The term community-based conservation (CBC) refers to wildlife conservation efforts that involve rural people as an integral part of a wildlife conservation policy. The key elements of such programs are that local communities participate in resource planning and management and that they gain economically from wildlife utilization. In part, CBC is seen as an alternative to the more exclusionary protectionist policies of the past, which often alienated rural people from conservation efforts. (continue)

This article examines the contribution that public participation can make to the development of 'citizen-centered government'. It draws upon the evidence of two major initiatives established by central and local government to develop and test out new approaches to service delivery (the Best Value and the Better Government for Older People pilot programmes). (continue)

In recent years a number of individuals have argued for the usefulness of "co production" as an alternative to traditional, hierarchical systems of policy design and implementation. Co production has been touted as a means of reducing government intrusiveness, increasing service delivery, and encouraging citizen participation and education by making society's members serve as partners in the creation of services, not merely objects on which government agent's act. (continue)

This paper concentrates on the black smallholder farming sector. Also, this paper makes recommendations for reorganisation of extension services, farmer involvement in research, land reform, incentives for soil/water conservation, NGO involvement, community participation, training, coordination. (continue)

Increasingly, environmental agencies are engaged in public participation activities. Unfortunately, the limited evaluation of public participation programs also makes improvement of such programs more difficult. To encourage further thinking about the evaluation of environmental public participation programs, this article discusses some of the basic issues raised by evaluators of social programs (e.g. unemployment and housing, etc.) that have served as methodological proving grounds for evaluation. (continue)

This article, which is based on Lee's dissertation research, compares how ideals like inclusion, transparency, and social capital are interpreted very differently in two different collaborative partnerships and explores the long-term challenges this might create for those attempting to develop formal institutions or best practices for dialogue and deliberation in local communities. (continue)

Owning and managing forest lands is an inherently legal endeavor. From forest acquisition to deeds and boundaries, from timber sales to bequests, few things can be done without confronting laws, rules, regulations, and traditions that define acceptable and unacceptable practices. For most owners, managing forests is a learn-as-you-go proposition, and too often a crash course in law follows a disagreement. Legal Aspects of Owning and Managing Woodlands is both an accessible overview of the privileges, rights, and obligations that accompany forest ownership, and a guidebook to help active forest managers use laws to their advantage and avoid the pitfalls of expensive and exhausting litigation. (continue)

An Enquiry-by-Design is an intensive, interactive forum, over 2 to 4 days, that aims to produce non-binding urban design and planning visions for complex projects. Workshops involve a Technical Team and a Consultation Group, working in tandem. Participants work together using a consensus building approach to create both principles of development, designs and implementation strategies. A Charrette is a similar process, however where the Enquiry-by-Design usually involves the urban design of a limited number of sites, the Charrette involves more comprehensive visioning and urban design of an area's employment, transport, facilities and growth. (continue)