Dialogue for nature conservation
Modern nature conservation and wildlife management concern both people and nature. A skills development programme for Swedish nature authorities has improved the dialogue and local participation and has contributed to making processes run smoother.
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Swedish EPA) was assigned by the Government to create a programme for those who work with nature conservation and management of natural resources. The programme was created in cooperation with the leading specialists in environmental communication, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.
Dialogue for Nature Conservation is intended primarily for professionals at the Swedish EPA and the 21 county administrative boards. Most of the staff who work in this field have studied biology or have other exams in nature science. Environmental communication has not been included in their education.
During the first two years (2008-2009) 26 courses were held reaching some 500 people, which is an estimated 60 per cent of staff working with nature conservation and management of natural recourses. The courses are usually two-three days long.
Practical tools for good communication
The main objectives of the programme are to ensure good communication and local participation by giving the officers theoretical background as well as practical tools for conducting dialogue and creating democratic processes. They also acquire basic knowledge about conflict management.
An example: Officers have the checklist for dialogue next to the telephone and use it when someone calls and complains about beeing run down by the authority, bursts into tears or threatens them. The officer start by listening, confirming, mirroring the caller and ask clarifying questions. When the officer is sure that the caller feels he/she has been listened to, the officer start to give the views of the authority. This works most of the times.
The programme is aimed at facilitating good processes without conflicts, but of course nature conservation agencies sometimes run into problems when trying to fulfil their task. Landowners, farmers, hunters, non-governmental organisations, neighbours and other stakeholders have different and sometimes conflicting ideas of how to make best use of nature and the environment.
An example: An officer was going to plan a route for snowmobiles through a nature reserve to a village. Instead of planning the route himself, he invited locals to suggest where the track should go. This was a good start to the dialogue.
Evaluation shows good result
Dialogue for nature conservation was evaluated in 2009 by external consultants. Their view confirms the picture from the follow-up of the single courses:
- There is a strong need for this kind of skills development training,
- the quality of the courses is very high, and
- the participants appreciate the tools they now have for creating a better dialogue and increased local participation.
Some alterations have been made in the programme after the evaluation. There are more basic training courses and the special courses for directors has been terminated and so has the advanced courses for different focal areas. The courses Conflict management and Cooperation and learning continues.
New courses for mixed groups
This concept will now be used in building a new democratic process for management of large predators in Sweden. Wildlife management delegations have been started at all the 21 county administrative boards and they are manned by politicians, representatives from organisations for landowners, livestock owners, hunters, NGO:s with nature focus, police and other authorities.
The delegations will decide and give directions on management of large predators, moose, deer and wild boar. A two-day training course in communicating with people of different ideas may contribute to fruitful discussions and dialogue and improve wildlife management.
More information
Read the program.
For more information contact Lotten Westberg,lotten.westberg (sol.slu.se) and Lars Hallgren, lars.hallgren (a) sol.slu.se, at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Urban and Rural Development, Unit for Environmental Communication,.
Cecilia Persson head of the programme at the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, cecilia.persson (a) naturvardsverket.se