Cultivating Peace: Conflict and Collaboration in Natural Resource Management

Conflict over natural resources-such as land, water, and forests-has for ages been widespread. Whether it be a local dispute between farmers and ranchers or an international clash over shared resources, people everywhere compete for the natural resources they need to ensure or enhance their quality of life. While the dimensions, levels and intensity of conflict can vary greatly, so too can the opportunities for conflict resolution. Why does conflict occur over the use of natural resources? How are external factors built into local conflicts? What governing mechanisms are conducive to equitable and sustainable natural resource management by communities? When do local strategies for conflict management need to be complemented or replaced by external or new mechanisms? How can research help identify opportunities for turning conflict into collaboration? Why is collaboration in natural resource management so difficult? This book grapples with these questions. Case studies analyze specific natural resource conflicts in 10 countries and the interventions of people close to the conflicts. -- from introductions