A relational approach to landscape stewardship: Towards a new perspective for multi-actor collaboration

Cockburn, Jessica J

Title: A relational approach to landscape stewardship: Towards a new perspective for multi-actor collaboration
Creator: Cockburn, Jessica J, Rosenberg, Eureta, Copteros, Athina, Cornelius, Susanna F, Libala, Notiswa, Metcalfe, Liz, Van der Waal, Benjamin C W
Subject: To be catalogued
Date: 2020
Type: text
Type: article
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/370098
Identifier: vital:66297
Identifier: xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3390/land9070224"
Description: Landscape stewardship is increasingly understood within the framing of complex social-ecological systems. To consider the implications of this, we focus on one of the key characteristics of complex social-ecological systems: they are relationally constituted, meaning that system characteristics emerge out of dynamic relations between system components. We focus on multi-actor collaboration as a key form of relationality in landscapes, seeking a more textured understanding of the social relations between landscape actors. We draw on a set of ‘gardening tools’ to analyse the boundary-crossing work of multi-actor collaboration. These tools comprise three key concepts: relational expertise, common knowledge, and relational agency. We apply the tools to two cases of landscape stewardship in South Africa: the Langkloof Region and the Tsitsa River catchment. These landscapes are characterised by economically, socio-culturally, and politically diverse groups of actors. Our analysis reveals that history and context strongly influence relational processes, that boundary-crossing work is indeed difficult, and that doing boundary-crossing work in smaller pockets within a landscape is helpful. The tools also helped to identify three key social-relational practices which lend a new perspective on boundary-crossing work: 1. belonging while differing, 2. growing together by interacting regularly and building common knowledge, and 3. learning and adapting together with humility and empathy.
Format: computer, online resource, application/pdf, 1 online resource (20 pages), pdf
Publisher: MDPI
Language: English
Relation: Land, Cockburn, J., Rosenberg, E., Copteros, A., Cornelius, S.F., Libala, N., Metcalfe, L. and Van Der Waal, B., 2020. A relational approach to landscape stewardship: Towards a new perspective for multi-actor collaboration. Land, 9(7), p.224, Land volume 9 number 7 p. 224 2020 2073-445X
Rights: Publisher
Rights: Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the MDPI Open Access Statement (https://www.int-res.com/journals/terms-of-use/)
Rights: Open Access

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