On common ground: designing strategic spatial governance to advance integrated natural resource management and environmental outcomes

Abstract

Despite a growing body of theory that emphasises the importance of sociospatial aspects in the representation of community interests, regionalisation for natural resource governance remains dominated by river catchments. At the same time, across many nations, local governments are being given increasing responsibilities for environmental and resource management, but work within boundaries that are largely historical artefacts. The confluence of these trends suggests that it is timely to examine the requirements for spatial definition of resource governance regions. A considerable body of research on 'place' attachment, social networks, and participatory resource management combined with institutional theory and political science suggests that joining forces to take responsibility for collective action towards sustainability is more likely within particular social-ecological contexts and scales.