Reaching common ground: The potential for interagency collaboration in UNESCO biosphere reserves
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Issue Date
2020
Editor
Authors
Ostrem, Julie A.
Hvenegaard, Glen T.
License
Subject
Abstract
In an increasingly urbanized and degraded world, protected areas provide opportunities for
people to connect with nature. Biosphere reserves strive for coexistence between the conservation of
biodiversity and sustainable development practices through people and agencies living and working in
harmony with nature at a regional scale. This article explores the potential for collaboration among
stakeholders in biosphere reserves. The diverse range of social actors involved in biosphere reserves
provides a good environment for implementing collective impact theory and trust theory. These
theoretical frameworks allow for deeper understanding of how stakeholders connect through a more
holistic and cohesive decision-making process. Envisioned to facilitate social innovation, these theories
have emerged in a variety of settings across the globe to enable collaboration. However, little is known
about the implementation and success of these theories in biosphere reserves. This article evaluates the
feasibility of the practical implementation of these theories through the lens of environmental education
and heritage interpretation in the Beaver Hills Biosphere in central Alberta, Canada.