Governance of Natural Governance of Natural Resources in Rural Canada:Resources in Rural Canada:

Issues and OutlookIssues and Outlook

Tom BeckleyTom BeckleyUniversity of New BrunswickUniversity of New Brunswick

Big Lessons From Small PlacesBig Lessons From Small PlacesCRRF Conference, Twillingate NL, 2005CRRF Conference, Twillingate NL, 2005

Assertions Assertions

Publicly owned natural resources will remain Publicly owned natural resources will remain vital to rural well-beingvital to rural well-beingAccess to or control over natural resources are Access to or control over natural resources are therefore critical to rural well-beingtherefore critical to rural well-beingTop-down, command and control management Top-down, command and control management regimes are being challenged and criticizedregimes are being challenged and criticized– This creates an opportunity, but be careful what you This creates an opportunity, but be careful what you

wish for…wish for…

Privately owned natural resources are also Privately owned natural resources are also subject to greater public scrutiny and controlsubject to greater public scrutiny and control

Natural resources will remain vital Natural resources will remain vital to rural well-beingto rural well-being

Natural resources have always been the Natural resources have always been the lifeblood of the rural economy. lifeblood of the rural economy. – Wood, fish, grain, meat, oil and gas, minerals.Wood, fish, grain, meat, oil and gas, minerals.– Raw materials and inputs into industrial processes, Raw materials and inputs into industrial processes,

commodities for direct consumption domestically and commodities for direct consumption domestically and abroad. abroad.

– We ALL will continue to need heat for our homes, We ALL will continue to need heat for our homes, wood to build things, food, etc. (even or maybe wood to build things, food, etc. (even or maybe especially those in Metropolitan Canada)especially those in Metropolitan Canada)

Labour shedding in resource sectors means fewer people Labour shedding in resource sectors means fewer people will be employed delivering these goods. will be employed delivering these goods.

Natural resources will remain vital Natural resources will remain vital to rural well-being.to rural well-being.

The natural resources of the next economy may The natural resources of the next economy may be different, but they are still natural resources. be different, but they are still natural resources. – Water (for domestic use, irrigation, for sale, because it Water (for domestic use, irrigation, for sale, because it

looks pretty)looks pretty)– Wind (for power)Wind (for power)– Space (for waste disposal, solitude as commodity)Space (for waste disposal, solitude as commodity)– Landscapes (for direct consumption)Landscapes (for direct consumption)

These are different natural resources than we These are different natural resources than we are used to, but as with traditional commodities, are used to, but as with traditional commodities, access to these things will play a role in access to these things will play a role in determining rural well-being. determining rural well-being. – Urban/rural interactions?Urban/rural interactions?– When city folk visit they like white picket fences, not When city folk visit they like white picket fences, not

junk carsjunk cars

Typology of human forest uses*Typology of human forest uses*

TimberExtraction ProductionHarvesting Furniture, Specialty Wood ProductsLog/Chip Transport Lumber, Veneer, Fiber-Board Pulp and Paper

Forestry ServicesForest Resource Management Regeneration/Silviculture Restoration

Tourism/RecreationWildlife Viewing

Flora Viewing (fall foliage)Hiking/Camping

Resort/DestinationCottage/Second Home

Eco-Tourism

Sport Hunting/Fishing

Non-Timber ProductsExtracts, Cones, Mushrooms

Maple Sugar ProductsWild Rice

Hides/Pelts

Subsistence Gathering Fishing/Hunting Food Food Fuel Craft Material Building Material

EcologicalBio-physical Psycho-cultural

Air, Soil and Water Quality Biodiversity Existence and Bequest ValuesCarbon Sequestering Aesthetics Historical and Spiritual Values

* Each and every one has governance/property rights issues attached

Top-down, command and control Top-down, command and control management regimes are being management regimes are being

challenged and criticizedchallenged and criticized

Provincial forestry (Quebec, New Provincial forestry (Quebec, New Brunswick, BC) Brunswick, BC) – Room being made for more public Room being made for more public

involvement. involvement. – Retreat from command and control to a more Retreat from command and control to a more

results-based management style. results-based management style. – Calls for more local control and some Calls for more local control and some

experiments in community forestry. experiments in community forestry.

Top-down, command and control Top-down, command and control management regimes are being management regimes are being

challenged and criticizedchallenged and criticizedOther sectors?Other sectors?

I’m in Newfoundland, do I need to say I’m in Newfoundland, do I need to say anything about top-down management of anything about top-down management of fisheries resources?fisheries resources?

Agriculture already decentralized. Agriculture already decentralized.

Oil and gas?Oil and gas?

Mines? Cheviot Mine in Alberta.Mines? Cheviot Mine in Alberta.

