Linking watersheds and streams through functional modeling of watershed processes
Watersheds as Learning Landscapes: Policies and Practices Around Watershed Governance in Canada
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Transcript of Watersheds as Learning Landscapes: Policies and Practices Around Watershed Governance in Canada
WATERSHEDS AS LEARNING LANDSCAPES:
POLICIES AND PRACTICES AROUND WATERSHED GOVERNANCE IN CANADA
Prateep Kumar NayakNatural Resources Institute, University of Manitoba, Canada
Introduction Resource governance dilemma and, in many cases, governance failure, can be attributed to deficiencies in learning processes and outcomes.
Governance: “...interrelated and increasingly integrated system of formal and informal rules [institutions], rule-making systems, and actor-networks at all levels of human society (from local to global) that are set up to steer societies towards preventing, mitigating, and adapting to global and local environmental change” (Biermann et al. 2009)
Learning: “process of social change in which people learn from each other in ways that can benefit wider social-ecological systems. as active social participation in the practices of a community dynamic interaction between people and the environment in the
construction of meaning and identity (Reed et al. 2010)
Introduction Focus on the nexus between governance and learning
using a watershed context. How the emergence of governance (adaptive) regimes
relates to the concept of learning across multiple levels.Governance processes affect learning outcomes.Learning can impact management and governance
processes. Both governance and learning as linked to each other
in a two-way feedback process. Learning outcomes help in dealing with resource management
problems and challenges.Governance arrangements and processes facilitate
transformative learning. ○ Both at individual and societal levels.
Key Tenets of Governance and Learning Processes
Attributes associated with governance Cross-scale linkages, Interaction, Coordination,
Collaboration, Networks Institutional arrangements – Bridging and Polycentric Diversity / Pluralism Flexibility, Monitoring Leadership Memory, Learning capacity, Self‐organization Dynamic learning
Attributes associated with learning
Interaction, Inclusion and Negotiation
Systems orientation, Integration
Reflection and reflexivity
Learning Conditions or methods
Learning outcomes
Individual and wider social learning
The Policy and Practice of Watershed Governance: Two Canadian Cases
Drawing from earlier presentations by Fred, Kate and Dave (John)
Bottom-up Governance: The case of PEI watershed groupsLevels Structural
ArrangementFunctional Arrangements Normative
ArrangementsProvincial
Water Management Division in the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Forestry
Responsible for the sustainable management, protection, and enhancement of the Province's drinking water, groundwater, inland surface water and coastal estuaries
Conservation Strategy 1987
A Guide to Watershed Planning on PEI
Environmental Protection Act 1988
Water Wells Act 2004
Right to Farm and the Pesticide Control Act 2009
Planning Act 2009
Regional
PEI Watershed Alliance (PEIWSA)
Improve and protect the environmental quality of Prince Edward Island watersheds, for the benefit of all Island residents
Empower Island watershed groups to achieve their goals by promoting cooperation, by serving their needs and by providing a strong, united voice in addressing Island-wide watershed issues
Watershed
31 Watershed Groups (WG)
Stream, watercourse, and wildlife habitat evaluation, restoration and protection
Public information and awareness Community-based watershed planning Technical guidance/input for communities
and residents
Top-Down Decentralisation for Watershed Governance: Manitoba Conservation Districts
Levels
Structural Arrangement Functional Arrangements Normative Arrangements
Provincial
Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship
Legislative Documents:Manitoba Conservation Districts Act 1976
Manitoba Conservation Districts Regulations
Manitoba Environment Act 1996
Manitoba Water Strategy 2003
Water Protection Act 2006
Manitoba Water Council (MWC)
Monitor the development and implementation of watershed management plans in the province
Coordinate the activities of advisory boards and similar entities that perform functions relating to water
Assist in reporting sustainability indicators relating to water
Regional
Conservation Districts Commission (CDC)
Advise the minister at his request in all matters relating to the Act and the administration and operation thereof
Give such advice and guidance to a board as may be requested by the board or as the commission deems advisable
Review in any year, the scheme, operations and budget of a board and make recommendations thereon to the minister.
Manitoba Conservation Districts Association (MCDA)
Advocacy to influence decision making Education to build and enhance relations with public and private partners Promotion of the identity of Manitoba Conservation Districts to create presence and visibility
Watershed and Municipality
Watershed Team (WT) Contribute technical information about the watershed Meets three to four times throughout a plan’s development
Project Management Team (PMT)
Represents the interests of all watershed stakeholders Undertakes development of the IWMP and its implementation Once a IWMP is implemented, the PMT is responsible for ensuring the plan is monitored and
evaluated, and reporting that progress back to the Watershed Team
Water Planning Authorities (WPA)
Takes on the responsibility to develop an Integrated Watershed Management Plan (IWMP) in accordance with the Water Protection Act
Submit annual report and operating budgets to the minister18 Conservation Districts
Conservation Sub-Districts Constituent parts of the CDS
Some Challenges Funding Topography Environmental: Coastal erosion and nitrate pollution Real good technical advice and leadership Cooperation between various provincial departments Dealings with the different agencies Struggling for visions for things you’d like to accomplish
Some Challenges You only have so many hours in a week and so much to do
It’s not hard to get a few core people, but to get a large part of the community involved is really difficult Bringing people into the process Engaging all the landowners (all stakeholders)
Keep educating (even in the absence of money) Building awareness of the issues
Cultural differences
Autonomy to sub-districts (further decentralization)
Learning Related
Patience – We really do not know the future (complex, uncertain and unpredictable)
Relationship between watershed groups and different sectors Understand that this is not just cleaning up a stream
Don’t ever underestimate public and community-based decision making It is a powerful tool for getting things done
Learning Related
Groups have different governances
I’d like to see us abandon the stream bed and really start to get very serious on the sources, and try to get those sources stopped
Enforcement is important - There is education at one end, but then there are people that just will not comply
Working with the government is difficult sometimes
‘…more you know, the more appreciation of the environment you have, and would probably understand your circumstances allowing you to act meaningfully’
Exploring the Governance-Learning Nexus
Governance and learning share common characteristics Changes in governance regimes and learning
processes are linked
Given their two-way feedback relationship, both can influence each other
Importance of the individual and individual learning to these relationships
Exploring the Governance-Learning Nexus
Learning and governance are continuous and iterative
Power and political dynamics create learning mismatches across levels of governance
Can learning be a means to enhance adaptiveness in environmental governance?
Can (what) appropriate governance arrangements can facilitate learning?
Exploring the Governance-Learning Nexus
Learning through watershed governance
Governing watersheds through learning
Understanding Watersheds as Learning Landscapes
Governance and Learning
Nexus
Networks, redundancy
and leadership
Diversity, flexibility
and monitoring
Reflection and reflexivity
Memory, learning capacity and self‐
organization
Polycentric institutional / governance
arrangements
Integration
Dynamic learning
Systems orientation
Institutions: Regulative,
Normative and Cultural-cognitive
Inclusion and
negotiation
Complexity, uncertainty and change
Multi-level interaction, coordination and
collaboration
THANK YOU Canadian Water Network
Friends and colleagues in PEI and Manitoba –Watershed Groups and Conservation Districts
Provincial Governments of PEI and MB