Wouldn't it be great if we could manage natural resources effectively and get the right balance between development and conservation? If we knew more of how to help people dealing with conflicts to avoid the undermining or disruption of natural resource management, lack of development or even outbreak of violence? And if we could assist in creating opportunities and strengthening people's ability to solve problems that arise in natural resource management, while helping to build positive relationships among people?
This guide looks at how negotiation and consensus building can be used to manage conflict and build collaboration. The guide provides practical, step-by-step advice on working with many different stakeholders to reach mutually satisfactory agreements in collaborative natural resources management. As such, it is concerned with people's livelihoods - their means of living, and the influences that affect the ways in which they live and work. It is also concerned with sustainability - balancing conservation and development to meet the needs of women and men, now and in the future.