L'approccio partecipativo nella pianificazione forestale

Participatory approach in forest planning. The paper stresses the importance of public participation in natural resources planning and management, with particular concern for forest planning. In the immediate aftermath of the Conference of Rio, particular attention was given to that which was ecologically necessary and acceptable and also economically feasible in the concept of sustainable development. More recently the idea has taken hold that the social dimension must be recognized as an integral part of sustainability in general and of the sustainable management of forests in particular . In this context, public participation in the forest planning process should be seen as an opportunity, among other things, to promote the social sustainability of decisions and strategies in forest management . In this paper, after a critical analysis of the possible methods and instruments to be adopted in the participatory process, I illustrate the methodological approach that I have developed in order to integrate participation in forest management on a landscape management scale. The methodological proposal is preceded by an historical overview of participation in the planning and management of natural resources; I then illustrate what the significance, role and characteristics of the participation should be, with specific reference to forest planning. In doing so, my intention is to outline the conceptual context in which the proposal was elaborated and to make clear the reasons underlying the shift towards public participation.