Authors : Marie-Claude Brunel and Luis Garcia-Barrios
Abstract: In degraded buffer zones surrounding Mexican biosphere reserves, a number of social actors gather with different and sometimes very conflicting views and interests regarding rural livelihoods and natural resource management. Joint development of role-playing games and scenario simulators by local and external actors can aid their collective action and social education for sustainable governance but starting the process has a number of challenges: common resources are sometimes ill defined; it is unclear which issues should first be addressed; consensus can be apparent and issue selection can be easily biased due to power asymmetries. Researcher developed a thorough diagnostic procedure in a MAB buffer zone which allowed members of all actor groups to state in a repeated, specific, organized and individual manner; their priority objectives around production, urbanization and/or conservation, the most important resources they can mobilize toward such ends, the greatest obstacles to achieving their goals and responsibilities in creating and solving local problems. Researcher reveal and analyze the very low initial level of consensus within and among groups of local and external stakeholders around priority objectives and discuss why it should be acknowledged by all stakeholders when starting a companion modeling process in these settings.
Marie-Claude Brunel and Luis Garcia-Barrios, 2011. Acknowledging Consensus and Dissent among and within Stakeholder Groups over Conservation, Production and Urbanization in a Mexican Man and the Biosphere Reserve. Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 6: 459-467.