Resource Governance

Abstract

How a policy or research problem is framed significantly determines the nature of the investigation and therefore the type of solutions that are likely to be proposed. "Framing" a research or policy question is therefore a pivotal step in policy research. A standard taxonomy of regions for the purpose of public policy reflects population density (viz. remote, rural, regional, peri-urban and urban areas), placing spatial and demographic considerations at the heart of the analysis. The types of policy solutions that emerge are likely to reflect this framing. An alternative institutional lens might be to look at regions as also being characterised by the degree of institutional complexity and fragmentation (of resources, authority or other key attributes of governance). This problem framing is less likely to focus attention on the community, and much more likely to bring into sharper focus issues of efficiency and feasibility of governance arrangements. This paper will explore issues of fragmentation and complexity in natural resource governance, contrasting regions and exploring the implications of these two dimensions for the feasibility of governance arrangements and interventions, and the likely impacts of institutional structures upon the governed communities. We will take the instance of invasive species control as a focus for this exploration. Peri-urban settings have some unique characteristics within the taxonomic framework we propose. We suggest that whilst peri-urban areas are often well-endowed economically and demographically compared to less populated areas, the overlay of 'rural' and 'urban' governance arrangements result in a high degree of transaction costs and fragmentation in the management of resources that may counter any such advantage and largely frustrate effective natural resource governance. We will explore some policy implications of these matters. Alternative 'lenses' are needed to find new ways of tackling the institutional challenges of peri-urban governance. This paper will suggest and demonstrate one such lens.