%0 Research article
%T Conflict management as a means to the sustainable use of natural resources
%A Kyllönen, Simo
%A Colpaert, Alfred
%A Heikkinen, Hannu
%A Jokinen, Mikko
%A Kumpula, Jouko
%A Marttunen, Mika
%A Muje, Kari
%A Raitio, Kaisa
%D 2006
%J Silva Fennica
%V 40
%N 4
%R doi:10.14214/sf.323
%U https://silvafennica.fi/article/323
%X Democratic societies’ emphasis on individual rights and freedoms  inevitably opens them up to political disputes. Conflict management  should thus be seen as an integral part of democratic institutional  design. The evolution and management of policy disputes concerning the  use of different natural resources in Finland is analysed by using the  theoretical models of frame analysis and strategic interaction. The  studied disputes include lake fisheries, watercourse regulation,  reindeer herding, and forestry. The institutional design in the case  studies varies. Despite the differences, many common features are  identified that could explain their successes or difficulties in  achieving sustainable and cooperative use of the resources. Among these  are problems involving complex and uncertain knowledge, differences in  frames held by multiple users of a resource, and distrust between the  users and other parties. The analysis concludes with preliminary  conclusions on how various disputes related to sustainable resource use  could be managed. These include addressing the knowledge and frame  problems in order to initiate a learning process; establishing  sub-processes in which mutual trust between the parties – including a  managing authority or a third party – can emerge; giving explicit roles  and a clear division of entitlement to the parties; and providing a  credible alternative for co-operation that affects the parties’ payoff  assessments during the process. Finally, the conflict management process  shouldn’t be regarded as a distinct phase of dispute resolution, but as  an essential aspect of ongoing co-management practices of resource use.