THE ROLE OF UNESCO BIOSPHERE RESERVES IN GOVERNANCE FOR SUSTAINABILITY: CASES FROM CANADA A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts by REBECCA MIRIAM POLLOCK TRENT UNIVERSITY Peterborough, Ontario, Canada © Copyright by Rebecca Miriam Pollock 2009 Canadian Studies PhD Program June 2009 ABSTRACT The Role of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in Governance for Sustainability: Selected Cases from Canada Rebecca Miriam Pollock Designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), biosphere reserves are seen as models for community-based sustainable development. They are geographic areas that contain globally unique ecosystems and encourage communities to integrate biodiversity conservation with sustainable development. Sustainability requires a variety of innovative governance models and approaches. This research explores the roles of UNESCO biosphere reserves – both as models and as multi-stakeholder organizations – in governance for sustainability. As a grounded study, the research methods are iterative and include a literature review, qualitative interviews, extensive participant observation, and comparative analysis of three cases from Canada. The experiences of Long Point Biosphere Reserve (1986), the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve (2002), and the Georgian Bay Littoral Biosphere Reserve (2004) are used to illustrate the application of the UNESCO model and to provide insights into the role of civil society organizations in governance. A conceptual framework is devised to guide case study analysis in terms of the ethical (integrative), procedural (collaborative), and structural (network) governance potential of biosphere reserve organizations to enhance sustainability initiatives. The results suggest that to play an effective role in governance, biosphere reserve groups must navigate complex jurisdictional layers and other organizational and institutional players in order to establish unifying frameworks that fulfil the functions of biosphere reserves. The case studies show that biosphere reserves have the potential to play a number of unique roles. These ii include: building governance capacity by brokering collaborative cross-scale governance arrangements and facilitating informal governance networks by providing coordination and communication. However, the research also suggests that biosphere reserves could expand their governance influence by building their own organizational capacity, engaging governments at all levels, and exercising greater leadership in terms of articulating a shared vision for sustainable community development and enabling it, through multi-stakeholder collaboration. These findings are meant to contribute toward theories of environmental governance, to inform the management of UNESCO biosphere reserves, and to share insights with other communities and sustainability-oriented agencies and organizations. Key words: UNESCO Biosphere Reserves – Governance – Sustainable Development – Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration – Governance Networks – Canadian Biosphere Reserves iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To be able to study is an enormous privilege. I am fortunate to have met many dedicated and enthusiastic scholars who have guided my work. Foremost among them are my dissertation committee members: supervisor Dr. Robert Paehlke (Trent), Dr. James Meadowcroft (Carleton), Dr. John Wadland (Trent), and Dr. Robert Gibson (Waterloo). Professor George Francis (Waterloo) has also provided tremendous support along the way. It has been an honour to work with these leading thinkers in my field. Dr. Maureen Reed (Saskatoon) and Dr. Asaf Zohar (Trent) acted as excellent external examiners in the process and I look forward to working with them in the future. I would like to express appreciation to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for a graduate scholarship and acknowledge the outstanding support provided by the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation’s doctoral scholarship program. This unique award has granted me the opportunity to visit several world biosphere reserves, meet program staff within the international community, and network within Canada. I would like to thank Joseé St-Martin and Bettina Cenerelli of the Trudeau Foundation for their constant encouragement. I also wish to extend my sincere appreciation to Dr. Art Hanson for his superb mentorship during the program. Within the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, I would most like to thank Jane Robertson Vernhes for her generosity and kindness in welcoming me into the MAB Family. Dr. Natarajan Ishwaran and Meriem Bouamrane have both been supportive of iv my work and of the contributions of Canadian biosphere reserves. In Canada, I wish to thank Dr. Fred Roots (Canada/MAB), Dominique Potvin (Canadian Commission for UNESCO), Jim Birtch (Parks Canada), Richard Murzin (CBRA President) and all the members of the Canadian Biosphere Reserves Association for their support. A special thanks to my fieldwork hosts Brian Craig, Paula Jongerden, and Don and Marnie Ross. I am indebted to my interview participants and greatly appreciate the time they spent with me. Thank you to members of the Department of Environment and Resource Studies at the University of Waterloo for supporting my vision of a field campus in the Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve. I always feel at home in ERS. To my colleagues on the Biosphere Sustainability Project team: you have challenged me and entertained me in countless ways. Special thanks go to Graham Whitelaw, Dan McCarthy and Sharmalene Mendis- Millard. Finally, I want to thank the White Squall gang in Parry Sound for cheering me on and taking me kayaking. My parents, Carolyn and David Pollock, have always pushed me to fly. Thank you. John and Pauline Mason have provided constant support. To my partner, Greg Mason, you support all my dreams. Thank you for helping this one come true. And to my son, Samuel Robert Mason, you’ve started life as a pretty good earthling. It will be great getting to know you. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................... iv TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................................................................... vi 1. Introduction: Linking Sustainability and Governance................................................. 1 1.1 Theoretical Perspectives on Governance for Sustainability .................................. 3 1.1.1 Sustainable Development................................................................................5 1.1.2 Governance ..................................................................................................... 9 1.1.3 Collaborative Governance............................................................................ 12 1.1.4 Cross-Scale Governance............................................................................... 14 1.1.5 Adaptive Governance....................................................................................18 1.1.6 Governance for Sustainability....................................................................... 25 1.2 Research Context................................................................................................. 27 1.3 Case Studies......................................................................................................... 33 1.4 Research Objectives............................................................................................. 35 1.5 Justification of Research...................................................................................... 37 1.6 Methodological Approach................................................................................... 42 1.7 Thesis Structure................................................................................................... 45 2. Biosphere Reserves.................................................................................................... 46 2.1 UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme................................................. 46 2.2 The Biosphere Reserve Model............................................................................. 49 2.3 The Model in Practice: 40 years of experience.................................................... 57 2.4 Governance of Biosphere Reserves ..................................................................... 65 2.5 Scholarship on Biosphere Reserves..................................................................... 72 2.6 International Experience...................................................................................... 77 2.6.1 Local Participation in the Grosses Wasertal, Austria ................................... 77 2.6.2 Quality Economies in the Rhön, Germany ................................................... 80 2.6.3 An EcoMuseum in Kristianstads Vattenrike, Sweden.................................. 84 2.6.4 Rock Concerts for Nature in North Vidzeme, Latvia ................................... 87 2.6.5 Bioregional Planning in the Riverland / Bookmark, Australia..................... 88 2.7 Canadian Experience........................................................................................... 93 2.8 Research Opportunities.......................................................................................