM strives to open pathways at multiple institutional levels for people and systems to shift to "more adaptive and sustainable states" (p. 4). The promising news across these chapters (and volume 1) is that the participatory action learning and networks catalyzed by ACM effectively empowered diverse types of communities to gain a voice in their local forest governance. Even more significant, this collective agency persisted and took on new challenges beyond the formal ACM interventions. These chapters also offer valuable tactical guidance on ACM tools, including multi-stakeholder forums, expert facilitation, and trust-building, and cycles of shared learning, problem-solving, and reflection on lessons to take forward."

Patti Petesch, Wageningen University

"It is rare to have a book that evaluates two decades of experience with a promising approach. As Chapter 1 points out, much of the forestry world was oblivious to community-level possibilities until the early 2000s. Communities were considered, if anything, as impediments to management. Colfer, Prabhu and colleagues demonstrate why effective management and conservation could only occur through adaptive approaches with the collaboration of people living in and using the forest."

Fikret Berkes, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of Manitoba

"Multi-stakeholder collaboration is one of the most important issues at this time, whether in efforts to move forward in regional development, community empowerment or in making political progress towards the 2030 sustainable development targets (SDGs). ACM (Adaptive Collaborative Management) is one method which addresses the question of interaction and balance among living things. It provides guidance in the steps required to organize people in the right way and at the right time."

Sarwono Kusumaatmadjam, Chairman, Advisory Council for Climate Change Policies

"Thought provoking, insightful and grounded - the editors and contributors build on over two decades of their applied scholarship and policy experience to offer lessons from diverse initiatives. The core focus on learning through change and navigating relationships of power remain, but what sets this book apart is the emphasis on ‘scaling up’. Context may be key, but as this book shows, experiments with adaptive and collaborative management are a catalyst for the governance innovations and institutional transformations required to support resilient communities confronting uncertain futures."

Derek Armitage,University of Waterloo

"The inclusive approach to address climate change and environmental challenges through ACM is timely. Communities and young people, now more than ever, yearn for a seat at the table, and for their voices to be heard in the global effort to find tangible and effective solutions to resolve these ‘wicked problems’. Colfer, Prabhu, et. al., highlight the positive outcomes that may arise from ACM as the next generation and members of the community become involved and invested in mitigating climate change, biodiversity loss, deforestation and other environmental causes."

Takudzwa S. Mutezo, Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders 2022

"Since the rise of ACM 20 years ago, three key developments have occurred. 1) Climate change is now globally accepted and understood; 2) forests are seen as a key solution for carbon capture and storage; 3) there is greatly increased recognition of the role for lndigenous Peoples and Local Communities in managing natural resources. These improvements allow emergence of schemes like Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES), which links local management to international environmental markets. ACM can offer valuable insights to make such schemes effective and empowering."

Laetania Belai Djandam, Indigenous Dayak Environmental Activist and Youth Climate Reality Leader