Pieter Vangansbeke, Leen Gorissen, Frank Nevens and Kris Verheyen Transition towards co-ownership in forest management: Bosland (Flanders, Belgium) as a frontrunner Pieter Vangansbeke, Leen Gorissen, Frank Nevens and Kris Verheyen

Intro Forest in Flanders Low forest cover Small forest parcels Disintegrated ownership Challenges in forest management Wide range of stakeholders Fragmentation and urbanization Need for new forest management approaches Acting on a landscape scale, maximizing multiple ecosystem services Uniting different forest owners and stakeholders Forest cover: 11%. Average owner has a parcel = 1ha. Fragmentation and urbanization + pollution, nitrification lead to a biodiversity loss, decreased resilience, decreased ecosystem service delivery, … Case study

Bosland Bosland has a total surface of 22 000 ha of which approximately 17 000 ha consists of open space (Coordination cel Bosland, 2012), containing almost 10 000 ha of nature- and forest area. Public forest covers more than 4500 ha and ownership is divided between het municipalities and the Flemish community. The Flemish community owns about 2260 ha, while the municipalities own about 1850 ha (Lommel), 630 ha (Hechtel-Eksel) and 40 ha (Overpelt). Privately owned forests account for approximately 2250 ha, of which approximately 180 owners with a total of 515 ha are member of the local forest group. Nature outside forests is mainly heathland and grassland and is owned by the Federal state (1497 ha, inaccessible military domain), Natuurpunt (356 ha in management) and the Flemish community (66 ha).

Methods Learning history Study of policy documents Interview with key stakeholders Analysis of the tale of Bosland through transition lenses Transition theory Radical shifts from one system to another, implying changes in structure, culture and practice Typically considered from a multi-level perspective Changes in structure, culture and practice

Landscape Regime Niche After Geels, 2005 Time Landscape developments put pressure on the regime. Creating windows of opportunity for novelties New regime influences landscape Regime Regime is dynamically stable Processes are ongoing on different dimensions New configuration breaks through, thanks to windows of opportunity. Adjustments of regime occur. Stabilization in new regime, which is not (yet) dominant. Momentum increases. After Geels, 2005 Niche Novelties on multiple dimensions occur, via co-construction different elements are gradually linked together Time

Methods Learning history Study of policy documents Interview with 10 key stakeholders Analysis of the tale of Bosland through transition lenses Transition theory Radical shifts from one system to another, implying changes in structure, culture and practice Typically considered from a multi-level perspective Transition framework has been developed to understand transitions, to solve persistent problems and to promote sustainable development

Organization and development phase The tale of Bosland Preparation phase Organization and development phase Implementation phase 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 New communication plan Project recognition First public consultation New legislation & Exploratory talks Master plan Long term vision & Statutory partnership Partnership widened Second public consultation

Organization and development phase The tale of Bosland Preparation phase Organization and development phase Implementation phase 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 New communication plan Project recognition First public consultation New legislation & Exploratory talks Master plan Long term vision & Statutory partnership Partnership widened Second public consultation

Organization and development phase The tale of Bosland Preparation phase Organization and development phase Implementation phase 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 New communication plan Project recognition First public consultation New legislation & Exploratory talks Master plan Long term vision & Statutory partnership Partnership widened Second public consultation

Paradigm shift towards co-management Equal collaboration and common understanding, also non-land owning stakeholders included as partners Management on a landscape scale with an overarching long term vision Top-down approach Management of isolated patches -> Increased involvement and enthusiasm by all partners Connecting long term vision and short term action Long term overarching vision developed through co-creation -> medium term management plans -> short term action -> Long term vision gives direction to short term action

Focus on participation Stakeholder input during two envisioning processes Survey, discussion walks, workshops Brainstorming sessions Permanent participation by including “Bosland parliament” in management structure Management committee Ecological house Steering committee Economical house Coordinating cell Social house Working groups

Conclusion Managing forests for multiple ecosystem services in a highly urbanized area asks for new strategies Involving multiple stakeholders Collaborating on a landscape scale Long term envisioning Bosland can be considered a frontrunner case in this respect Bosland has been perceived as a success story and the approach has recently been copied in two new projects

Thanks for your attention Additional info: Pieter.vangansbeke@ugent.be