Breakdown of faith in command Breakdown of faith in command and control and control

Command and control (top-down Command and control (top-down regulatory management) is EXPENSIVE, regulatory management) is EXPENSIVE, especially if enforcement is an issue. especially if enforcement is an issue. And IT DOESN’T WORK ALL THAT And IT DOESN’T WORK ALL THAT WELL. WELL. – Forest Practices Code in BC.Forest Practices Code in BC.– Rules based and expensive to implement, but Rules based and expensive to implement, but

it didn’t produce better forestry. it didn’t produce better forestry.

THIS CREATES AN OPPORTUNITYTHIS CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY

Local ownership or better Local ownership or better partnership?partnership?

Expense and ineffectiveness of some Expense and ineffectiveness of some command and control regimes has command and control regimes has resulted in demand for and some resulted in demand for and some devolution of power to local levels.devolution of power to local levels.– Community forestry, co-managed fisheriesCommunity forestry, co-managed fisheries– One could argue these are in token amountsOne could argue these are in token amounts– Caution, be careful what you wish for…Caution, be careful what you wish for…– Do locals have the capacity to take on Do locals have the capacity to take on

resource management of Crown resources?resource management of Crown resources?

Ownership or PartnershipOwnership or PartnershipLikely they do not have the capacity to manage Likely they do not have the capacity to manage resources effectively. resources effectively. – May be able to handle enforcement. May be able to handle enforcement. – Research?Research?– Access to markets?Access to markets?– Access to capital to invest? Access to credit?Access to capital to invest? Access to credit?– Human capital and expertise?Human capital and expertise?

With management authority comes With management authority comes responsibility. responsibility. – Many communities back off from wanting full control Many communities back off from wanting full control

when they realize the implications. Miramichi when they realize the implications. Miramichi Watershed Management Committee.Watershed Management Committee.

Control/Benefit Continuum in Forest Management

What may work best is partnershipsWhat may work best is partnerships

Greater local say and influence from Greater local say and influence from locals.locals.

With capacity subsidized by higher levels With capacity subsidized by higher levels of governmentof government

Model Forest Program. Federal $’s, locally Model Forest Program. Federal $’s, locally driven initiativesdriven initiatives

Accountability and culpability may be Accountability and culpability may be shared.shared.

Spillover effectsSpillover effects

Greater public involvement in the Greater public involvement in the management of public resources (e.g. management of public resources (e.g. Crown land, fisheries, water) may whet the Crown land, fisheries, water) may whet the public’s appetite and spill over into greater public’s appetite and spill over into greater public intervention on private land. public intervention on private land. – For private land, rights, access and the nature For private land, rights, access and the nature

of property (e.g. the rules governing the use of property (e.g. the rules governing the use of natural resources) are a social contract.of natural resources) are a social contract.

– This is also a governance issue. This is also a governance issue. ““What can I do on my land, and what controls or What can I do on my land, and what controls or limitations do you (society) place on me?”limitations do you (society) place on me?”

Another way to look at itAnother way to look at itType of land tenurePublic Private

Pub

lic

P

rivat

eT

ype

of B

enef

it Profit from lease of timberIndividual benefit from recreation on public landIndividual passive use

Hunting or access feesPride of ownershipRevenue from timber, minerals, agricultureProfits from sale or subdivision

BiodiversityCollective or national prideEcosystem processesSocietal passive use or existence valueStumpage fees or royalties

Public huntingViewscapesEcosystem processesProperty taxesBiodiversity

Private property, public rightsPrivate property, public rights

In many instances, the debate over the In many instances, the debate over the social contract related to property rights social contract related to property rights gets played out as another rural/urban gets played out as another rural/urban debate. debate. – Rural owners in the minority, urban majority Rural owners in the minority, urban majority

wants to protect “public goods” provided by wants to protect “public goods” provided by rural stewards of the land (farmers, woodlot rural stewards of the land (farmers, woodlot owners). owners).

– Very different property rights regimes in more Very different property rights regimes in more crowded, growing regions.crowded, growing regions.

Summary: Summary: Governance of Natural ResourcesGovernance of Natural ResourcesCentralized, top-down, command and control Centralized, top-down, command and control management regimes are vulnerable to reform management regimes are vulnerable to reform right now. right now. This leads to at least better opportunity for This leads to at least better opportunity for participation in management participation in management – More and better public involvement or,More and better public involvement or,– Partnership opportunitiesPartnership opportunities

It could also lead to more substantive devolution It could also lead to more substantive devolution of decision-making powerof decision-making powerPublic goods flowing from private land may Public goods flowing from private land may become part of the debate over better become part of the debate over better stewardship and sustainable managementstewardship and sustainable management